Buzz Break: 2021 Donruss baseball cards (blaster box)

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2021 Donruss baseball cards (blaster box)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for this one.

Packs per box: 11
Cards per pack: 8
Cards per box: 88
Set completion: 
61 of 264 (23 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Anthony Rizzo, Miguel Cabrera, Shohei Ohtani, Max Fried, Trevor Story, Max Scherzer, Kyle Lewis, Aaron Judge, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Christian Yelich, Ramon Laureano, Jack Flaherty, Freddie Freeman, Francisco Lindor, Keston Hiura, Shane Bieber, Babe Ruth, Nolan Ryan, Jason Giambi, Vladimir Guerrero, George Brett, Ryne Sandberg

Rookie Cards (7) – Casey Mize, Jazz Chisholm, Tyler Stephenson, Clarke Schmidt, Leody Taveras, Sam Huff, Cristian Javier

Insert cards: 26 (a sampling of everything in gallery below)
Variations (8) – Mike Trout, Bo Bichette, Yadier Molina, Clayton Kershaw, Lucas Giolito, Josh Donaldson, Jim Thome, Roger Clemens
Variation Holo Purple parallel (2) – Bryce Harper, Walker Buehler
Red parallel (1) – John Means (/2,021)
Independence Day parallel (1) – Rafael Devers
Holo Purple parallels (9) – Josh Bell, Evan White, Carlos Correa, Trevor Bauer, Zar Gallen, Lucas Giolito, Marco Gonzales, Miguel Tejada, Nolan Ryan
Rapture Highlights (1) – Jose Abreu
Rapture Elite Series (1) – Juan Soto
Rapture Dominators (1) – Dallas Keuchel
Rapture Trending (1) – Andres Munoz
Rapture Livestream (1) – Mookie Betts

Autographs/Memorabilia: 1
Retro 1987 Materials (1) – Walker Buehler

What's Buzz-worthy: In Panini's return years of Donruss, we've seen a lot of throwback designs and we get some of that this year, too, with a tweaked (and not necessarily better with the white border) version of 1987 Donruss ... with strong parallels that make those weird whites palatable. Overall, this might be the strongest overall package of Donruss baseball to date because it breaks away some from the old in favor of some new. The Diamond Kings design, for example, is a little funky but it's not locked into a 1980s framework of the past so it gets points from me for trying something new. The main design is crisp and clean -- better in-person vs. mocks -- and it is so strong I think it helps make this one perhaps the best release in the return of the brand. (It will be strong when it gets an Optic treatment, too.) There doesn't appear to be a tell to know which cards are SPs unlike past years, but the nicknames for players or their cities are the most-common way to find nearly all of them and they were all on the backs of packs in this box. The Holo Purple parallels are unique to blasters (hangers have Orange, which I think are stronger) and the Rapture parallels do help add variety to the mix. The hobby boxes deliver a boatload of variety and a larger range of stuff -- some might say too much -- but I think that's what's needed in any flagship-style release. I'll offer more thoughts on this one when I rip more ... that's likely in the smaller formats for this one.

Product Grade: A
Box Grade: A-
Fun Grade: B+

Follow Buzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz or send email to BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com. 

>> Click here to buy baseball cards on BlowoutCards.com