Panini announces minor league baseball card deal
Panini America and MLB Players, Inc. announced a deal on September 28 covering every active minor leaguer, starting with Three and Two Baseball in November.
By the Rip.fan Editorial Team.
Published Updated 4 min read
Panini America and MLB Players, Inc., the business side of the MLB Players Association (MLBPA), announced on September 28, 2026 a non-exclusive, multi-year agreement that covers every active Minor League Baseball player for trading cards. The first product under it is Panini’s Three and Two Baseball, which Panini says is slated to launch in November 2026.
What the agreement covers
Panini says it will put minor leaguers on cards across its baseball range, and Heavy reports that Donruss Elite Extra Edition and Prizm Baseball were named among the brands. Panini America expects up to 12 products a year that feature minor leaguers alongside college and retired players. The agreement lets it build checklists around prospects in several brands and formats through the year.
Heavy describes MLB Players, Inc. as the licensing arm for active Major League and Minor League players.
What is settled, and what is still to come
The announcement, as reported, answers some buying questions and leaves others for later. This table sorts them, from reports of the September 28 announcement.
| Question | What the reports say |
|---|---|
| Who is covered | Every active Minor League Baseball player |
| Is it exclusive to Panini | No, it is non-exclusive |
| How long it runs | Multi-year |
| First product | Three and Two Baseball, slated for November 2026 |
| Other sets named | Donruss Elite Extra Edition and Prizm Baseball |
| Products a year with minor leaguers | Up to 12 |
| Who else is on the checklists | College and retired players |
| Product configurations and availability | To be announced closer to each release |
| Team names and logos | Heavy says the announcement does not mention them |
What the primary announcement adds
MLB Players, Inc. published the announcement itself, dated September 28, 2026, from Irving, Texas. It describes Panini America as a subsidiary of the Panini Group, and it confirms the two brands Heavy named, Donruss Elite Extra Edition and Prizm Baseball. Mark Warsop, chief executive of Panini America, said the agreement brings “significant depth across Panini’s baseball portfolio.”
The announcement names no player and gives no print run or price for any product. The reports leave product details to each release.
Sports Collectors Daily adds a view on who may sign with Panini. Its report expects players who are not under exclusive Topps deals to do so. That is the outlet’s reading, not a term of the agreement, and neither the announcement nor the two reports list any player who has signed.
How prospect cards differ from rookie cards
A card of a player who has not reached the majors is a prospect card. Our guide to what counts as a rookie card reports that, since 2006, baseball’s convention ties an official rookie card to a place on a team’s 25-man roster, so a minor league card of the same player is not an official rookie card. Collectors still argue over which first card counts, and the guide sets out both sides.
Who can appear in Panini’s sets
The deal widens who can appear in Panini’s baseball sets. The reports do not say which minor leaguers will appear or at what price, and product formats are left for later. The only date so far is a month: November 2026 for Three and Two Baseball.
Because the agreement is non-exclusive, it does not give Panini sole rights to minor leaguers’ cards. With up to 12 products a year carrying minor leaguers, the set name, year and card number are what tell one prospect card from another when you look it up.
What to do
- Read each product’s checklist when it is released, and note which cards show minor leaguers and which show college or retired players.
- Before you buy a box, compare formats with our guide to hobby and retail sports card boxes.
- When you price a prospect card, match the exact set, year and card number. Our guide to valuing a sports card shows how to find what the same card sold for.
- Find more baseball and other sports coverage on our sports cards page.
How we checked
The details come from Heavy’s and Sports Collectors Daily’s reports of the joint announcement by Panini America and MLB Players, Inc. on September 28, 2026, both read on October 12, 2026, and from the announcement itself as MLB Players, Inc. published it, read on October 22, 2026. Our editorial policy explains how we work.