Panini Gets License to Produce Minor League Baseball Cards

While they will still be restricted from using logos and team names, the new agreement allows Panini to print cards of thousands of minor league baseball players without the task of individual NIL agreements with individual players

Knoxville Smokies batter Dom Krupinski (32) heads to first base after drawing a walk against the Rocket City Trash Pandas during a Minor League Baseball game on Aug. 11, 2026, in Knoxville, Tennessee. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Panini America and MLB Players, Inc., the business arm of the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), announced today that they have come to an agreement to allow Panini to produce, distribute, and sell cards of active Minor League Baseball players.

According to a press release from Panini America, the agreement is non-exclusive, and the first product under this new agreement will be Panini Three & Two Baseball, set to drop in November.

Panini Three And Two base card of Franklin Arias. Three and Two baseball will be the first product released by Panini since the new partnership was announced. | Panini Three and Two

Prior to this agreement, Panini was restricted to retired MLB players and players associated with USA Baseball. But outside of those two categories, they were required to negotiate deals with individual players via NIL deals

Panini and Major League Baseball

Panini has long worked with the MLB Players Association (MLBPA), producing cards of active, retired, and prospective major league baseball players without the use of logos or team names. Products like Prizm and Elite Extra Edition have been popular among collectors for inexpensive autographs of star players.

Eli Willits Downtown Panini insert | Panini America

But in 2022, the deal with the MLBPA lapsed when Fanatics took over. And while the company still produced baseball cards, they were limited to prospects and retired veterans, with a few exceptions like Bobby Witt Jr., and could not print logos or team names.

With the news today, it looks like they will have a wider spectrum to cover those minor league baseball players, and they won't have the arduous task of negotiating individual deals with thousands of minor league baseball players.

Prospecting is a Big Part of Baseball Collecting

Nabbing that young player's card before they make it big has always been a big part of baseball collecting. Prospecting, as it were, starts historically with a player's Bowman First card. But Panini will now have a bigger hand in that game.

“Having Minor League players within the scope of this agreement creates significant depth across Panini’s baseball portfolio,” said Mark Warsop, CEO of Panini America. “We look forward to distinguishing each release within our annual product lineup and giving collectors and fans the opportunity to connect the future stars of the sport.”

Panini Product Releases

It is not known if older Panini baseball products will continue to be released. The press release confirms Panini Three and Two, and while it does mention Prizm and Donruss Elite Extra Edition, it does not say whether the latter two products will be released.

According to the press release, Panini expects to release 12 products per year under the new agreement.