Built for the Big Leagues: The 2026 MLB Gold Series Welcomes the Rookies

Power set the tone. Next Gen raised the stakes. Now, the Rookies are ready for their moment.

2026 MLB Gold Series ICONs continues Wednesday, August 26, at 2 p.m. ET with Rookies: a six-player lineup featuring some of baseball’s most exciting young talent, including four players making their Candy ICON debuts.

The Rookies lineup features the following players and badges:

• Munetaka Murakami — Rookie + Rookie Year
• Kevin McGonigle — Rookie + Rookie Year
• JJ Wetherholt — First Mint + Rookie + Rookie Year
• Samuel Basallo — First Mint + Rookie + Rookie Year
• Konnor Griffin — First Mint + Rookie + Rookie Year
• Nolan McLean — First Mint + Rookie + Rookie Year

With only 36 packs available, six Gold Series ICONs in every pack, historic edition sizes and two limited-edition inserts, Rookies gives collectors a chance to own some of the earliest defining moments of these players’ careers.

Packs will once again be available through the Candy Digital Reverse Auction, with bidding starting at $2,000.

Built Around the Moments That Matter

Every great career starts somewhere.

A first major league hit. A first home run. A grand slam. A career-best performance. These are the moments fans remember, collectors chase and players build on for years to come.

Gold Series: Rookies captures those early milestones through officially licensed video highlights, ultra-limited edition sizes and four First Mint designations.

For JJ Wetherholt, Samuel Basallo, Konnor Griffin and Nolan McLean, this release marks their first appearance as Candy ICONs. Each will carry First Mint, Rookie and Rookie Year designations, while Munetaka Murakami and Kevin McGonigle will carry Rookie and Rookie Year designations.

Six players. Six milestones. Six chances to collect the beginning of something big.

Auction Details

• Pack Theme: Rookies
• Auction Date: Wednesday, August 26
• Auction Start Time: 2 p.m. ET
• Starting Price: $2,000
• Price Reduction Interval: Every 60 seconds
• Price Reduction Amount: $100 every 60 seconds
• Packs Offered: 36 total Gold Series packs
• Purchase Limit: No limit per transaction
• Checkout Timer: 60 seconds to complete checkout
• Auction Format: Candy Digital Reverse Auction
• Auction Link: Enter the Gold Series: Rookies Auction

Pack Details

• Featured Players: Munetaka Murakami, Kevin McGonigle, JJ Wetherholt, Samuel Basallo, Konnor Griffin and Nolan McLean
• ICONs Per Pack: Six Gold Series ICONs
• Insert Packs: Seven total ICONs when a bonus insert is included
• Rare ICONs: Numbered to /25
• Epic ICONs: Numbered to /10
• Legendary ICONs: Six total, with each being a true one-of-one
• Epic Guarantee: At least one Epic ICON in every pack, with a strong chance of receiving two
• Legendary Odds: One-in-six chance of pulling a Legendary ICON
• First Mint Players: JJ Wetherholt, Samuel Basallo, Konnor Griffin and Nolan McLean
• Munetaka Murakami Pixicon Insert: Numbered to /5
• Konnor Griffin Momenticon Insert: Numbered to /5

Six Players. Six ICONs. Six Defining Moments.

Every Rookies pack contains six 2026 MLB Gold Series ICONs, one featuring each player in the complete lineup.

Each player has only 36 Gold Series ICONs available across three rarity tiers:

• 25 Rare ICONs, individually numbered to /25
• 10 Epic ICONs, individually numbered to /10
• One Legendary ICON, a true one-of-one

These are the lowest Rare and Epic edition sizes Candy has offered for MLB ICONs. Every pack is guaranteed to contain at least one Epic, with a strong chance of receiving two. And with six Legendary ICONs distributed across 36 packs, each pack carries a one-in-six chance of containing a one-of-one.

Every Rare, Epic and Legendary ICON features video from a milestone moment in that player’s young career:

• Samuel Basallo — April 1: His first home run of the 2026 season.
• Konnor Griffin — April 3: His first MLB hit, a double in his first major league plate appearance.
• Nolan McLean — April 21: A career-high 10 strikeouts.
• Munetaka Murakami — April 17: His first MLB grand slam.
• Kevin McGonigle — March 26: His first MLB hit, a double in his first major league plate appearance.
• JJ Wetherholt — March 26: His first MLB home run in his first major league appearance.

These aren’t just names to watch. They’re moments worth collecting.

Limited-Edition Inserts

The chase doesn’t stop with the six-player Gold Series lineup.

Rookies packs may also contain one of two special inserts:

• Munetaka Murakami Pixicon (/5): Murakami at first base, shades on, as the Rate Field fireworks light up the background. A fitting tribute to one of the most exciting personalities in this year’s rookie class.
• Konnor Griffin Momenticon  (/5): A celebration of Griffin’s first major league home run, which came on April 24, 2026, his 20th birthday. First MLB homer. Birthday candles. One moment worth remembering.

Any pack containing an insert will include seven ICONs instead of six, with the insert added as a bonus.

Gold Series Collection Quests

Every Gold Series ICON can also help collectors build toward something bigger.

Rookies is the third of six planned Gold Series pack groupings.

Together, the six groupings feature 36 players across the complete Gold Series collection. Collectors can work toward two Collection Quests, with rewards featuring two players from the Rookies lineup.

Full Set Collection Quest

To complete the Full Set Collection Quest, collectors must:

• Collect all 36 players featured across the complete Gold Series.
• Hold at least one Epic-or-higher ICON from each of the six Gold Series pack groupings.

That means one Epic from Power, one Epic from Next Gen, one Epic from Rookies and one Epic from each of the remaining three themes.

Collectors who complete the quest will receive:

• A Munetaka Murakami Reward ICON
• $500 in Candy Credits

Partial Set Collection Quest

To complete the Partial Set Collection Quest, collectors must:

• Own ICONs representing three different players from each of the six Gold Series pack groupings.
• Collect 18 qualifying Gold Series ICONs in total.
• ICONs of any rarity may be used toward completion.

Collectors who complete the quest will receive a Kevin McGonigle Reward ICON.

We’ll be sharing a first look at both Reward ICONs soon.

Important: All qualifying ICONs must be in your Candy Wallet to count toward quest completion.

The current deadline for both Gold Series Collection Quests is November 2 at 2 p.m. ET, subject to change based on the remaining auction schedule.

How the Candy Digital Reverse Auction Works

A traditional auction starts low and moves higher as bidders compete. A Candy Digital Reverse Auction moves in the opposite direction.

Rookies packs begin at $2,000, with the price automatically decreasing by $100 every 60 seconds. Fans can purchase at the current displayed price or wait to see whether the price drops further.

But waiting comes with a risk: another collector could decide the current price is right and claim the remaining packs first.

There is no purchase limit per transaction, meaning collectors can buy one pack, several packs or every remaining pack available.

Once checkout begins, collectors will have 60 seconds to complete their purchase.

With only 36 packs in the entire release, every purchase reduces the available inventory and raises the stakes for everyone still watching.

The Rookies Are Up

Power and Next Gen both sold out. Now, the third chapter of the 2026 MLB Gold Series belongs to the Rookies.

Six players. Four First Mints. Two limited-edition inserts. Thirty-six packs.

The auction opens Wednesday, August 26, at 2 p.m. ET.

Check out the Gold Series: Rookies Auction

The future starts here.