The 2019 Bowman Draft Chrome Baseball Cards are the flagship prospect cards released each year by Topps. As with previous years, the 2019 Draft Chrome set features photos and bios of many of the top drafted amateur players from that year’s June MLB Draft. While still prospects with an uncertain future, these highly drafted players come with huge upside that makes their rookie cards some of the most widely collected in the hobby.
The 2019 Draft took place from June 3-5 and consisted of 40 rounds. As always, the Detroit Tigers had the first overall selection and chose Arizona State first baseman/outfielder Spencer Torkelson. Other top picks included high school shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (Kansas City Royals, #2 overall), high school catcher Adley Rutschman (Baltimore Orioles, #1 overall), high school third baseman Brett Baty (New York Mets, #12 overall) and high school shortstop CJ Abrams (San Diego Padres, #6 overall). All of these players received major hype and seen as the cream of the 2019 Draft class with the highest chances of success at the MLB level.
Each year, Bowman Draft Chrome captures the early rookie card rights to these newly drafted players in shiny chrome parallels. The base set features 258 cards with multiple parallels and autograph/memorabilia inserts increasing the total checklist. Parallels include the standard Blue Refractors (#’d /249), Green Refractors (#’d /99), Atomic Refractors (#’d /75), Rainbow Foil (#’d /50), Atomic Refractors Cyan (#’d /25), Atomic Refractors Pink (#’d /10) and the ultra-rare Atomic Refractors Gold (#’d /5). Harder to find Red & Green /25 parallels as well as Gold #’d /10 variations exist.
In addition to the base cards, Bowman Draft Chrome inserts include highly sought after autographs and memorabilia cards pulled at extremely low odds. Some of the most coveted include RCs, which feature on-card autographs of the player’s wearing their official Draft Day hats. Other key inserts include dual autographs, triple autographs, patch autographs, bat knobs, and 1/1 printing plates. Perhaps the rarest and most iconic are the dual autographed patch cards, which feature two pieces of game-used jersey material signed by both players depicted on the card front.
Even as prospects, the 2019 Bowman Draft Chrome rookie cards of players like Torkelson, Witt Jr., Rutschman, Baty and Abrams commanded premium prices upon release. The flagship rookie cards and popular parallels of these top draft picks consistently fetch the highest values. For example, PSA 10 grades of their base rookie cards often sell in the $100-200 range on the secondary market while higher-end parallels like RCs and memorabilia cards are worth exponentially more depending on the player and specific parallel/insert.
The true test of a prospect’s card value comes after they start performing in the minor leagues and reach the majors themselves. A successful career obviously increases demand for their rookie cards dramatically. A good case study is 2018 first overall pick Casey Mize, whose Tigers Bowman Chrome rookie cards were $20-50 upon release but skyrocketed after his dominant seasons in the minors and MLB debut in 2020. PSA 10 versions of his base now routinely sell for $500-1000 while top parallels fetch over $5000.
With that example in mind, 2019 Draft picks Spencer Torkelson and Bobby Witt Jr. have seen their rookie card values surge in a big way over the past year. After strong showings in High-A and Double-A ball during 2021, PSA 10 grades of their base 2019 Bowman Chrome now trade hands closer to $300-500 on the open market. Atomic Refractors and Autograph versions have brought four figures already and still have ample room for growth should they continue developing as elite MLB talents.
Another reason the 2019 Bowman Draft Chrome values remain high is that this was the final set before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the sports card industry and caused printing delays for future Draft products. With no 2020 Draft edition produced, the 2019 set took on increased significance as the “last of its kind” for a period of time. The pandemic led to an explosion of new collectors getting involved over the last year, driving demand for sought-after rookie cards from recent Draft classes like 2019.
The 2019 Bowman Draft Chrome Baseball Cards represent an excellent sports card investment opportunity, particularly for the top picks. As these talented prospects rise through the minor leagues and make their MLB debuts, their rookie cards will follow suit by appreciating substantially in value. Sets like 2019 Bowman Draft Chrome capture their earliest pro cards in captivating chrome parallels at attainable release prices compared to what their cards can be worth long term. For collectors and investors, staying on top of the rising stars from each Draft class is key to identifying cards primed for price increases down the road.
