News

USA Baseball and Panini America are extending their long-running partnership for a third time, adding new layers to a deal that began in 2012. The agreement continues Panini’s exclusive rights to produce trading cards featuring athletes from across USA Baseball’s programs, while also introducing fresh content and collectible experiences.

The updated deal gives Panini continued access to players from the Collegiate, 18U, and 15U National Teams, as well as the National Team Development Program. New in this extension is the inclusion of the 12U National Team and the Women’s National Team, opening the door for first-time collectibles featuring some of the youngest and most underrepresented athletes in the sport.

Collectors will also see USA Baseball featured for the first time on Panini Instant. This direct-to-consumer platform allows fans to grab limited-run trading cards that spotlight real-time moments from national team games. The addition of Team USA content marks a step forward in Panini’s efforts to deliver live, on-demand highlights to collectors.

Panini will again have a presence at the Golden Spikes Award presentation, scheduled this year for June 21 during the College World Series. The company plans to distribute exclusive card packs on-site in Omaha, continuing its partnership with the award following a successful 2024 rollout.

In terms of memorabilia, Panini is expanding beyond traditional jerseys and equipment. Beginning this summer, Panini-branded on-deck circles will appear at USA Baseball’s National Training Complex. These field-used circles will eventually be cut and featured in trading cards, offering collectors a new type of game-used relic.

The partnership has already produced cards for numerous future MLB stars. Since the relationship began, 212 USA Baseball alumni have been drafted in the first round, including 10 number one overall picks such as Adley Rutschman, Dansby Swanson, and Paul Skenes. Altogether, 586 former Team USA players have been first-round selections since 1972, including 36 who went first overall.

Panini’s extended agreement reflects a continued investment in capturing the full story of USA Baseball—across all levels, genders, and platforms—while bringing that narrative to fans through innovative and collectible products.