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MLB Prospects, Rookie Cards Weâ€re Hunting

While we wait for 2025 Topps Chrome Update to drop (likely in mid November), we have the new Topps Update Series checklist to tide us over. The annual update version of Topps’ flagship set is routinely loaded with rookie cards and fun auto and insert chases, and this year is no different.

The base Topps Update Series set will feature 350 cards. There are some fun new chases this year, including a twist on Golden Mirror cards and a retail release in Japan that you might want to add to your eBay search queries.

In preparation for release day on Oct. 29, here’s what you need to know about 2025 Topps Update Series, including information on names we’re hunting, inserts and autos to chase, where to buy and more.

Who We’re Hunting

At long last, 2025 Topps Update will offer flagship rookie cards for some of the hottest names in the game:

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The Update base checklist also includes a second “Rookie Debut” card for these players and many others who made their debuts earlier in the season and already have flagship Topps rookie cards (including Jacob Wilson, Roki Sasaki and Jackson Jobe). So, if you love cards of young baseball talent, there are certainly plenty of options.

Kurtz, Baseball America’s Rookie of the Year, is likely to be the big chase in 2025 Topps Update. Having smashed 36 home runs in his debut performance with the A’s, his Topps flagship rookie card will be a keeper.

Inserts & Autos To Chase

Many of the popular inserts from last year’s Update return for 2025, including 1990 throwbacks, Black Gold, First Pitch, All-Star Game, Mystical and a host of patch and relic cards.

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Popular chase cards such as Home Field Advantage and Heavy Lumber will return for the set, as will double and triple autograph chases, including one featuring signatures from legendary speedsters Elly De La Cruz and the late Lou Brock and Rickey Henderson.

There will be autographs galore in Topps Update, from run-of-the-mill autos to 1990 throwback autos to All-Star Game autos. There will even be a “Signature Tunes” dual auto featuring David Ortiz and musician Big Sean.

Current players with autos in the set include Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh and Paul Skenes. Among the legends with autos are Ken Griffey Jr., Reggie Jackson, Greg Maddux (for both the Braves and Cubs), Darryl Strawberry and the late Fernando Valenzuela.

What’s New For 2025

Golden Mirror cards—a rare, short print featuring an alternate photo on the card front and a gold design on the card back—have long been a favorite in Topps flagship. For 2025, Topps is adding a new wrinkle with the introduction of Golden Mirror autograph cards, which will be signed with gold ink.

All 350 cards in the flagship checklist will have Golden Mirror short print variations, but only a handful will have autographed versions. Judge, Ohtani and Kurtz are among the players with Golden Mirror auto cards.

Other new insert set to target include Bleacher Reachers, Night Terrors, Most Valuable and Keegan Hall art cards.

With the Series 1 flagship release earlier this year, Topps put out “Japan Edition” hobby boxes—timed to the Dodgers-Cubs opening series in Tokyo, and only available there—that featured Japan-centric inserts. 2025 Update will also get the Japan Edition treatment, featuring mostly Dodger- and Cub-centric inserts and tons of autograph chases. Assuming they will also only be available initially in Japan, these boxes are likely to be hot commodities on eBay and in online breaks.

Topps has not indicated any huge chases yet for 2025 Update—such as the Jackson Holliday “Fun Face” card in last year’s Series 2 or the “Shoeless” Joe Jackson chase in this year’s Bowman Chrome—but they often leave cards like that off of initial checklists to increase the surprise factor. So, keep your eyes peeled, as they may very well introduce such a chase in the days leading up to the Update release on Oct. 29.

What To Know For Breaks

As has been the case with many 2025 releases, the Dodgers, Athletics, Yankees and Pirates are your friends in 2025 Topps Update thanks to the potential for big-name autos and pulls.

And as rookie-friendly as this set is, make sure to take a closer look at the checklist before buying teams in breaks. Among the rookies who debuted later in the season who are not included on the checklist are Roman Anthony, Jac Caglianone and Colson Montgomery. Add in other late-season debuts like Jonah Tong, Samuel Basallo and Bryce Eldridge, all of whom were also left out of the set, and 2026 Topps Series 1 is looking like it will be another hot release for rookie cards.

If you’re in a break that features the Japan Edition hobby boxes, you’ll also want to target the Cubs, as they are heavily featured (since they played the Dodgers back in March in the MLB Tokyo Series).

Complete Checklist

You can find the complete checklist of cards here.

Where to Buy, Formats & Pricing

The preorder on Topps.com featured three formats: value boxes (priced at $24.99), hobby boxes ($89.99) and jumbo boxes ($194.99). Hobby boxes feature one guaranteed auto or relic, while jumbo boxes feature one guaranteed auto and two guaranteed relics. It’s expected that hobby boxes will also include a silver pack featuring four 1990 throwback Chrome refractor cards, and jumbo boxes will feature two silver packs.

The Update checklist also indicates that the popular “Fanatics blasters” value boxes will be returning. Usually priced at $29.99 and sold only on Fanatics.com, the special boxes include redemption cards for autographed merchandise, with one player’s merchandise available per team. The checklist indicates that players included in 2025 Update will include Ohtani (for the Angels), Skenes, Judge and Cal Ripken Jr.

And again, don’t forget the Japan Edition hobby boxes. They will likely only be available in the United States via eBay, other auction sites or on breaker sites.

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