The 2023 Bowman Draft Baseball collection is set to be released in mid-December and is a must-have for enthusiasts of both MLB draft picks and rising stars. This year’s collection is even more exciting with the inclusion of Tom Brady, the legendary NFL figure, featured as an insert and autograph card. Brady, who was drafted by the Montreal Expos in 1995, is celebrated in the collection as a “Dream Draft Pick,” adding a unique twist to the set.
The collection follows the successful releases of 2023 Bowman Baseball and Bowman Chrome. It features notable prospects like Wyatt Langford, Paul Skenes, and Ethan Salas, making it an exciting addition for collectors. 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 ten players. It also includes short-printed RetroFractor cards of Hall of Famers Josh Gibson and Carl Yastrzemski, with Yastrzemski also having an autographed version.
One of the highlights of the collection is the variety of parallels available in both paper and chrome formats. This includes new Aqua/Pink and Red/Green Gradient Borders, as well as hobby box exclusive Orange Borders. The chrome cards introduce several new refractors such as Lunar Glow and Fuchsia Lunar, adding depth and excitement to the set.
The inserts in this year’s collection pay homage to the 1954 Bowman baseball design with the Bowman 1954 Flag Variation, showcasing 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.
The inclusion of Tom Brady’s Dream Draft Picks card raises the intriguing “What if?” question, with various limited Refractor parallels to collect. 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, and 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, offering collectors a comprehensive and exciting set to collect.
In addition to the aforementioned features, collectors have the opportunity to find unique and rare autographs. The Class of 2023 Autographs section highlights the most prominent MLB draft picks of the year, featuring new Green Refractor parallels. These, along with Gold, Red, and SuperFractor parallels, provide a range of options for collectors.
Tom Brady’s inclusion in the set as a “Dream Draft Pick” is particularly noteworthy, with limited Gold Refractor parallels of just 50 cards. Other Refractor parallels of Brady’s card include Orange, Red, and the extremely rare SuperFractor, making them highly sought-after collectibles for fans of both football and baseball.
The set also features Base Set Gold Retrofractor Autographs, which are limited to just 50 cards and follow the same parallel configuration as the Brady autographs. These autographs provide an additional layer of rarity and value to the collection.
Furthermore, the Draft Glass Autographs, numbered to 99, add another exclusive aspect to the set. These autographs come with Lava, Gold Mini-Diamond, hobby-exclusive Orange, Red, and SuperFractor parallels, giving collectors a wide range of options to collect.
For those seeking even more unique items, the Image Variation Autograph parallel cards, numbered to 99, provide a different visual take on some of the players included in the set. These cards add an element of surprise and diversity to the collection.
The autographed booklets in this year’s set are particularly special, with limited editions that collectors will covet. The “Positioned for Excellence” booklet, limited to just 10 copies, and the “Picked for Excellence” Autographed booklet, limited to just 5 copies, are exceptionally rare and highly sought-after. 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, featuring varied serial numbers and offering autographs from some of the most promising young talents in baseball.
Overall, the 2023 Bowman Draft Baseball set is a comprehensive and exciting collection that appeals to collectors and fans of the sport. With a mix of MLB draft picks, rising stars, and the inclusion of a football legend like Tom Brady, this collection offers a variety of cards, parallels, and autographs that will make it a highly anticipated release.
