2026 Topps Chrome Baseball: News, Rookies & Hot Hobby Takes

Topps Tier One Baseball Just Dropped (June 24)

Before we get to Chrome, let's talk Tier One. This one landed June 24 and it does everything right: every autograph is on-card, the design is clean and collector-first, and short print runs keep resale value honest.

On-card autos matter. Sticker autos are lazy and collectors know it. Tier One skips that shortcut every year, and that consistency is exactly why it holds long-term value in the secondary market.

If you missed it, check recent sales before writing it off — short supply and strong autos tend to push prices up fast after release.

2026 Topps Chrome Baseball Pre-Orders Are Open

This is the big one. Pre-orders opened June 22 and the release date is July 22, 2026.

Chrome defines rookie card values for a generation. That's not hype — it's just how the hobby has worked for the last 20 years. The rookies that matter in Chrome become the standard reference point collectors and investors measure everything else against.

Key Rookies to Watch

Three names are driving most of the attention right now:

Wetherholt's raw cards are attractively priced compared to Griffin and McGonigle right now. Similar upside argument, wider value gap. If either of those two rookies falls flat, Wetherholt looks very smart in hindsight. Pre-ordering now might protect you from price spikes — but keep reading. Axel has a take on that.

Munetaka Murakami Cards Are Moving

Pull your Murakami cards and check your comps. No, seriously — do it today.

Munetaka Murakami is 26, playing for the Chicago White Sox, and the demand for his cards is coming from two directions: U.S. collectors following his HR streak and Japanese collectors tracking their guy on an MLB roster. Two buyer pools means more competition for the same cards.

He hit home runs in 5 straight games earlier this month. Even base cards and lower inserts are picking up steam. This is the kind of player where early movers win — and right now there's still inventory sitting in collections at old prices.

Check your boxes. Check your binders. Run comps on everything with his name on it.

PSA Grading Backlog Is a Real Problem Right Now

PSA paused their Value Bulk, Value, Value Plus, and Value Max tiers on June 2. The backlog hit 14 million cards — it started at 10 million and a panic surge added 4 million more. There's no confirmed reopening date.

Express tier is still open, but that starts at $80 per card minimum.

If you were planning to grade cards before the National to flip them at the show, that plan needs an adjustment. Here's the honest framework:

Pokémon 30th Anniversary TCG: September 16, 2026

Mark it down. September 16 is the date for the first simultaneous worldwide Pokémon TCG set launch.

This celebrates 30 years of the Pokémon card game. Chase cards haven't been fully revealed yet, but anniversary releases historically pull collectors back into the hobby — and that effect ripples into older sealed sets too. Prices on sealed vintage Pokémon are already ticking up ahead of the announcement.

For Pokémon collectors, this is the biggest calendar event of 2026.

The National Is 5 Weeks Away (July 29–August 2, Rosemont, IL)

The 46th National Sports Collectors Convention is almost here. Here's what you need to know:

We're going. Personal challenge: 100 Hobby Handshakes — meeting 100 people from the hobby at the show. If you're heading to Rosemont, come find us. The hobby is better when people actually talk to each other.

Ask Axel: Should You Pre-Order Chrome?