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 has an exciting addition: Tom Brady, the legendary figure of the NFL, is featured as an insert and autograph card. Brady, who was actually a 1995 draft choice of the Montreal Expos, is celebrated in the collection as a “Dream Draft Pick.” Although no preview images are available, fans of both football and baseball are eagerly awaiting this unique inclusion.
This collection follows the 2023 Bowman Baseball and Bowman Chrome releases, offering a comprehensive lineup for collectors. The set includes notable prospects such as Wyatt Langford, Paul Skenes, and Ethan Salas. It offers both Hobby Jumbo and Super Jumbo boxes, each packed with a variety of cards, autographs, and parallels.
The base set of 200 cards highlights the top draft picks and MLB prospects, with special “1st Bowman” notations and image variations for 10 players. It also features the iconic Hall of Famers Josh Gibson and Carl Yastrzemski as short-printed RetroFractor cards. Yastrzemski even has an autographed version available, adding to the collectibility of the set.
What sets this collection apart is the wide range of parallels available in both paper and chrome formats. Collectors can look forward to new Aqua/Pink and Red/Green Gradient Borders, as well as hobby box exclusive Orange Borders. Chrome cards introduce several new refractors, including Lunar Glow and Fuchsia Lunar, providing additional excitement for fans.
The inserts in this year’s collection pay homage to the classic 1954 Bowman baseball design. The Bowman 1954 Flag Variation inserts feature young players against their home flags, adding a nostalgic touch to the set. The collection also includes the Bowman Draft Glass and Chrome Prospector’s Special Die-Cut inserts, showcasing the talent and potential of the featured prospects. Additionally, the Transformative Talents and Draft Picks & Prospects inserts make their debut this year, offering unique collectible options.
Of course, the inclusion of Tom Brady’s Dream Draft Picks card raises the intriguing “What if?” question. The card offers various limited Refractor parallels, making it a highly sought-after item for fans of both baseball and football. 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. Collectors have the opportunity to own a piece of history with these autographed cards.
Dual signatures are showcased in Franchise Futures Dual Autographs, adding another layer of collectibility to the set. Furthermore, the Class of 2023 Autographs spotlight this year’s most notable MLB draft choices, with Green Refractor parallels that are new for this year. Other parallels like Gold, Red, and SuperFractor provide collectors with a variety of options to complete their collections.
The excitement doesn’t stop there. The set also features Base Set Gold Retrofractor Autographs, limited to just 50 cards. These autographs follow the same parallel configuration as the Tom Brady autographs, making them highly coveted by collectors. Additionally, the Draft Glass Autographs, numbered to 99, present another exclusive aspect to the set with their Lava, Gold Mini-Diamond, hobby-exclusive Orange, Red, and SuperFractor parallels.
For collectors looking for even more unique items, the set includes Image Variation Autograph parallel cards, numbered to 99. These cards offer 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 and exceptionally rare. The “Positioned for Excellence” booklet, limited to just 10 copies, and the “Picked for Excellence” Autographed booklet, limited to only 5 copies, are highly sought-after items. Each of these booklets also has a Red Refractor parallel limited to 5 copies and a SuperFractor, which is a one-of-a-kind card, making them some of the most coveted items in the collection.
Finally, the set includes Under Armour Game Autographed cards, featuring autographs from some of the most promising young talents in baseball. These cards come with varied serial numbers, adding to the uniqueness and collectibility of the set.
Overall, the 2023 Bowman Draft Baseball collection is a comprehensive and exciting lineup for collectors and fans of the sport. With a blend of MLB prospects, established stars, and the unique inclusion of Tom Brady, this collection offers a wide range of cards, parallels, and autographs. It is a highly anticipated release that will undoubtedly be a must-have for baseball card enthusiasts.
