Random Wax: 2025 Topps Baseball Hanger Box

2025 Topps:   Vlad and the Blue Jays have struggled this season.  Not sure what happened to his power but I hope he can find it again. He's been such a great hitter before this season.

Bryce Harper's averaged has dropped a little but he still gets on base at a good clip and is hitting dingers.  He's also been healthy this season.

Photos on Team Cards like this one are so much fun.

Youngsters.

I really like the Diamante Parallels exclusive to hanger boxes.

Some good photography.

Justin Verlander has said he'll hang it up after this season.  3X Cy Young, 2X ERA, MVP, Rookie of the Year, Triple Crown, 10X All-Star.

Topps 35th Anniversary cards and a First Pitch insert.  I like both and enjoy seeing Tatum on a card with local ties.

All good-looking cards with a couple of alternate unis.

Skubal is now a Dodger.  Man, it feels like they are going to be next to impossible to beat again in October.

Great Stars of MLB pulls.

BREAKDOWN:
59 – Total Cards
11 – RC
4 – Stars of MLB
3 - Checklist
2 - Diamante Foil
2 – League Leaders
1 – First Pitch
1 – Team Card
1 – Future Stars
1 – Topps 35th Anniversary

Random Wax: 2025 Topps Baseball

2025 Topps:  Ted William's stats are pure video game stuff but I'll cherry pick a few:  

1941: Batted .406
1942: Triple Crown
1943-1945: Served in WWII
1946: MVP
1947: Triple Crown

I've always been a fan of Nolan Arenado, who I know is nearing the end of his career but I'm hoping for a bounce back year.  He's already on pace for his most home runs since 2023.  Matt Chapman had 8 RBIs against the Cubs this month.   What has happened to Chicago?  Zach Wheeler is 36 years-old but he's having another great year for Philly.

What a start to Yoshinobu Yamamoto's career. 2X World Series winner, 1X World Series MVP and an All-Star nod.  And yes, he's doing excellent again this season.

Astros Team Card.  They have dealt with so many injuries this year and it's not surprising they are struggling.

Ronald Acuna Jr.'s bat finally started coming around...and he hurt his hamstring again...  ugh.  Looking good on this Stars of MLB card though.

Some horizontal goodness including this Checklist card featuring the Tampa Bay Rays on the front.

Anthony Rizzo helped the Chicago Cubs get the monkey off their back in 2016 with a championship.  I was okay being happy for Cubs fans who had suffered for so long.

Always enjoy League Leader cards.  Fun pack of cards with a good pull.

BREAKDOWN:

36 – Total Cards

6 – RC

2 – Stars of MLB

1 - Checklist

1 – Team Card

1 – Future Stars

1 – Call to the Hall

1 – League Leaders

2025 Topps Update

2025 Update:   Pete Crow-Armstrong shows up on this 35th Anniversary Topps card and showed up on everyone's radar in 2025.  He hit 31 home runs, had 95 runs batted in and had a .768 OPS.  Huge gain for the Cubs.  He still needs to work on his average and on base percentage, but Chicago has to be happy with what they've seen so far from their Gold Glove centerfielder.

My first look at Update from last year.  Always a bit of a mix of what you might get in these.  Overall, not the strongest pack but I'm happy.

Noah Cameron had a really good rookie season with the Royals going 9-7 with a 2.99 ERA in 24 starts.

Really enjoy the backs of the 35th Anniversary cards.

A couple of Stars of MLB inserts as well as a Boston Red Sox Veteran Combo card.  I like Salvador Perez, and I like that out of the norm photo with the bubble.

This pack was a Christmas present and what a great present.  Cards always work.

BREAKDOWN:
36 – Total Cards
16 – RC
2 – Stars of MLB
1 – Veterans Combo
1 - 35th Anniversary 1990 Topps

Random Wax: 2025 Topps Baseball Hanger Box

2025 Topps:  I don't like the Dodgers but it's hard to root against them.  I love Freddie and Mookie and so enjoy watching Ohtani.  I will root against them as they play Milwaukee though.  Freddie is 35 and has 2431 hits in his outstanding career.  Will he get to 3,000. Hard to tell as it'll take him staying healthy and playing at a high level but I'd love to see it.

Christian Yelich was with the Brewers when they last were in the NLCS in 2018.  They lost to the Dodgers that season but can get revenge in this year's NLCS.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto went 12-8 with a 2.49 ERA in his second MLB season.  As if LA needed any help.  I'll just ignore the struggles of the rest of their staff.

I like these League Leader cards.  We get player photos, stats and the league logo.  It's a win.

That Zach Eflin is a Purple Holo Parallel #/250.

I really like the Team Cards.

A Mike Piazza 1990 Topps Baseball, Diamante Foil Parallel and a nice-looking Call to the Hall insert.  Diamante parallels are nice looking in hand.

The back of a League Leaders card.  These are fun to look at and even more so in years to come.  Sale's ERA only bumped to 2.58 this season.

Team card back missing the stats for the team leaders.  Boooo Topps.  Otherwise, I like. 

Corbin Carroll led the league in triples (17) for the third season in a row.

Have to like that photo on the horizontal card.

Stars of MLB inserts. They come four to a hanger box.  I like that De La Cruz.

BREAKDOWN:

59 – Total Cards

9 – RC

4 – Stars of MLB

2 - Checklist

2 – Team Cards

2 – Future Stars

2 - Diamante Foil

2 – Retired Greats

2 – League Leaders

1 – Holo Foil

1 – Cal to the Hall

1 – 1990 Topps Baseball

1 – Purple Holo Parallel #/250

Random Wax: 2025 Topps Baseball Hanger Box

2025 Topps:  You don't have to like the Yankees or Aaron Judge, and I don't, but dang that guy can hit.  I can't believe he's already 33.  His Rookie of the Year was 2017 when he blasted 52 home runs.  And it's not all about the long ball.  Judge has a career .297 average and is batting ~.340 this year.  Amazing.

Devers was shockingly traded to the Giants this year after things went south in a hurry.  Crazy how things work out.  Boston is actually doing alright and are third in the wild card standings.

Bogaerts and Altuve are favorites of mine, so this is a fun pull for me.

Great photo on youngster Elly De La Cruz's horizontal card.  The speedster is having a great sophomore season.

Plenty of young players in these boxes.

My Pink Diamante Foil Parallel which drops 1:12 hanger boxes.  

I do like the All-Topps Team inserts.  I really like that look.  Anthony Rizzo on a Diamante Foil Parallel which is another good look.  And my 1990 Topps card which looks better on new cardboard.  Back in the day it didn't work for me for an entire set.

Fun checklist cad.

Some great photos.

I love League Leaders cards and this season we see the return of the actual numbers (stats) on the front as well.  Good job Topps, good job.

I really went all in on the hanger boxes for 2025 Topps.  It really felt like I had a solid pull each box and a good variety with the inserts and parallels.

Some more horizontal offerings.  Fun Luis Castillo card.

Corbin Carroll has found some extra power this season and still has speed, but he has work to do on his average.  He's a favorite of mine and I'm rooting for him.  We'll end it with this Stars of MLB grouping.

BREAKDOWN:
59 – Total Cards
11 – RC
125 – Future Stars
4 – Stars of MLB
3 – Checklist
1 - Diamante Foil
1 – All Topps Team
1 – League Leaders
1 - Pink Diamante Foil (1:12 Hanger Boxes)
1 – 1990 Topps Baseball
1 – Topps All-Star Rookie Cup