
Along with The National and every time Cardlines drops a video on YouTube, the release of Topps Flagship Series 1 is as close to a holiday as the card-collecting hobby gets.
Nothing gives the gray, cold slog of February a whiff of warm air and green grass like the release of a new crop of baseball cards. Spring Training is right around the corner, and all is right with the world. Adding to the rejuvenating sense of “newness” is a new crop of rookie cards to entice collectors.
2025 Topps Series 1 continues this annual tradition. But who are the rookie cards in 2025 Topps Series 1? And which ones are worth breaking for?
It sounds like an easy question, and years ago, when there was a single card company (Topps) and very few minor league or prospect cards of note, it was. A player’s first appearance on a card from the major card company (Topps) was their rookie card. That was the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.
By the late 1970s and 1980s, things started getting complicated. Multiple major brands, minor league cards, Traded/Update sets, and other innovations like parallels and inserts muddied the waters.
The race to produce a player’s first card saw cards for colleges, summer leagues, and even high school players created. Jokes about prenatal ultrasound cards abounded. It was a wild time.
Some clarity was needed, and in 2006, the MLBPA laid out some new rules around what cards can officially carry the “Rookie Card” logo. To have a true rookie card, a player must appear on a team’s 25-man (now 26) roster. So, no more rookie cards of players in Single A ball.
Generally, the rule has brought some clarity to the hobby, although it has taken some of the luster away from the “true rookie card” as it is not the player’s actual first card.
First Bowman Cards (FBC) get a lot of attention, although collectors still seem to have a soft spot for the true rookie card with the RC logo.
Because of the rule, players who debut after a certain point in the year (typically sometime in June) will have their rookie cards the following year. Topps also seems to strategically keep a few key players in reserve to ensure a strong rookie card class the following year.
While Flagship Topps isn’t a premium offering, its status as one of the most widely available and collected sets in the hobby typically means that a player’s Topps rookie card is desirable. While high PSA population numbers tend to keep prices in check somewhat, that makes it affordable for everyone to acquire one.
If you’re looking for a slightly tougher pull and a better investment, we recommend sticking to parallel versions of rookie cards or other limited cards like inserts, autographs, variations, and the like.
We don’t yet have all the details about the 2025 Topps Series 1 release, although we have quite a bit of info already. We know the release will contain 350 cards and is set to release on February 12, 2025 (subject to change).
We’ve also gotten a glimpse at the design of 2025 Topps Series 1, which features white borders and reminds many of 1982 Topps.
The 2025 Topps Series 1 rookie checklist is pretty weak, especially when considering the rookies in 2024 Topps Series 1 (Elly De La Cruz, Evan Carter, Jasson Domínguez, and other interesting names in Tier 2).
Dylan Crews and James Wood headline the release, but there are only two other rookies I’m comfortable slotting in at Tier 2. In 2024, we had seven players in the second tier. The players in Tier 3 have significant risk, but they’re clearly a tick above the players in Tier 4.
Here’s the list of all 62 rookie cards in 2025 Topps Series 1:
Player | Team | Position | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
Dylan Crews | Washington Nationals | OF | 1 |
James Wood | Washington Nationals | OF | 1 |
Coby Mayo | Baltimore Orioles | 3B | 2 |
Jacob Wilson | Oakland Athletics | SS | 2 |
Adael Amador | Colorado Rockies | 2B | 3 |
Ben Rice | New York Yankees | C/1B | 3 |
Brooks Lee | Minnesota Twins | 2B | 3 |
Connor Norby | Miami Marlins | 2B/3B | 3 |
Jace Jung | Detroit Tigers | 3B | 3 |
Jhonkensy Noel | Cleveland Guardians | 1B/OF | 3 |
Justyn-Henry Malloy | Detroit Tigers | OF | 3 |
Orelvis Martinez | Toronto Blue Jays | 2B | 3 |
Rhett Lowder | Cincinnati Reds | P | 3 |
Trey Sweeney | Detroit Tigers | SS | 3 |
Aaron Schunk | Colorado Rockies | 2B/3B | 4 |
Adam Mazur | Miami Marlins | P | 4 |
Adrian Del Castillo | Arizona Diamondbacks | C | 4 |
Andrés Chaparro | Washington Nationals | 1B/DH | 4 |
Angel Martínez | Cleveland Guardians | OF | 4 |
Blake Dunn | Cincinnati Reds | OF | 4 |
Bradley Blalock | Colorado Rockies | P | 4 |
Brant Hurter | Detroit Tigers | P | 4 |
Brooks Baldwin | Chicago White Sox | 2B/SS | 4 |
Cade Povich | Baltimore Orioles | P | 4 |
Carlos Narváez | New York Yankees | C | 4 |
Carlos Rodriguez | Milwaukee Brewers | P | 4 |
Chayce McDermott | Baltimore Orioles | P | 4 |
Cristian Mena | Arizona Diamondbacks | P | 4 |
David Festa | Minnesota Twins | P | 4 |
Dillon Dingler | Detroit Tigers | C | 4 |
DJ Herz | Washington Nationals | P | 4 |
Drew Romo | Colorado Rockies | C | 4 |
Drew Thorpe | Chicago White Sox | P | 4 |
Grant McCray | San Francisco Giants | OF | 4 |
Greg Jones | Colorado Rockies | OF | 4 |
Hunter Feduccia | Los Angeles Dodgers | C | 4 |
Hurston Waldrep | Atlanta Braves | P | 4 |
Jack Kochanowicz | Los Angeles Angels | P | 4 |
Jake Bloss | Toronto Blue Jays | P | 4 |
Joey Cantillo | Cleveland Guardians | P | 4 |
Justin Wrobleski | Los Angeles Dodgers | P | 4 |
Kameron Misner | Tampa Bay Rays | OF | 4 |
Ky Bush | Chicago White Sox | P | 4 |
Luis De Los Santos | Toronto Blue Jays | 3B | 4 |
Michael McGreevy | St. Louis Cardinals | P | 4 |
Nacho Alvarez Jr. | Atlanta Braves | 2B | 4 |
Nick Sogard | Boston Red Sox | 2B/SS | 4 |
Niko Kavadas | Los Angeles Angels | 1B/DH | 4 |
Pedro León | Houston Astros | OF | 4 |
Rece Hinds | Cincinnati Reds | OF | 4 |
River Ryan | Los Angeles Dodgers | P | 4 |
Ryan Bliss | Seattle Mariners | 2B | 4 |
Sean Reynolds | San Diego Padres | P | 4 |
Shay Whitcomb | Houston Astros | 3B | 4 |
Spencer Schwellenbach | Atlanta Braves | P | 4 |
Tyler Gentry | Kansas City Royals | OF | 4 |
Tyler Locklear | Seattle Mariners | 1B | 4 |
Tyler Phillips | Philadelphia Phillies | P | 4 |
Will Warren | New York Yankees | P | 4 |
Yilber Diaz | Arizona Diamondbacks | P | 4 |
Zach Dezenzo | Houston Astros | 1B | 4 |
Zebby Matthews | Minnesota Twins | P | 4 |
Washington Nationals outfielder
According to Baseball America:
Drafted behind LSU teammate Paul Skenes in the 2023 MLB Draft, Dylan Crews is a high-floor, impact bat. Crews grades out with plus hit and power tools and plus-plus speed. Despite roughly average numbers at Double- and Triple-A in 2024, the Nationals promoted Crews to the big leagues in late August.
He slashed just .218/.288/.353 with an 80 wRC+ in 31 games. He hammered fastballs and struggled against breaking pitches, but I’m not getting caught up in small sample sizes.
Crews feels like the safer option in Tier 1, but he lacks the flashy, explosive tools that prospect investors drool over. Despite that, I still see a really good player with the ability to put up 30/30 seasons. That’s an impact player in the hobby.
Crews finished the season in Washington playing alongside rookies James Wood and Jacob Young in the outfield, which gives the organization a taste of what the future core of the team could look like. Crews has all-star upside and should be a mainstay in the Nationals’ lineup for years to come.
Baseball America
The Best Prospect Cards of Dylan Crews, Washington Nationals Phenom
Washington Nationals outfielder
According to Baseball America:
James Wood has proven to be the best player the Nationals received in the Juan Soto trade. He has impressive speed for a 6-foot-7 human, top-of-the-scale power, and elite batted-ball data.
At one point in the 2024 season, Wood rose to the top prospect in baseball and ended up the best young hitter of the 2024 prospect graduates. Wood’s whiff and strikeout rates are as high as you’d expect from a young slugger, but those numbers ticked down as he began making better decisions and more contact in the second half of the season.
Wood has more hit tool risk than Crews, but the upside is so high that I’d chase Wood over Crews. For those of you buying into team breaks, the Nationals are clearly the team to snag. Both players have the type of franchise-altering talent that the hobby loves.
Wood is one of only a couple minor leaguers with such immense physical potential that they have a realistic shot to be an elite, perhaps generational player, or at least a player of singular ability. Like Elly De La Cruz and Oneil Cruz before him, Wood has issues that threaten to undermine his profile, but he’s so overtly gifted that he’s one of only a few prospects with a realistic shot at being a 70-grade player or better on tools.
FanGraphs
The Best Baseball Cards Of James Wood, Washington Nationals Phenom
Baltimore Orioles third baseman
According to Baseball America:
Despite a rough MLB Debut (4-for-41 with 22 strikeouts), Coby Mayo has big power and impressive minor-league numbers. In 89 games at Triple-A in 2024, he slashed .287/.364/.562 with 23 doubles and 22 home runs.
There’s quite a bit of swing and miss in his game, but evaluators note how he consistently made adjustments to opposing pitchers’ pitch sequencing at the upper minor levels. Mayo feels more like a solid power hitter than a dynamic, multi-tool threat, but he’s clearly better than the names in Tier 3.
Without sacrificing the plus-plus power that has always been his carrying tool, Mayo has made significant strides adjusting to how he’s pitched and allowing himself to get to his power in games…Mayo’s offensive potential gives him the chance to be a strong everyday regular who can make an all-star team.
Baseball America
Oakland Athletics shortstop
According to Baseball America:
In any other rookie class, Jacob Wilson is a clear Tier 3 player. However, the lack of star power in 2025 Topps Series 1 is forcing me to split hairs and find any upside here. Wilson is an elite contact hitter like Luis Arraez and Steven Kwan.
In 28 games, he posted a 9.7% strikeout rate and 12.7% whiff rate. Wilson also didn’t barrel up a single ball and posted a minuscule 19.0% hard-hit rate. If he had enough plate appearances to qualify, he’d be among the top 10 players in strikeout and whiff rates and the bottom 10 players in barrel and hard-hit rates. Wilson has very little hobby value, but he’s slightly better than the players in Tier 3.
Wilson is a bat-to-ball savant who plays acrobatic defense to make up for a lack of range. He’s a likely everyday player but might not hit for enough power to be a true star.
FanGraphs
Adael Amador, Colorado Rockies 2B: Amador is a hit-over-power second baseman with above-average speed. He cracked the Top 100 prospect list in 2023 and got all the way up to #21. By 2024, Amador’s elite barrel control earned him a 70-grade hit tool and evaluators believed he’d hit for average power in the big leagues.
After injuries and a disappointing 2024, Amador is now graded out as a 55-hit, 45-power bat. It’s not enough for me to invest in.
Ben Rice, New York Yankees C/1B: Rice finally got his 1st Bowman card in 2024 Bowman Chrome, and my position hasn’t changed. His surprise debut led to baffling sales on his Topps Now cards, but he started to struggle and things returned to earth.
He’ll get the Yankees boost but it’s unwarranted for a merely average hitter who projects as a bench bat.
Brooks Lee, Minnesota Twins 2B: Lee was a top prospect in the 2022 MLB Draft and quickly became one of the Twins’ top prospects in 2023 and 2024. He’s a well-rounded player with a high floor and moderate ceiling, but I don’t expect him to make a splash within the hobby.
Connor Norby, Miami Marlins 2B/3B: As part of an Orioles organization with many young, talented hitting prospects, Norby was traded to the Marlins at the 2024 trade deadline. He put up decent numbers with the Fish but still carries a high strikeout rate.
From a hobby standpoint, Norby has no loud tools and plays for the Marlins. As a Marlins fan, I think he’ll be a decent player for Miami, but I can’t recommend investing in him.
Jace Jung, Detroit Tigers 3B: Jung gets 55 grades for his hit and power tools, but he can’t run or field. He’s a liability on defense so much that there’s a threat he’s destined to be a late-inning pinch hitter. He’s better than the names in Tier 4 but there’s too much risk here.
Jhonkensy Noel, Cleveland Guardians 1B/OF: Big Christmas had one of the most significant swings in the 2024 MLB Postseason, but he doesn’t have much hobby value.
The raw power is off the charts, but it’s his only tool. He’ll hit some mammoth shots and give us some good memories, but that’s all I can see.
Justyn-Henry Malloy, Detroit Tigers OF: Malloy has played all over the field and seemed to settle into the outfield, but the Tigers appear to deploy him at first base in 2025. He’s merely average across the board and doesn’t have the upside I want from an investment standpoint.
Orelvis Martinez, Toronto Blue Jays 2B: Martinez enters 2025 as the Blue Jays’ #4 prospect. He crushed Triple-A pitching as a 21-year-old in 2023 and again in 2024, receiving a call-up in June. After just one game, however, Martinez received an 80-game suspension for a positive performance-enhancing drug test.
I never know how to handle these guys, and I usually tend to stay away from guys who’ve received PED suspensions.
Rhett Lowder, Cincinnati Reds P: Lowder enters 2025 as MLB’s 26th-best prospect, but he projects as more of a mid-rotation starter than a true ace. Baseball America reports that “the sum of the parts is significantly better than any individual pitch grade.”
Paul Skenes has locked up the hobby’s attention, and I don’t see Lowder coming anywhere close.
Trey Sweeney, Detroit Tigers SS: Sweeney took over the Tigers’ shortstop role when Javy Báez went down, but he’s a glove-first shortstop with some questions about his offensive potential. Similar to some of the other names in Tier 3, Sweeney doesn’t have a ton of hobby value but is clearly better than everyone in Tier 4.
Aaron Schunk, Colorado Rockies 2B/3B
Adam Mazur, Miami Marlins P
Adrian Del Castillo, Arizona Diamondbacks C
Andrés Chaparro, Washington Nationals 1B/DH
Angel Martínez, Cleveland Guardians OF
Blake Dunn, Cincinnati Reds OF
Bradley Blalock, Colorado Rockies P
Brant Hurter, Detroit Tigers P
Brooks Baldwin, Chicago White Sox 2B/SS
Cade Povich, Baltimore Orioles P
Carlos Narváez, New York Yankees C
Carlos Rodriguez, Milwaukee Brewers P
Chayce McDermott, Baltimore Orioles P
Cristian Mena, Arizona Diamondbacks P
David Festa, Minnesota Twins P
Dillon Dingler, Detroit Tigers C
DJ Herz, Washington Nationals P
Drew Romo, Colorado Rockies C
Drew Thorpe, Chicago White Sox P
Grant McCray, San Francisco Giants OF
Greg Jones, Colorado Rockies OF
Hunter Feduccia, Los Angeles Dodgers C
Hurston Waldrep, Atlanta Braves P
Jack Kochanowicz, Los Angeles Angels P
Jake Bloss, Toronto Blue Jays P
Joey Cantillo, Cleveland Guardians P
Justin Wrobleski, Los Angeles Dodgers P
Kameron Misner, Tampa Bay Rays OF
Ky Bush, Chicago White Sox P
Luis De Los Santos, Toronto Blue Jays 3B
Michael McGreevy, St. Louis Cardinals P
Nacho Alvarez Jr., Atlanta Braves 2B
Nick Sogard, Boston Red Sox 2B/SS
Niko Kavadas, Los Angeles Angels 1B/DH
Pedro León, Houston Astros OF
Rece Hinds, Cincinnati Reds OF
River Ryan, Los Angeles Dodgers P
Ryan Bliss, Seattle Mariners 2B
Sean Reynolds, San Diego Padres P
Shay Whitcomb, Houston Astros 3B
Spencer Schwellenbach, Atlanta Braves P
Tyler Gentry, Kansas City Royals OF
Tyler Locklear, Seattle Mariners 1B
Tyler Phillips, Philadelphia Phillies P
Will Warren, New York Yankees P
Yilber Diaz, Arizona Diamondbacks P
Zach Dezenzo, Houston Astros 1B
Zebby Matthews, Minnesota Twins P
2025 Topps Series 1 Baseball has a few rookie cards that are worth chasing. We hope this early peak at the rookie cards included in the set gets you excited for Topps Series 1 Release Day.
What’s your take on the 2025 Topps Series 1 rookie class? Who are the rookie or rookies that you’re excited about in 2025 Topps Series 1? And who are you taking a pass on? Tell us about it at card_lines on Twitter.
Who are the best rookies to chase in 2025 Topps Series 1? (Plus issues with the set)
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