Topps is pulling out the red carpet in several ways for the 2026 Series 1 Baseball release, which dropped earlier this week. But of all the things included, this one might be my favorite.
It’s a move that connects today’s rookies with one of the most legendary card designs ever. According to Topps Ripped, they’re bringing back Topps’ 1952 design for 25 select rookies.
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25 Rookies Getting the 1952 Treatment
The Base Card 1952 Variation will showcase 25 top rookies in 2026. Each featured player receives their Topps debut on the same design framework that Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, and Jackie Robinson made famous.
Here’s a list of the players that’ll be featured:
- 4 – Jonah Tong
- 10 – Jacob Misiorowski
- 15 – Payton Tolle
- 25 – Carson Williams
- 35 – C.J. Kayfus
- 74 – Alex Freeland
- 104 – Samuel Basallo
- 111 – Cam Schlittler
- 129 – Cole Young
- 132 – Brice Matthews
- 138 – Jac Caglianone
- 147 – Christian Moore
- 148 – Jacob Melton
- 155 – Drew Gilbert
- 157 – Colson Montgomery
- 170 – Brady House
- 189 – Roman Anthony
- 201 – Kyle Teel
- 213 – Colby Thomas
- 214 – Nolan McLean
- 233 – Owen Caissie
- 283 – Bubba Chandler
- 312 – Chase Burns
- 316 – Jhostynxon Garcia
- 339 – Dylan Beavers
Beyond the base variations, Topps is also releasing autographed versions. The auto checklist includes on-card signatures on vintage-style stock, with base autos numbered to 10. Collectors chasing something rarer can hunt for Red Auto Parallels numbered to 5 (signed in red ink) or the Black Auto Parallel numbered 1/1 (signed in gold ink with a blacked-out signing area).
Why Topps’ 1952 Design Is Iconic
The 1952 Topps set helped establish what baseball cards were supposed to look like. Before ’52, card manufacturers experimented with different sizes, color schemes, and layouts that shifted every season. Nothing felt permanent.
Then, Topps released larger cards with vibrant color photography, clear player portraits, and a consistent visual. That set the standard for decades. When you think of a “classic baseball card,” there’s a good chance you’re probably picturing something influenced by Topps’ 1952 release.
That’s why bringing this design back is significant. Sure, there’s nostalgia involved, but it’s also connecting modern rookies to the hobby’s foundation.
A Trio of 1952-Themed Rookie Cards I’m Excited About
Three names from this list of 1952-themed rookie cards jump out at me: Jac Caglianone, Nolan McLean, and Cam Schlittler.
Caglianone’s introduction to the big leagues with the Kansas City Royals in 2025 was rough. He slashed .157/.237/.295 through his first 232 plate appearances with KC. But there’s still a lot of potential here. After all, the left-handed hitter is just 23 years old and has that top-prospect pedigree. The Royals took him sixth overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, so he’s also shown his potential by rising quickly through the organization’s minor-league system.
McLean is interesting because he plays in baseball’s biggest media market as a member of the Mets. Unlike Caglianone, his MLB debut in 2025 was quite fruitful. New York brought him up for the stretch run, and the right-hander delivered with a 5-1 record, 2.08 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 57 strikeouts in 48 innings pitched.
And we can’t forget about Schlittler, who not only has the benefit of playing in the same media market as McLean, but he also dons the Yankee pinstripes. He posted a 2.96 ERA with 84 strikeouts in 72 regular-season innings last year, but the hurler made waves in the postseason after striking out 12 Red Sox hitters across eight shutout innings in the American League Wild Card Series.
Is This the Biggest Baseball Card Easter Egg Ever?
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As if the 1952 design variations weren’t already enough, Topps took it up yet another notch. On Tuesday evening (one day before the Series 1 release dropped), the company announced on Instagram that one random pack of 2026 Series 1 will contain a redemption card for an actual 1952 Mickey Mantle card.
To protect the card’s condition, collectors won’t find the physical card just stuffed into a pack. Instead, whoever pulls the redemption can exchange it online for the real thing. The specific grade hasn’t been disclosed, but even low-condition examples command serious money. Sports Illustrated’s Cole Benz pointed this out by reporting that a PSA 1 (Poor) graded ’52 Mantle sold for $37,800 just last month.
The ceiling? A PSA Mint 9 sold for $5.2 million in 2021, while the highest known example – an SGC 9.5 – brought $12.6 million in 2022. The odds of pulling the Mantle redemption are obviously astronomical, but somebody’s going to hit it. Might as well get a few packs or boxes to throw your hat into the ring, right?
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