Francisco Lindor Rookie Cards and Key Prospect Guide
After pushing to the top of the 2015 MLB rookie class, Francisco Lindor has also put his name in the ring as one of the best shortstops in the league. His increasing hobby profile has made for considerable interest in Francisco Lindor rookie and prospect cards.
Drafted by the Cleveland Indians with the eighth overall pick in the 2011 MLB Draft, Francisco Lindor was the team's top prospect by 2013 and got the call-up in June of 2015. A slow start gave way to an impressive second-half stretch that placed him among the best rookies in 2015. This also boosted demand for his key cardboard options and Lindor is now regarded as one of the top overall MLB players. A 2021 trade sent him to the New York Mets.
Collectors can find the earliest Francisco Lindor cards in the 2009 USA Baseball product from Upper Deck. His first minor league prospect cards came in 2011 and his official rookie cards were issued in late-season 2015 baseball products. Lindor was also announced as the Mystery Redemption signer in 2015 Tribute.
See the most popular Francisco Lindor card auctions on eBay.
Those looking for Francisco Lindor signed memorabilia should know he inked a multi-year exclusive with Topps Authentics in 2016, so that is the best place to check.
A full guide to Francisco Lindor's rookie cards can be seen below. Key prospect options are listed after the rookie cards.
Francisco Lindor Rookie Card Checklist
Click on the images or listings to shop for cards on eBay. Specific set profiles are linked.
2015 Bowman Chrome Francisco Lindor RC #89
Although the brand is more associated with prospects, 2015 Bowman Chrome offers a solid rookie for Lindor and quite a few colorful parallels. Adding more valuable options, there is a signed version that features a different image.
2015 Bowman's Best Francisco Lindor RC #3
A blast from the hobby's recent past, 2015 Bowman's Best manipulates a rather simple image to offer a unique look. Basically a wilder version of Chrome, there are also several colorful parallels to track down along with an autograph.
2015 Immaculate Collection Francisco Lindor RC #118 Autograph Patch #/99
Depending on your collecting preference, the nice patch and low print run may be enough to overcome the sticker autograph and lack of logos. Regardless, the 2015 Immaculate rookie card for Francisco Lindor features a quality design and there are also some pretty impressive relic options in the product.
2015 National Treasures Francisco Lindor RC #179 Autograph Jersey #/99 (Redemption)
Like Immaculate, 2015 National Treasures is a viable rookie option for those who can overlook the airbrushed images. Although it was originally issued as a redemption, collectors can now find the on-card autograph and patch combo card.
2015 Topps Chrome Francisco Lindor RC #202 SP
Notable for several reasons, 2015 Topps Chrome not only offers the very first rookie card for Francisco Lindor, it is also a short print. While the exact odds are not known, the card is much rarer than the other rookie cards. Adding to that, there are only a few Refractor parallels and also a signed version.
2015 Topps Dynasty Francisco Lindor RC #AP-FL Autograph Patch #/10 (5 versions)
Part of the super-premium release from Topps, 2015 Dynasty is very limited and focused on quality. Lindor has five different base versions, each with a print run of 10 copies. The high-end cards feature an on-card signature alongside a decent patch. These are easily among his most expensive rookie cards.
2015 Topps Five Star Base Autograph Francisco Lindor RC #FSA-FL
Although it is not his first signed rookie card, 2015 Five Star is the earliest autographed rookie for Lindor to feature him in his MLB gear. The appealing design and Five Star brand power make this a popular option for many collectors.
2015 Topps Heritage '51 Collection Francisco Lindor RC #75
While some collectors may not prefer the retro-themed sets, 2015 Heritage '51 Collection looks way back into the history of Topps with the 1951 design. This Francisco Lindor rookie is found in the factory base set and there are also signed versions that include an on-card autograph and base print run of 250 copies.
2015 Topps Heritage High Number Francisco Lindor RC #717
Although the values are minimal, because he was not eligible for many of the early-season sets, the 2015 Topps Heritage High Number rookie card for Francisco Lindor will ultimately be one of his more common options.
In addition to the simple base card, collectors can also find an Action Image variation in a blue jersey, and a Color Swap variation that replaces the gray text background with black.
His hard-signed Real One Autographs card is also very popular.
2015 Topps High Tek Francisco Lindor RC #HT-FL
Looking to the more modern past, 2015 High Tek continues the tradition of base patterns. Francisco Lindor is part of the second group, so his base card features the Waves design. Like all the Group B subjects, his rookie can be found with Dots, Pipes, Chain Link, Diamonds and Grid backgrounds. There are also signed versions. Lastly, in addition to the base parallels, an exclusive Sky Rainbow parallel (#/79) is only found in Asian boxes.
2015 Topps Strata Francisco Lindor RC #SA-FL Autograph
A thick card stock and on-card autograph give the 2015 Strata rookie for Lindor plenty of hobby credibility. The lack of numbering keeps values down and makes it one of the best overall values for collectors.
2015 Topps Triple Threads Francisco Lindor RC #15
While it features the same image as his Heritage High Number card, the 2015 Topps Triple Threads Francisco Lindor rookie takes the design to another level. One small criticism is the fact that Topps neglected to include the RC logo.
2015 Topps Update Series Francisco Lindor RC #US-82
One of several late additions to the flagship product, this 2015 Topps Update Series base card is one of the most commonly found rookies of Francisco Lindor. There is also a Rookie Debut subset card for Lindor (#286).
Key Francisco Lindor Prospect Cards
2010 Bowman Chrome 18U USA Baseball Autographs Francisco Lindor #USA-FL
This card represents an instance where the first Bowman Chrome autograph is not the most popular prospect card for a player. Still an amateur at this point, the Francisco Lindor card in 2010 Bowman Chrome is part of the 18 and Under insert for USA Baseball.
2011 Bowman Chrome Draft Prospect Autographs Francisco Lindor BCAP-FL
Technically the second Bowman Chrome autograph for Francisco Lindor, this popular prospect card bests the 2010 edition based on the Indians uniform and on-card signature. This remains among the top overall cards for Francisco Lindor collectors. The highest values are reserved for the many Refractor parallels.
2011 Bowman Sterling Prospect Autographs Francisco Lindor #BSP-FL
A much cheaper option for prospect collectors, the 2011 Bowman Sterling autograph for Francisco Lindor features a sticker autograph and the familiar parallel formula. Still, it remains one of his most popular pre-rookie cards and also a decent value.
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