2025 Topps Series 1 Checklist: MLB Rookies, Prospect Cards We’re Hunting

0

The waiting is almost over … the first installment of 2025 Topps Series 1 flagship arrives Wednesday (Feb. 12), and will feature a 350-card checklist and introduce a new set of rookie names to collect as we leave the prospect status of Skenes, the three Jacksons, and Elly in 2024.

What I’m Hunting

James Wood (Nationals) was a little late to the party last year when he debuted on July 1, but from that point forward, he quietly hit .264 with nine home runs and 14 stolen bases while batting in the top third of Washington’s order every day. He’s listed at 6-foot-7, 235 pounds, and he has all of the exciting tools to make him a perennial all-star. If he can make an adjustment and get more balls airborne, his top-of-the-scale exit velocities could very easily contribute to 40+ home run seasons. The Nationals have an exciting young core, and if all goes according to plan, he’s the epicenter of their next contention window. On eight different autograph checklists in Series 1, 2025 is the year of James Wood for me.

There’s a small autograph set called Signature Tunes Dual Autographs that caught my eye. There are three cards in the set:

If those names don’t sound familiar, Metro Boomin is the producer of Kryptonite, which is Carroll’s walk-up song. A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie is featured on Judge’s walk-up song Hello by Pop Smoke, and Tai Verdes is the artist of Bryson Stott’s walk-up AOK, which has become a favorite in Philadelphia where the crowd sings it back to him as he approaches the batter’s box.

Finally, there are 11 players who played in the Rickwood Field game in Alabama who have autographed memorabilia cards in the Rickwood Autograph Relic Collection checklist. Six Cardinals and five Giants made the checklist, and I’ll be looking to add the Brendan Donovan to my collection. He hit a home run, a double and had three RBIs playing in his first (and maybe last) MLB regular season game in his home state of Alabama.

Eye On Hitting Prospects

The beauty of a new calendar year is a new rookie class. And while some of the names in the rookie checklist are unknowns, there are some big ones that will likely fit in the same tier with some of the best of the 2024 class, namely Wood and Coby Mayo (Orioles).

Beyond Wood and Mayo, you have another member of an exciting young Nationals outfield in Dylan Crews, an Athletic with top-of-the-scale bat-to-ball skills in Jacob Wilson and a host of other players who flashed in limited action in 2024. The confirmed initial rookie checklist lays a good foundation for what might be coming later in the year, as we anticipate the debuts of Roman Anthony (Red Sox), Kristian Campbell (Red Sox), Chase Dollander (Rockies), and maybe Bryce Eldridge (Giants), to name a few.

Eye On Pitching Prospects

There isn’t an arm with Skenes-like hype in this year’s pitching class (there rarely is), but there is a handful of young pitchers on the Series 1 checklist that could establish themselves as top arms for years to come.

Rhett Lowder (Reds) is the most obvious name in this rookie class. After being selected seventh overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Lowder quietly found his way to the big leagues just a year and some change later. In six starts with the Reds in 2024, he pitched to a 1.17 ERA. While he doesn’t have loud stuff, he sure can pitch, and he’s got a chance to hold down a spot in the middle of the Reds rotation for the next decade.

It’s January, the Braves are getting healthy. Expect Spencer Schwellenbach (Braves) to be a huge part of their return to form in 2025. Schwellenbach had an impressive debut in 2024 in which he showed off an impressive six-pitch mix, threw plenty of strikes and was arguably the most reliable Braves starter behind Chris Sale for much of the summer.

A few more names to look out for on the bump: David Festa (Twins) features a high-carry fastball and a big curveball that have him a popular breakout name this year for fantasy baseball; Hurston Waldrep (Braves) is another Braves first-round arm with big stuff that, if he can harness, will make him yet another exciting piece of their rotation; and lastly, River Ryan (Dodgers) who had an outstanding four-start debut for Los Angeles last summer before going down with an arm injury that will likely keep him out for the 2025 season. Expect him to re-establish himself in that rotation as soon as he’s healthy again.

More Inserts, Parallels & Sets

2025 marks the 35th anniversary of the 1990 Topps Baseball set, so, sticking to the script, Topps is bringing the ’90 Topps design to the 2025 flagship (as they’ve done with 35th anniversary designs in the past few years). They have also announced that Barry Bonds will have autographs in this set (for both the Giants and Pirates), marking the first time he has signed for Topps in nearly a decade.

Beyond the lengthy list of foil variations, the popular Home Field Advantage insert set returns with 20 unique cards, as well as five Legendary Home Field Advantage cards (up from 10 and five in 2024). Heavy Lumber also returns and will once again be printed on woodgrain stock. Superstar Blueprint is out and Training Grounds is in for 2025. For all of the retail collectors out there, rest easy, as Stars of MLB will be back once again in value boxes and rack packs.

Presumably to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Frank Thomas’ Topps Rookie Card, Topps has included an autograph checklist called The Big Hurt Autographs. While we don’t know the full story behind this set, there are 25 cards, and 23 of them feature the Hall of Famer with the White Sox, while the other two feature him as a Blue Jay and Athletic. This set appears to be similar to 2024 Series 1’s Celebration of the Kid, which promoted the 35th anniversary of Ken Griffey Jr.’s MLB bebut). The Big Hurt Autographs will be quite limited, as their stated odds are one in every 74,000+ hobby packs. The Celebration of the Kid autographs were hand-numbered to 10 each.

The set will even include “No Name” variations, a tribute to Thomas’ 1990 Topps “error” card that accidentally left his name off of his rookie card.

Topps has also announced canvas parallels, limited to 50 per card …

… wood parallels, limited to 25 per card …

… and jersey number parallels, limited to whatever the player’s jersey number is (so this Gunnar Henderson parallel, for example, will be limited to just two copies).

There’s also an insert set simply called “Dancing Dodgers.”

Among the celebrities that have autograph chases in Series 1 are Jason Kelce and Larry David.

Complete 2025 Series 1 Checklist

Head over to Topps.com, where you can see the full checklist (although without numbers yet) and odds.

Where To Buy & Formats

As with all Topps flagship releases, there should be no shortage of opportunities for you to get your hands on 2025 Topps Series 1. While autograph odds are much better if you’re paying for a hobby or jumbo box, big box retailers like Target and Walmart will stock value boxes, rack packs, and mega boxes. This product will be everywhere, in every format.

Hobby Box: Each hobby box features 20 packs with 12 cards per pack. Each hobby box will have, on average: one autograph or relic and one Silver Pack.

Hobby Jumbo Box: Each hobby jumbo box features 10 packs with 40 cards per pack. Each jumbo will have, on average: one autograph, two relics and two Silver Packs.

Mega Box: Each mega box features 16 packs per box and 14 cards per pack. With 224 cards per box, this will be one of the heavier mega boxes you’ve ever handled. For those buying the mega box, keep your eyes out for the format-exclusive 1990 foilboard insert.

Value (Blaster) Box: While exact information hasn’t been shared yet, you can reasonably expect each value box to feature seven packs with 12 cards per pack. You’ll find these on shelves (or online) for around $30 a box.

And good news for collectors: The popular Fanatics Blasters will return in 2025, featuring 30 different redemption cards (one for each MLB team) that can be redeemed for autographed baseballs, helmets and more.

2025 Topps Series 1 will be available at Topps.com at noon ET on Wednesday, and also at all major retailers.

Images courtesy Topps

Download our app

Read the newest magazine issue right on your phone