
2018 Donruss Baseball Variations Guide
In some sets, variations are tough to pull. However, that is not the case with the 2018 Donruss Baseball variations. Perhaps a letdown for those looking for high values, the flip side to this is a surplus of different cards for some of the top players of past and present. 2018 marks a large increase as far as the size of the checklist in comparison to prior years.
Although the full odds were not provided, 2018 Donruss Baseball variations combine with the Diamond Kings, Rated Rookies and Retro 1984 subset cards to average 60 per box, or roughly two to three per pack. The initial information indicated that each box should also have one variation parallel.
Because they are not very rare and have the same extensive parallels as the base set, values for the 2018 Donruss Baseball variations should remain on the low side. It also means it can be tricky to know which card is the variation if it is not an obvious change like a nickname in place of the player name, stat reference or nickname instead of the team, or black-and-white version. This is especially true for the 1984 Retro cards.
While Panini did provide the full variation subject list on the 2018 Donruss Baseball checklist, the exact differences were not noted. Some players, including Aaron Judge, have more than one variation under the same card number.
It's also worth pointing out that the Blank Back cards are not variations, but instead these are a full parallel of the base set.
2018 Donruss Baseball Variation Trick
For those looking for a secondary way to identify the short prints, it appears that most 2018 Donruss Baseball variations feature a filled-in black baseball with a white outline in the top-left corner of the card back (shown first below), while base cards have a white baseball with black lines.
However, it appears the reverse is true for the 1984 Retro variations. For these final 10 cards in the lineup, the white ball denotes the variation.
We are adding clean images as they surface. Please reach out by email if you see anything we are missing.
2018 Donruss Baseball Variations Checklist
64 Cal Ripken - Nickname
65 Jim Palmer - Black & White
69 Jackie Bradley Jr. - Nickname
86 Jose Abreu - Black & White
87 Frank Thomas - Nickname
92 Joe Morgan - Team Nickname
100 Roberto Alomar - Nickname
104 Charlie Blackmon - Image
108 Reggie Jackson - Image
110 Al Kaline - Nickname
120 George Brett - Black & White
123 Rod Carew - Black & White
134 Marcell Ozuna - Image
141 Anthony Rizzo - Image
142 Kirby Puckett - Stat
143 Giancarlo Stanton - Nickname
144 Noah Syndergaard - Nickname
148 Aaron Judge - ROY
148 Aaron Judge - Nickname
149 Cody Bellinger - ROY
149 Cody Bellinger - Image
150 Gary Sanchez - Nickname
153 Corey Kluber - Nickname
154 Clayton Kershaw - Nickname
155 Mike Trout - Nickname
157 Francisco Lindor - Nickname
158 Corey Seager - Image
159 Andrew McCutchen - Nickname
162 Alex Bregman - Image
165 Tony Gwynn - Nickname
166 Jose Altuve - Nickname
167 Buster Posey - Nickname
167 Buster Posey - Image
169 Andrew Benintendi - Black & White
169 Andrew Benintendi - Nickname
172 Nolan Arenado - Image
173 Jose Ramirez - Image
175 Ken Griffey Jr. - Nickname
176 Yadier Molina - Nickname
183 Kris Bryant - Nickname B/W
183 Kris Bryant - Image
187 Nolan Ryan - Nickname
189 Manny Machado - Image
191 Mookie Betts - Nickname
191 Mookie Betts - Nickname / Image
192 Bryce Harper - Nickname
195 Chipper Jones - Nickname
200 Mickey Mantle - Nickname
225 Anthony Rizzo - Retro 1984 Image
227 Andrew Benintendi - Retro 1984 Image
228 Kris Bryant - Retro 1984 Image
230 Yoan Moncada - Retro 1984 Image
234 Francisco Lindor - Retro 1984 Image
242 Mike Trout - Retro 1984 Image
243 Cody Bellinger - Retro 1984 Image
253 Aaron Judge - Retro 1984 Image
254 Mickey Mantle - Retro 1984 Image
256 Nolan Ryan - Retro 1984 Image
2018 Donruss Baseball Variations Gallery
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59 Eddie Mathews - Milwaukee Braves
64 Cal Ripken - Baltimore Orioles
65 Jim Palmer - Baltimore Orioles
69 Jackie Bradley Jr. - Boston Red Sox
86 Jose Abreu - Chicago White Sox
87 Frank Thomas - Chicago White Sox
92 Joe Morgan - Cincinnati Reds
100 Roberto Alomar - Cleveland Indians
104 Charlie Blackmon - Colorado Rockies
108 Reggie Jackson - Oakland A's
110 Al Kaline - Detroit Tigers
120 George Brett - Kansas City Royals
123 Rod Carew - California Angels
134 Marcell Ozuna - St. Louis Cardinals
141 Anthony Rizzo - Chicago Cubs
142 Kirby Puckett - Minnesota Twins
143 Giancarlo Stanton - New York Yankees
144 Noah Syndergaard - New York Mets
148 Aaron Judge - New York Yankees
Variation - NY 12th Judicial District - All Rise
149 Cody Bellinger - Los Angeles Dodgers
Variation - Running
150 Gary Sanchez - New York Yankees
153 Corey Kluber - Cleveland Indians
154 Clayton Kershaw - Los Angeles Dodgers
155 Mike Trout - Los Angeles Angels
157 Francisco Lindor - Cleveland Indians
158 Corey Seager - Los Angeles Dodgers
159 Andrew McCutchen - Pittsburgh Pirates
162 Alex Bregman - Houston Astros
163 Carlos Correa - Houston Astros
165 Tony Gwynn - San Diego Padres
166 Jose Altuve - Houston Astros
167 Buster Posey - San Francisco Giants
Variaton - Throwing
169 Andrew Benintendi - Boston Red Sox
Variation - Benny Baseball
172 Nolan Arenado - Colorado Rockies
173 Jose Ramirez - Cleveland Indians
175 Ken Griffey Jr. - Seattle Mariners
176 Yadier Molina - St. Louis Cardinals
183 Kris Bryant - Chicago Cubs
Variation - No sunglasses
187 Nolan Ryan - Texas Rangers
189 Manny Machado - Baltimore Orioles
191 Mookie Betts - Boston Red Sox
Variation - Markus Lynn Betts
192 Bryce Harper - Washington Nationals
195 Chipper Jones - Atlanta Braves
200 Mickey Mantle - New York Yankees
2018 Donruss Baseball 1984 Retro Variations
225 Anthony Rizzo - Chicago Cubs
227 Andrew Benintendi - Boston Red Sox
228 Kris Bryant - Chicago Cubs
230 Yoan Moncada - Chicago White Sox
234 Francisco Lindor - Cleveland Indians
242 Mike Trout - Los Angeles Angels
243 Cody Bellinger - Los Angeles Dodgers
253 Aaron Judge - New York Yankees
254 Mickey Mantle - New York Yankees
256 Nolan Ryan - New York Mets
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Bill Rhoten
I found an error on card #241, George Brett’s 1984 retro card. The stats on the back are not for him, but rather the career stats for Al Kaline. Does anyone know if this is was corrected or if this is an honest error on Donruss’s part?
Trey Treutel
Looks to be an uncorrected error that applies to all the Retro cards for Brett.