First card in Topps Series One for the Past 15 years
Being the cover athlete for Topps products is a great honor, but so is having the very first card in the set. Below we'll look at the past 15 players whose cards were chosen to be the leading card in the Topps Series I set.
Leading off the Topps Baseball Series I is an honor given to the game's brightest stars. In this article, we look at past card designs and the players chosen to be No. 1.
Acuña won the NL MVP in 2023, leading the league in runs and stolen bases and finishing fourth in home runs with 41. | Image Courtesy of Beckett
3. 2023 Juan Soto
Soto leads off the 2023 set in a Padres uniform. He spent the entire 2023 season in San Diego, finishing sixth in MVP voting and making his third All-Star appearance. | Image Courtesy of eBay
4. 2022 Shohei Ohtani
A year after winning his first MVP Award, Ohtani was the first card in 2022 Topps. He'd go on to have a historic season, finishing fourth in Cy Young voting while hitting 34 home runs and 95 RBI with a .356 on-base percentage. | Image Courtesy of eBay
5. 2021 Fernando Tatis Jr.
Entering his third season, Tatis was one of baseball's biggest stars. His 2021 campaign was his best, leading the league in home runs with 42 and earning his first All-Star appearance. He was suspended all of 2022 for violating the league's performance-enhancing substances policy. | Image Courtesy of eBay
6. 2020 Mike Trout
Trout was coming off one of his best years, winning his 3rd MVP in 2019. It is the last season he has had 600 or more plate appearances. | Image Courtesy of COMC
After hitting 52 home runs in 2017 and winning AL Rookie of the Year and coming in 2nd in AL MVP voting, Judge's star was as high as ever in 2018. | Image Courtesy of COMC
9. 2017 Kris Bryant
After helping lead the Chicago Cubs to the franchise's first World Series title since 1908, Kris Bryant was featured as the first card in 2017 Topps. | Image Courtesy of eBay
10. 2016 Mike Trout
Image Courtesy of eBay
11. 2015 Derek Jeter
After going on a farewell tour in 2014, Jeter led off for the final time in 2015 Topps. | Image Courtesy of COMC
12. 2014 Mike Trout
Trout led the league in runs and walks in 2013, finishing second in AL MVP voting. | Image Courtesy of COMC
13. 2013 Bryce Harper
Harper was an All-Star in his first season in the majors, winning the NL Rookie of the Year in 2012. | Image Courtesy of COMC
14. 2012 Ryan Braun
Braun was the NL MVP in 2011. He made #1 for the second year in a row. It was the third year in a row that a Brewer was made the first card in Series I. Prince Fielder was card #1 in 2010. | Image Courtesy of COMC
15. 2011 Ryan Braun
In 2011, Braun was in the middle of five straight All-Star appearances. He won the NL MVP in 2011, leading the league in slugging percentage and OPS. | Image Courtesy of COMC
Horacio is an avid sports card collector and writes about trending card auctions and news across several major hobby sites, including Sports Collectors Daily and Collectibles on SI.
