The 2023 Bowman Draft Baseball collection is set to release in mid-December and is a must-have for enthusiasts of MLB draft picks and rising stars. This year’s release comes with an exciting addition: Tom Brady, the NFL’s legendary figure, is featured as an insert and autograph card. Brady, who was once drafted by the Montreal Expos in 1995, is celebrated in the collection as a “Dream Draft Pick,” although no preview images are available.
The collection follows the successful releases of 2023 Bowman Baseball and Bowman Chrome. It includes notable prospects like Wyatt Langford, Paul Skenes, and Ethan Salas. Collectors can choose from 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. Additionally, it features Hall of Famers Josh Gibson and Carl Yastrzemski as short-printed RetroFractor cards, with Yastrzemski also having an autographed version.
The collection boasts a wide array of parallels in both paper and chrome formats. These include new Aqua/Pink and Red/Green Gradient Borders, as well as hobby box exclusive Orange Borders. Chrome cards introduce several new refractors, such as Lunar Glow and Fuchsia Lunar, among others.
Inserts in this year’s collection pay homage to the 1954 Bowman baseball design. One of the standout inserts is the Bowman 1954 Flag Variation, which showcases young players against their home flags. The Bowman Draft Glass and Chrome Prospector’s Special Die-Cut inserts are also featured, along with the debut of the Transformative Talents and Draft Picks & Prospects inserts.
Tom Brady’s Dream Draft Picks card raises the intriguing “What if?” question and offers various limited Refractor parallels. 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 are showcased in Franchise Futures Dual Autographs, highlighting the future of MLB franchises. The Class of 2023 Autographs spotlight this year’s notable MLB draft choices. The set is rounded off with special autographed booklets and Under Armour Game Autographed cards, making it a comprehensive and exciting collection for baseball card enthusiasts.
Fans of autographs will find unique and rare options in this set. The Class of 2023 Autographs section showcases the most prominent MLB draft picks of the year, featuring Green Refractor parallels that are new for this year. Along with Gold, Red, and SuperFractor parallels, collectors have a variety of options to choose from.
Tom Brady’s inclusion as a “Dream Draft Pick” is particularly noteworthy. Gold Refractor parallels of his card are limited to just 50 cards, offering a rare collectible for fans of both football and baseball. Other Refractor parallels of Brady’s card include Orange, Red, and the extremely rare SuperFractor.
The set also features Base Set Gold Retrofractor Autographs, limited to 50 cards, which follow the same parallel configuration as the Brady autographs. These autographs provide an additional layer of rarity and value to the collection.
Draft Glass Autographs, numbered to 99, offer another exclusive aspect to the set. These autographs come with Lava, Gold Mini-Diamond, hobby-exclusive Orange, Red, and SuperFractor parallels.
For collectors seeking even more unique items, the set includes Image Variation Autograph cards, numbered to 99. These cards provide a different visual take on some of the players included in the set, adding an element of surprise and diversity to the collection.
The autographed booklets in this year’s set are particularly special. The “Positioned for Excellence” booklet is limited to just 10 copies, while the “Picked for Excellence” Autographed booklet is even rarer, with only 5 copies available. Each booklet also has a Red Refractor parallel (limited to 5) and a SuperFractor (1/1), making them some of the most coveted items in the collection.
Finally, the set includes Under Armour Game Autographed cards. These cards feature varied serial numbers and offer a wide range of autographs from some of the most promising young talents in baseball.
Overall, the 2023 Bowman Draft Baseball set is a comprehensive and exciting collection for collectors and fans of the sport. It brings together a mix of new prospects, established stars, and the unique inclusion of a football legend like Tom Brady. With its variety of cards, parallels, and autographs, this collection is highly anticipated and will surely be a hit among baseball card enthusiasts.
