The 2023 Bowman Draft Baseball collection is set to make waves in the sports card world, offering a perfect blend of MLB prospects and the legendary Tom Brady. This year’s release, scheduled for mid-December, follows the successful 2023 Bowman Baseball and Bowman Chrome sets, bringing together top draft picks and rising stars.
One of the most exciting additions to this year’s collection is the inclusion of Tom Brady, the iconic NFL quarterback. Although no preview images are available yet, Brady is celebrated as a “Dream Draft Pick” in the collection. As a 1995 draft choice of the Montreal Expos, his presence adds a unique twist to the set and creates intrigue among both baseball and football fans.
The 2023 Bowman Draft Baseball collection offers an extensive lineup of notable prospects like Wyatt Langford, Paul Skenes, and Ethan Salas. Available in Hobby Jumbo and Super Jumbo boxes, each box is packed with a variety of cards, autographs, and parallels.
The base set consists of 200 cards, showcasing the top draft picks and MLB prospects. Notably, 10 players receive special “1st Bowman” notations and image variations. The collection also features short-printed RetroFractor cards of two Hall of Famers, Josh Gibson and Carl Yastrzemski, with Yastrzemski also having an autographed version.
Furthermore, the collection boasts an impressive array of parallels in both paper and chrome formats. Collectors can look forward to new additions like Aqua/Pink and Red/Green Gradient Borders, as well as hobby box exclusive Orange Borders. Chrome cards introduce several new refractors, including the eye-catching Lunar Glow and Fuchsia Lunar refractors.
The inserts in this year’s collection pay homage to the iconic 1954 Bowman baseball design. The Bowman 1954 Flag Variation inserts feature young players against their home flags, creating a visually striking contrast. Additionally, the Bowman Draft Glass and Chrome Prospector’s Special Die-Cut inserts add a touch of uniqueness to the set. Two new inserts making their debut this year are the Transformative Talents and Draft Picks & Prospects inserts, adding more excitement to the collection.
Tom Brady’s Dream Draft Picks card is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated additions to the set. This card raises the intriguing “What if?” question and comes in various limited Refractor parallels. Autograph enthusiasts will not be disappointed either, as the set offers a diverse range of autographs, including Chrome Prospect Autographs, Mood Ring Red Autographs, and Bowman ’54 Flag Variation Red Refractor autographs.
The collection doesn’t stop there. Dual signatures are showcased in Franchise Futures Dual Autographs, highlighting the potential power duos in the MLB. The Class of 2023 Autographs give a special spotlight to this year’s notable MLB draft choices. The set also includes unique autographed booklets and Under Armour Game Autographed cards, making it a comprehensive and thrilling collection for baseball card enthusiasts.
As if that wasn’t enough, collectors have the opportunity to find even rarer autographs. The Class of 2023 Autographs section features the most prominent MLB draft picks, along with new Green Refractor parallels. These autographs, along with Gold, Red, and SuperFractor parallels, offer collectors a wide range of options.
The inclusion of Tom Brady as a “Dream Draft Pick” adds an extra layer of excitement to the set. His Gold Refractor parallels are limited to just 50 cards, making them highly sought after by collectors. Other Refractor parallels of Brady’s card, such as Orange, Red, and the extremely rare SuperFractor, provide fans of both football and baseball with unique collectibles.
For collectors seeking even more unique items, the set includes Image Variation Autograph parallel cards, each numbered to 99. These cards provide an exciting visual twist on some of the players featured in the set, adding an element of surprise and diversity to the collection.
The autographed booklets in this year’s set are truly special. Limited to just 10 copies, the “Positioned for Excellence” booklet and the “Picked for Excellence” Autographed booklet are exceptionally rare and highly coveted. Each booklet also has Red Refractor parallels, limited to 5 copies, and a SuperFractor, making them some of the most sought-after items in the collection.
Rounding off the collection are the Under Armour Game Autographed cards. With varied serial numbers, these cards offer a wide range of autographs from some of the most promising young talents in baseball.
In conclusion, the 2023 Bowman Draft Baseball collection is a highly anticipated release for collectors and fans alike. With its comprehensive range of cards, parallels, and autographs, this set is a must-have for those craving a blend of MLB prospects, established stars, and the legendary Tom Brady.