The 2023 Bowman Baseball card set is one of the most highly anticipated releases of the year for collectors looking to get their hands on the next wave of top MLB prospects and rookie cards. Bowman is famous for being the first brand to feature these up-and-coming stars in card form before they make their big league debuts. With the 2023 set hitting shelves in April, here is an in-depth look at some of the top names to watch for and what makes Bowman rookies so valuable to collectors.
One of the headliners in 2023 Bowman is shortstop Jackson Holliday, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles. Holliday is considered one of the best pure hitting prospects in recent memory and is likely to move quickly through the minors. His first Bowman cards are sure to be hot commodities as collectors look to acquire one of the sport’s future stars from the very beginning. Holliday is likely a lock to have prized autograph and memorabilia cards in the set’s high-end products.
Another name to watch is outfielder Druw Jones, who the Atlanta Braves selected second overall and is the son of five-time Gold Glove winner Andruw Jones. Scouts praise Druw’s five-tool abilities and believe he has the potential to be an all-around star player. His Bowman cards will be a target for collectors looking to invest in a potential future face of the Braves franchise. Like Holliday, Jones will surely have high-dollar autographed and memorabilia cards as one of the set’s premier prospects.
On the pitching side, right-hander Brock Porter is one of the most electrifying arms in the 2023 class after being drafted by the Colorado Rockies third overall. With a mid-to-upper 90s fastball and a swing-and-miss slider, Porter dominated high school competition before signing. He joins a long line of elite Rockies pitching prospects to debut in Bowman, and his cards will be hot sellers. Other prized hurlers to watch out for include Daniel Espino (Red Sox), Elijah Green (Royals), and Dylan Lesko (Diamondbacks).
In addition to the headliners, 2023 Bowman will feature over 300 prospects and minor leaguers. Sets from previous years that debuted players like Wander Franco, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Ronald Acuña Jr. in their rookie cards have become blockbuster investments. Savvy collectors will scour the set for lesser-known gems that could emerge as stars down the road. Players like Bo Bichette, Shane Baz, and Bobby Witt Jr. had relatively low print runs in their first Bowman issues but went on to become hugely valuable rookie cards.
For investors, one advantage of buying 2023 Bowman is getting cards from the next wave of talent at generally affordable prices before they debut in the majors. While stars like Holliday, Jones, and Porter will carry premium price tags, digging through the set offers a chance to acquire future $100+ rookie cards for just a few dollars. Patience will be key, as it can take years for some prospects to develop. But the upside is huge for anyone who identifies a breakout performer early.
Bowman also differs from mainstream Topps and Panini rookie cards in that it features players at younger ages from their teens to early 20s. This provides a glimpse at the raw potential and tools that drew teams to draft them. While injuries can intervene, cards from players’ first Bowman year carry historical significance as the starting point of their professional careers. Autographs and memorabilia from star prospects’ initial Bowman sets in particular command big money years later.
With Major League Baseball’s increased focus on promoting its minor leagues and top prospects, the 2023 Bowman release looks to capitalize with its best class in years. Social media has allowed a new generation of fans to follow prospects from their earliest days. This hype cycle will help drive interest and demand for the next wave of stars as they begin their journeys from Bowman rookie to household MLB names. Savvy collectors jumping in now can gain an early advantage owning these future greats at their starting lines.
