The 2020 Bowman baseball set was highly anticipated by card collectors as it featured top prospects and rising stars in baseball alongside established major leaguers. This set marked the 70th anniversary of Topps’ iconic Bowman brand which is known for highlighting amateur draft picks and minor leaguers climbing the ranks. With hundreds of rookie cards and autographs up for grabs, 2020 Bowman offered collectors a exciting opportunity to purchase packs in search of the next big stars before they made their MLB debuts or broke out in the majors.
Some of the notable rookies featured in the 2020 Bowman set included Wander Franco, the top international prospect who many consider a future superstar. Franco’s autos and prospect cards were highly coveted pieces. Other notable rookie talents included Baz Bryant, Emerson Hancock, Garrett Crochet, Austin Martin, Nick Gonzales and Jordan Walker. All were top college or high school picks from the 2019 draft class that scouts raved about. Vidal Brujan, Deivi Garcia and Gavin Lux also had rookie cards as recent hype prospects rising fast through the minors.
In addition to prospects, the 2020 Bowman set also featured veteran MLB stars like Ronald Acuña Jr, Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Fernando Tatis Jr, Pete Alonso and others who had become household names just a couple seasons into their careers. Acuna’s 2018 Bowman Chrome auto refractor had become one of the most valuable modern rookie cards and collector hoped 2020 Bowman would produce the next multi-million dollar star card. Veterans like Mike Trout, Christian Yelich and Mookie Betts also had base cards to chase.
The 2020 Bowman set had several different retail and hobby box products available. The main set included the standard Bowman baseball cards found in packs sold at major retail outlets. Hobby boxes offered an enhanced experience with specialized parallels, autographed cards, and prospects numbered to much lower quantities. Some of the higher-end box options collectors pursued included:
BowmanChrome Baseball Hobby Box: Considered the flagship product, these boxes had a chance at hitting short printed Chrome prospect parallels and autographs.
Bowman’s Best Baseball Hobby Box: An upscale option focused on top prospects and flashy parallels of the biggest stars. Autographs were also possible pulls.
Bowman Draft Hobby Box: Highlighted draft picks and had serially numbered rookie autographs as main chase cards.
Bowman Sterling Baseball Hobby Box: An ultra-high-end product with top prospects on rare refractors, colors, and serially numbered gems.
While retail boxes offered base rookies and veterans, the hobby boxes provided the outlet to truly chase the rarest 2020 Bowman rookie stars. Autographs were the true big ticket items but even parallels and special prospects holds could gain value over time. Similar to past years, savvy collectors anticipated certain 2020 Bowman rookies like Wander Franco would become sought after long-term investments if those players panned out.
The release of 2020 Bowman encountered some challenges due to the coronavirus pandemic that caused delays and issues for Topps. Some boxes were harder to find on shelves and secondary resellers during the peak hype summer release period. The robust collector demand still drove interest in ripping packs online and at local card shops once product circulation ramped up. It was another highly anticipated edition of Bowman that baseball card fans looked forward to each year for a first glimpse at the next wave of future talents. With a mix of prospects and stars, 2020 Bowman showcased the bright future ahead for baseball while also honoring the rich history of Topps’ role in the card collecting hobby. Whether collecting for enjoyment or investment, the set gave many enthusiasts a thrill of the hunt for the next potential superstar rookie card.
