In 2022, the main Topps Home Run Challenge prize is a special Home Run Challenge card if you correctly predict a home run. On top of that, if you “double down” and predict whether or not that home run will go more than 425 feet, the prize is a special parallel card. In addition, any prediction – correct or incorrect – will enter you into a prize drawing to attend the 2023 Home Run Derby.
Judge Home Run Challenge, Double Down, 2022, $50, obo pic.twitter.com/lqv23aJH7b
— Positiveday (@Positiveday1184) December 1, 2022
With that, there is more to know and learn about the Topps Home Run Challenge, so let’s get into it!
Remember those old “filler” game cards you’d get in packs of cards, like 1992 Topps Gold (and Gold Winners). Well, if you’ve opened any Topps flagship cards of late, you know that these types of experiences are still alive and well in the hobby. Most visibly, it’s the Topps Homerun Challenge…
What is the Topps Home Run Challenge?
Topps Home Run Challenge is a game where collectors can predict when a certain player will hit a home run. To play, you must first obtain a Topps Home Run Challenge insert card which will feature a specific MLB player, which in 2022, can be pulled from packs of Series 1 and Series 2.
Thank you to everyone who participated in our Home Run Challenge for the 2022 @MLB season! pic.twitter.com/EGpNIXYpjd
— Topps (@Topps) November 22, 2022
Which Players are Available?
The 2022 Topps Series 1 and 2 Home Run Challenge checklists inlude the following players:
- HRC-1 Fernando Tatis Jr.
- HRC-2 Juan Soto
- HRC-3 Mike Trout
- HRC-4 Shohei Ohtani
- HRC-5 Bryce Harper
- HRC-6 Aaron Judge
- HRC-7 Cody Bellinger
- HRC-8 Christian Yelich
- HRC-9 Ronald Acuña Jr.
- HRC-10 Pete Alonso
- HRC-11 Alex Bregman
- HRC-12 Bo Bichette
- HRC-13 Luis Robert
- HRC-14 Mookie Betts
- HRC-15 Salvador Perez
- HRC-16 Joey Votto
- HRC-17 Matt Olson
- HRC-18 Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
- HRC-19 Nolan Arenado
- HRC-20 Manny Machado
- HRC-21 Joey Gallo
- HRC-22 Rafael Devers
- HRC-23 Giancarlo Stanton
- HRC-24 Freddie Freeman
- HRC-25 Max Muncy
- HRC-26 Adolis Garcia
- HRC-27 Wander Franco
- HRC-28 Jose Ramirez
- HRC-29 Buster Posey
- HRC-30 Mitch Haniger
Are Challenge Prize Cards Valuable?
Of course, the main question is whether or not participating is worth your time! Or, perhaps you’re wondering if you should be actively pursuing HR challenge cards in hope of winning a prize card? Here are some things to consider.
The highest-priced sales of late via eBay include:
- Wander Franco 2022 Winner RC /165 $310
- Yordan Alvarez 2020 Winner RC /37 PSA 10 $250
- Mike Trout 2020 Winner /238 PSA 10 $150
- Wander Franco 2022 Winner RC /164 $150
So, pretty good value, right? On one hand, yes, but on the other, if it takes landing the game’s biggest rookie and one of the hobby’s biggest names in Wander and Trout – not to mention the Trout is a PSA 10 – that makes cashing in a bit tough.
For instance, looking at sales of a few of the more normal or basic cards, you see things like:
- Pete Alonso 2022 Winner /264 $7.50
- Alex Bregman 2022 Winner /262 $.99
- Ronald Acuna 2022 Double down Winner /100 $10
Not terrible by any means, but again, it might mean the game is more fun than anything else, and perhaps not the best path toward card-flipping glory.
