The Chattanooga Lookouts are gearing up for another season of Minor League Baseball in 2023 and to help commemorate the upcoming campaign, the team will be releasing a new set of baseball cards featuring the players and coaches that will make up this year’s roster. As with every season, the Lookouts cards provide an exciting way for fans to collect and learn about the next generation of stars that will be wearing the team’s colors as they continue their journey through the Cincinnati Reds farm system.
While rosters are still being finalized in spring training, early projections indicate the Lookouts 2023 card set will feature around 30 players. As a High-A affiliate, Chattanooga’s roster will be comprised of prospects that have had some success at the lower levels but still have room to develop certain aspects of their game before making the jump to Double-A. Fans can expect the bulk of the cards to feature position players between the ages of 20-23 with a sprinkling of pitchers that are a bit older as they refine their craft.
Some names to keep an eye out for in the upcoming set include infielders Elly De La Cruz and Jose Torres. De La Cruz, 21, is considered one of the top prospects in the entire Reds system after hitting .296 with 13 home runs between Low-A and High-A ball in 2022. Torres, also 21, had a breakout season last year slashing .281/.369/.460 in Low-A and should see his power numbers increase as he faces tougher competition in Chattanooga. On the mound, keep an eye out for cards of Ricardo Sanchez and Connor Phillips. The 22-year-old Sanchez has electric stuff and struck out 122 batters in 101 innings last season split between the same levels. Phillips, 23, has a deceptive delivery and could be ready to take the next step as a potential future reliever after posting a 2.53 ERA in 2022.
In addition to the players, the 2023 Lookouts cards will also include manager Jody Davis and pitching coach Tom Brown. Davis enters his second season at the helm in Chattanooga looking to build on the success the team found in 2022 when they qualified for the postseason. Brown, meanwhile, will play an integral role in helping the young hurlers on the roster refine their arsenals and mound presence. Collecting the manager and coach cards provides fans an opportunity to learn more about the leadership and development aspects of the Minor League system.
Panini America will once again produce the official Chattanooga Lookouts baseball card set after signing a multi-year deal with the franchise. The company has established itself as one of the top producers of Minor League cards in recent years through high-quality photography and attention to detail on each player’s stats and bio on the back of each card. This year’s set is expected to follow a similar design to previous Lookouts releases with players photographed in their home uniforms against a green screen backdrop. The front of each card will feature the team name and logo along with the player or coach’s picture and identifying information. On the reverse, stats from the previous season will be provided along with a short biography.
While official release details and pricing have yet to be announced, Lookouts card collectors can expect the 2023 set to be available for purchase in both retail hobby boxes and packs as well as online through the Panini website and auction sites like eBay in the coming months. Hobby boxes usually contain between 10-12 packs with 3-5 cards per pack and retail packs contain either 5 or 10 cards. In the past, Lookouts sets have retailed between $80-120 per hobby box with individual packs going for $10-15 depending on the outlet. This provides affordable options for both seasoned collectors and those just starting to build their Chattanooga collections.
For diehard Lookouts fans, the 2023 baseball cards will serve as the perfect way to commemorate the upcoming season. Being able to add future stars like De La Cruz and Torres to a collection as they begin their pro careers is part of what makes Minor League cards so intriguing. With solid production values from Panini and another promising roster of talent donning the team’s teal and gray uniforms, this year’s set is sure to be a big hit with both local and national card collectors. After a successful 2022 campaign, excitement is high for what the future may hold for these young Lookouts players. Their rookie cards will allow fans to stay connected to the team’s prospects even after they move up the ladder toward Cincinnati.
