2025 Topps Chrome Update: MLB Debut Patches, Prospect Cards & Chases We’re Hunting
It’s back.
The biggest hunt of the year in the baseball card world returns in 2025 Topps Chrome Update (scheduled for a Dec. 10 release), as the new crop of 1/1 Rookie Debut Patch autographed cards will become the chase among collectors for the foreseeable future.
After last year’s high-profile (and high-priced) chases for the patches of Paul Skenes, Junior Caminero, Jackson Holliday and so many others, this year, the chase returns with 270 one-of-a-kind patch cards (the most ever), featuring such players as Nick Kurtz, Dylan Crews, James Wood and Roki Sasaki. Only time will tell if the hunt for the Kurtz and Sasaki patches reaches a similar fever pitch to the Skenes chase.
Chrome Update also features the usual Chrome Update goodness, including top rookie cards, autographs, inserts and huge case hits. This year, there are also Disney cards and even a Larry David chrome autograph.
And remember: If Cal Raleigh pulls off the upset and is named AL MVP over Aaron Judge this Thursday, then it’s his base card in Chrome Update that becomes the MVP Buyback card. Meaning the Raleigh cards in this set could become the proverbial “credit cards” (as they are known in the hobby) towards buyback credits of $20 and more. Perhaps to make it up to collectors who were disappointed Raleigh had no base card in Topps Chrome, he is card No. 1 in this set.
And this is all in addition to a 200-card base set, plus a ton of autographs and inserts.
Below, Baseball America subscribers can find a deeper dive into the full Topps Chrome Update checklist, as well as a look at what you need to know for the preorder scheduled for noon on Monday, Nov. 10 and the likely early-December release.
Debut Patches, Larry David, Mickey Mouse & Gold Logoman Patches
The conversation about Chrome Update always begins with the 1/1 Debut Patch chase. Now in its third year, this year’s checklist features 270 names.
And if you thought Chrome Update was done having fun with Paul Skenes chases after last year’s Debut Patch chase, you are sorely mistaken. Because 2024 AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil was injured for much of the early part of the season, his Gold Logoman will make its debut in Chrome Update, and he and his fellow Rookie of the Year Skenes will have a dual Gold Logoman chase in the set.
And as for new chases this year, it almost sounds like a bad joke—what do Larry David and Mickey Mouse have in common? In this case, it’s that both have big-time chase cards in Chrome Update.
David, who had a chase card in Series 1 earlier this year, makes his Chrome debut in this release with a super short print autograph. Various Disney characters will also have short prints in all 30 MLB uniforms.
Who We’re Hunting
Chrome Update is known for its rookie class, and while last year’s crop of Skenes, Jackson Holliday, Jackson Chourio and others will be tough to top, there is no shortage of high-profile rookies in this year’s set. Chrome Update not only has its own rookie crop, but also “rookie debut” cards for these players, as well as players who already had rookie cards in Series 1 and 2.
Among the players with base rookie cards (many of which have autograph variations):
- Nick Kurtz
- Roki Sasaki
- James Wood
- Ben Rice
- Jacob Wilson
- Kristian Campbell
- Dylan Crews
Another important thing to remember: Most of the players who debuted in the second half of the season (such as Roman Anthony) do not have cards in Chrome Update yet. Collectors will have to wait until 2026 for their flagship debuts.
Autographs To Chase
As in past years, the Chrome Update autograph checklist is absolutely loaded:
- A triple autograph featuring World Series champions Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki
- Hot rookies such as Roki Sasaki, James Wood, Nick Kurtz and Kristian Campbell
- Top veterans such as Skenes, Raleigh, Aaron Judge and Bobby Witt Jr.
- Dual autos (including one of Judge and Derek Jeter) and triple autos (including one of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Ronald Acuña Jr. and Fernando Tatis Jr.)
- Legends such as Ken Griffey Jr., Cal Ripken Jr. and Barry Bonds, plus 2025 Hall of Famers Ichiro, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner
- Japanese legend Sadaharu Oh
Popular Inserts Return & Alter Ego Super Heroes Makes Its Debut
Inserts such as Fortune 15 and Power Players return in Chrome Update, as do the 1990 Topps throwbacks the company has been producing all year. Case hits such as Home Field Advantage, Radiating Rookies, Helix, Celebración and Exposé return, as well.
The new Night Terrors insert will also make its Chrome debut following its first appearance in this week’s Topps Update release.
The 30-card “Mickey and Friends” insert will feature Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy in the jerseys of all 30 teams. A new short print set called Alter Ego Super Heroes will feature 10 players (both current players and legends). It’s likely to be in a comic book style format, but Topps has yet to share any specific information about the insert.
Breaker Value & Teams To Target
The nice thing about Chrome Update for breakers is that every team has at least one MLB Debut Patch, so even the less expensive teams offer chances for huge value. Be sure to be checking Baseball America’s patch tracker to see which cards have been pulled and which haven’t.
And the fact that all 30 teams have a “Disney & Friends” chase card only adds to that value.
That being said, not all teams are created equal. Here’s a look at our favorite (and least favorite) orgs for breakers:
- Tier 1: The Yankees, Dodgers, Athletics, Pirates, Rockies
With Judge and Ohtani all over this set, plus the Roki Sasaki and Ben Rice Debut Patches, it’s no surprise that the Yankees and Dodgers will be high-priced commodities in breaks. Adding to the Yankees’ value will be the Gold Logoman chase for Gil and the previously-mentioned Dodgers triple auto.
For the Athletics, Kurtz is all over this set, including both his Debut Patch and his first official flagship Chrome rookie card (and a ton of autographs, including one dual with Wilson and another with Mark McGwire). Including Wilson’s, the Athletics have 16 Debut Patches in total, which will make them a prime target in breaks.
For the second year in a row, Skenes will make the Pirates a huge chase in Chrome Update. Not only does he have autograph cards all over this set, but he also has a dual Gold Logomans with Gil (he and Gil are the only 2024 award-winners with Gold Logoman cards in the release).
The Rockies might be a surprise to many here. Yes, they have a ton of rookie cards (including Chase Dollander and Zac Veen) and autograph chases (including legends such as Larry Walker and Troy Tulowitzki). But the reason they’re here is that they have the most Debut Patches of any team, with 17.
- Tier 2: Nationals, Red Sox
So much breaker value for Chrome Update revolves around the Debut Patch chase, and the Nationals and Red Sox certainly will be a part of that.
Dylan Crews and James Wood are among the 11 Debut Patches on the Nationals checklist, and both have autographs throughout the release. Both Crews and Wood also have “Major League Minis” short print case hit cards. The insert only has 10 cards on the checklist, so the Nationals give you a chance for 20% of those hits.
Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer are among the 11 patches for the Red Sox, as are rookie cards and autographs of both.
- Could be a surprising value pick: Angels
With Shohei Ohtani no longer on the team and Mike Trout battling injuries for much of the past few years, the Angels have fallen in breaker value recently. But they could be a sneaky good buy in breaks for 2025 Topps Chrome Update.
The team has 13 Debut Patches—a higher number than most teams—plus a ton of Trout inserts and autographs sprinkled throughout the release, including a dual auto with Ken Griffey Jr. and a triple auto with Bobby Witt Jr. and Corbin Carroll. Nolan Ryan also has an auto chase as a member of the Angels.
- Avoid: Diamondbacks, Cardinals, Rays
It’s hard to designate an “avoid” to any team in 2025 Topps Chrome Update, as they all have Debut Patches and a Disney insert. But the weakest teams of the bunch seem to be the D-backs, Cardinals and Rays.
The D-backs have just five Debut Patches, which is tied for the fewest with the Mets, Yankees and Phillies. The Cardinals and Rays have just six patches each, and although they do have insert cards and chase cards of players such as Corbin Carroll, Albert Pujols and Junior Caminero, there’s nothing that rises to the level of the chases for the other 27 teams.
Topps Chrome Update 2025 Checklist
You can find the complete checklist for this year’s Chrome Update release here.
Formats, Pricing & Where To Buy
Hobby boxes (containing one autograph) are priced at $199.99 for preorders and jumbo boxes (featuring three autos) are priced at $399.99. There are also value boxes ($39.99), mega boxes ($69.99) and Breaker’s Delight boxes (not available for preorder).
The checklist also indicates that there will also be Fanatics-exclusive mega boxes offering redemption cards good for MLB merchandise, as Topps did for 2025 Chrome earlier this year, which will likely go on sale as we get closer to the announced Dec. 10 release date.
2025 Topps Chrome Update is available for preorder as of Monday, Nov. 10, at noon ET on the Topps website, and is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, Dec. 10.
