The 2015 Bowman Baseball Chrome Prospect Autographs checklist is a big 50 cards. For the most part, it's a lot of international free agents. That said, some MLB draft picks have been sprinkled in as well.
As far as draft picks go, the top name is Carlos Rodon. Regarded as one of the game's top pitching prospects, this is his first autograph card wearing a MLB uniform. The White Sox took him with the third pick in the 2014 draft.
The set has a couple of other first round picks from the 2014 draft, Kyle Schwarber and Touki Toussaint. Although one of the biggest prospects in the hobby right now, Schwarber had autographs in 2014 Bowman Draft and 2014 Bowman Sterling and several Leaf and Panini products. Toussaint has autograph cards dating back to 2011 but those were from his time with the USA Baseball program.
Adrian Rondon, one of the top international prospects, appears on his first MLB autograph card. The shortstop signed with Tampa Bay last summer at the age of 16. Rondon has an autograph redemption in 2014 Panini Elite Extra Edition as well.
2015 Bowman Baseball hobby boxes have one autograph while jumbo boxes have three.
Besides the basic version, 2015 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs come with the customary rainbow of Refractor parallels. Some of the most coveted cards in the hobby, one-of-one Superfractors are the top draw.
Based early observations, if Schwarber, Tyler Kolek and Nick Gordon have base versions of their autographs, they appear to be short prints. However, all three have previous Chrome autographs in 2014 Bowman Draft.
E-Mail Author | Ryan is a former member of The Cardboard Connection Writing Staff.
His collecting origins began with winter bike rides to the corner store, tossing a couple of quarters onto the counter and peddling home with a couple packs of O-Pee-Chee hockey in his pocket. Today, he continues to build sets, go after inserts with cool technologies, chase Montreal Expos and finish off his John Jaha master collection.
I’m trying to find the rationale in putting some of these players on cards let alone give them a 1st Bowman auto. There are many players in the Minor Leagues and putting a 30th rounder from the ’13 draft who is as normal a player can be is not someone I want a card of. Look at the yrs. drafted and even some who weren’t even drafted who are on this list. They put out such a nice set every year but always have to do this with their checklists in all the Bowman releases. The Bowman Baseball release isn’t so bad with the cost of the product. But platinum and Sterling are a different story when you get “nobodies”. This is where they can get collectors to be part of the process and put out a list which collectors can choose the players to put in the 3 Bowman releases every year.
^ not sure if you’re not familiar with the international signing process or I’ve missed the “undrafted” players (which is completely possible) but players currently residing in any country not the U.S. or it’s territories and Canada are not eligible for the first year player draft. They’re technically “free agents” with certain restrictions on what teams can spend on their signing bonuses before being penalized.
Bennett Scott | Apr 30, 2015 | Reply
I’m trying to find the rationale in putting some of these players on cards let alone give them a 1st Bowman auto. There are many players in the Minor Leagues and putting a 30th rounder from the ’13 draft who is as normal a player can be is not someone I want a card of. Look at the yrs. drafted and even some who weren’t even drafted who are on this list. They put out such a nice set every year but always have to do this with their checklists in all the Bowman releases. The Bowman Baseball release isn’t so bad with the cost of the product. But platinum and Sterling are a different story when you get “nobodies”. This is where they can get collectors to be part of the process and put out a list which collectors can choose the players to put in the 3 Bowman releases every year.
Alex | Aug 6, 2015 | Reply
^ not sure if you’re not familiar with the international signing process or I’ve missed the “undrafted” players (which is completely possible) but players currently residing in any country not the U.S. or it’s territories and Canada are not eligible for the first year player draft. They’re technically “free agents” with certain restrictions on what teams can spend on their signing bonuses before being penalized.