The 2026 Topps Series 2 Checklist is Now Live!

Last week, Topps posted the checklist for Series 2 of the eponymous set. I look forward to this for a few reasons:

• It means S2 is coming soon, and depending on what site you go to, it's either coming out on June 10, or June 24, 2026
• It means my my little hiatus for adding cards from 2026 Topps is going to end
• The All-Star Game is coming soon. And as has been tradition on this site, all roster moves for the ASG will be posted with cards of the players involved going into a special binder during the festivities

But before I go through the highlights from the next series, I've been wondering what happened to the the 17-card team sets. I've looked and have not seen anything yet. Even the eBay seller that does the 30-set BIN's are off duty until June. This does not bode well as these should have been out by now. 

Back to the point.

2026 Topps Bo Bichette #473

The 350-card base checklist, which can be downloaded here, features:

• 52 regular rookie cards with the RC logo we all know and love
• 14 Future Star cards
• 15 Team cards
• 10 Combo cards (which are not checklists)

2026 Topps Tatsuya Imai #513

The checklist includes other surprises, including four short-printed variation rookie cards. In recent years, Topps has added extra cards of players who debuted during the season, but too late to add to the base set. To alleviate this slight, they've numbered these cards as if they're part of the base set, even though...they're not. Think Julio Rodriguez and Bobby Witt, Jr. in 2022, The Jackson 3 (Holliday, Chourio, and Merrill) in 2024, and even Matt Shaw, Cam Smith, and Kristian Campbell in 2025. Heck, go back to 2019 with Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. and his un-numbered RC, or 2018 with Gleyber Torres and Ronald Acuña, Jr.

Basically, it's a thing.

This year, there will be four SP RC's that, while not part of the base set, will share numbers with those who are:

• #697a is Bryan Reynolds of the Pirates, #697b is Kevin McGonigle of the Tigers
• #698a is Andre Pallante of the Cardinals, #698b is JJ Wetherholt of the Cardinals
• #699a is Jared Young of the Mets, #699b is Carson Benge of the Mets
• #700a is Freddie Freeman of the Dodgers, #700b is Justin Crawford of the Phillies

Other highlights include card #500 being Shohei Ohtani (there's a big surprise), 12 Cubs cards vs. 8 White Sox cards (yes, I keep track of that), and a card of Japan's newest import to slug his way to Chicago, Munetaka Murakami!!! (For some reason, you can sing his name like you're singing the chorus of the Battle Hymn of the Republic...you're singing his name in your head right now, aren't you?)

The Golden Variation cards, a staple in the Topps/Fanatics era, continue with every card, every player, having a variation card. One of the ones I'm looking forward to seeing is the tribute to the 1992 Topps Frank Thomas card featuring...none other than (sing it with me) Munetaka Murakami!!! I'm sure they could have waited to put this out next year with the 1992 Topps set gets the 35th Anniversary treatment, but whatever...

1992 Topps Frank Thomas #555 & 2026 Topps Munetaka Murakami Golden Variation #503

As usual, insert cards will be a big highlight for this set, and I am all in for a number of them. Of course, the tribute to 1991 Topps continues with 50 cards, along with a 50-card (hopefully...cough...cough) All-Star subset. The retail-exclusive Stars of MLB (30 cards) and Titans of the Game (20 cards) sets return, plus 6 more First Pitch cards. 

2026 Topps 1991 Tribute Trey Yesavage #91B2-33

Short-printed inserts such as Cover Athletes, All Aces/All Kings, Homefield Advantage, and Heavy Lumber are also back for S2, but we're not going to talk about those (unless I manage to get one in a pack). 

2026 Topps Series 2 Home Field Advantage Munetaka Murakami #HA-39

New to the insert set chase includes a 25-card set called Crooked Numbers, a 65-card behemoth called Glove Work (which I'm guessing is about defensive prowess), and the 10-card Highlight Reel (please let this be a basic insert set). One set I'm curious about, but not holding out any hope of seeing a card of unless it's online, even if it is a "Hobby Box/Jumbo Box exclusive" is the 10-card Diamond Dust set. The name alone looks like it's going to be a short-printed exclusive nightmare to attempt. There is also going to be an exclusive Fanatics Fest-only set called Swinging With the Stars. If it's anything like 2025's version (Swinging For the Stars), it's mostly likely going to be a Topps Chrome set.

But just like last year, Topps will have an exclusive Series 2 Super box, one for regular retailers (think your big box stores) and one for Costco. The Costco boxes will include another 90-card exclusive set (Flagship Edition) and another 10-card Bulk Order set.

I, for one, can't wait for Series 2 to go live. It's something to look forward to while summer, and the MLB season, moves on.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama