The 2023 Bowman Draft Baseball collection is set to hit the market in mid-December, and it promises to be a must-have for enthusiasts of MLB draft picks and rising stars. This year’s release comes with an exciting addition that will turn heads: Tom Brady, the NFL’s legendary figure, is featured as an insert and autograph card. Brady, a 1995 draft choice of the Montreal Expos, is celebrated in the collection as a “Dream Draft Pick.”
The collection follows the success of the 2023 Bowman Baseball and Bowman Chrome releases and continues to showcase notable prospects like Wyatt Langford, Paul Skenes, and Ethan Salas. The collection offers Hobby Jumbo and Super Jumbo boxes, each containing a variety of cards, autographs, and parallels.
The base set of 200 cards highlights top draft picks and MLB prospects, with special “1st Bowman” notations and image variations for 10 players. It also features two short-printed RetroFractor cards: Hall of Famers Josh Gibson and Carl Yastrzemski. Yastrzemski’s card even has an autographed version, adding to its allure.
The collection boasts an array of parallels in both paper and chrome formats, including the new Aqua/Pink and Red/Green Gradient Borders. Additionally, there are hobby box exclusive Orange Borders. Chrome cards introduce several new refractors, such as Lunar Glow and Fuchsia Lunar, among others.
Taking inspiration from the classic 1954 Bowman baseball design, this year’s inserts pay homage to the past. The Bowman 1954 Flag Variation showcases young players against their home flags, capturing a sense of national pride. The Bowman Draft Glass and Chrome Prospector’s Special Die-Cut inserts offer a visually stunning addition to the collection. And debuting this year are the Transformative Talents and Draft Picks & Prospects inserts, which are sure to be fan favorites.
Tom Brady’s Dream Draft Picks card raises the intriguing question of “What if?” It offers various limited Refractor parallels that collectors will scramble to get their hands on. The set also includes a diverse range of autographs, such as Chrome Prospect Autographs, Mood Ring Red Autographs, and Bowman ’54 Flag Variation Red Refractor autographs.
Dual signatures take center stage in the Franchise Futures Dual Autographs, adding excitement and rarity to the collection. Additionally, the Class of 2023 Autographs spotlight this year’s notable MLB draft choices. These autographs present another avenue for collectors to pursue their favorite up-and-coming players. The set is rounded off with special autographed booklets and Under Armour Game Autographed cards, ensuring there’s something for everyone.
The Class of 2023 Autographs section is particularly noteworthy, as it highlights the most prominent MLB draft picks of the year. This year, it introduces the new Green Refractor parallels, which collectors will eagerly seek. Alongside that, there are Gold, Red, and SuperFractor parallels, providing a variety of options for collectors.
Tom Brady’s inclusion in the set as a “Dream Draft Pick” is definitely a standout feature. The Gold Refractor parallels are limited to just 50 cards, making them highly sought-after. Other Refractor parallels of Brady’s card include Orange, Red, and the extremely rare SuperFractor, offering unique collectibles for fans of both football and baseball.
Adding even more rarity and value to the collection are the Base Set Gold Retrofractor Autographs, which are limited to 50 cards. These autographs follow the same parallel configuration as the Brady autographs, ensuring that they too will be highly coveted by collectors.
The Draft Glass Autographs, with only 99 copies available, present another exclusive aspect of the set. They come with Lava, Gold Mini-Diamond, and the hobby-exclusive Orange, Red, and SuperFractor parallels, offering collectors a wide range of options.
For those seeking even more unique items, the set includes Image Variation Autograph parallel cards, with only 99 copies available. These cards provide a different visual interpretation of some of the players included in the set, adding an element of surprise and diversity.
The autographed booklets in this year’s set are truly special. The “Positioned for Excellence” booklet is limited to just 10 copies, while the “Picked for Excellence” Autographed booklet is even rarer, limited to only 5 copies. Each of these booklets also has a Red Refractor parallel (limited to 5) and a SuperFractor (1/1), making them some of the most coveted items in the entire collection.
Finally, the set includes Under Armour Game Autographed cards, providing collectors with varied serial numbers and a chance to own autographs from some of the most promising young talents in baseball.
The 2023 Bowman Draft Baseball set is a comprehensive and exciting collection that appeals to both hardcore collectors and fans of the sport. With its mix of new prospects, established stars, and the unique inclusion of a football legend like Tom Brady, this release is highly anticipated. Its wide variety of cards, parallels, and autographs make it a must-have for any baseball card enthusiast.
