The 2023 Bowman baseball release marks another exciting year for collectors chasing some of the top prospects in the game through Bowman’s various chase card inserts. While the base Bowman set remains the backbone for finding tomorrow’s stars, it’s these scarce parallel and autograph variations that really drive collector excitement. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the major chase cards collectors will be hunting for in the upcoming 2023 Bowman release.
Perhaps the most coveted insert in 2023 Bowman is the Chrome Refractors. Printed on shiny chrome cardboard, these parallel refractors can be found across the base set, prospects, and paper rookies at an extremely low print run. Past Chrome Refractor pulls have included names like Acuña Jr., Soto, Albies, and Tatis Jr., cementing them as must-have cards for team and player collectors. With the quality of prospects in this year’s class, any Chrome Refractor could take off in value with a strong few seasons in the majors. The rarity of Chrome Refractors makes them highly sought after on the secondary market.
Another exciting parallel insert is the Rainbow Foil paper rookies. These hyper-colorful rookies feature an eye-catching rainbow foil pattern on the front. Like the Chrome Refractors, the Rainbow Foil rookies are some of the scarcest paper cards in Bowman, making them an enticing chase. Collectors love the flashy design and hope to pull the Rainbow Foil of a future all-star. Past examples like the Wander Franco from 2020 have grown substantially in value as his career has taken off. The 2023 class has elite talents like Druw Jones and Jackson Holliday that could make their Rainbow Foil rookies extremely valuable long term.
When it comes to autographs, the biggest chase is always the prizm autographs. Printed on thick prizm cardstock and featuring a colorful full on-card autograph, these autograph parallels separate the best prospects from the pack. Past Bowman prizm auto pulls of Acuña Jr., Soto, Albies, Tatis Jr., and others are now worth thousands of dollars. With the caliber of this year’s draft class headlined by high school phenoms like Druw Jones, Jackson Holliday, and Elijah Green, their prizm autographs will be a true holy grail for collectors. Even second and third tier prospects can pop with a strong few seasons in pro ball, making prizm autos an enticing gamble.
Another highly sought after autograph insert is the Gold Ink autographs. Featuring the prospect’s name emblazoned in shiny gold ink, these parallel autographs really make the signature stand out on the card. Like the prizm autos, the rarity of Gold Ink autographs means they carry significant chase appeal. Collectors hope to pull the Gold Ink of a future all-star and have an iconic looking card in their collection for years to come. Past examples like the Gold Ink Wander Franco from 2020 that now sells for thousands showcases how these inserts can really pay off long term for savvy collectors.
For team collectors, one of the most exciting inserts is always the Franchise Futures autographs. Highlighting each club’s top prospect, these on-card autographs allow fans to root for and collect their favorite organization’s future star. Past Franchise Futures pulls like the Acuña Jr. Braves card from 2017 immediately took off in value as he emerged. This year’s class includes potential Franchise Futures stars like Druw Jones for the Diamondbacks, Termarr Johnson for the Red Sox, and Elijah Green for the Royals. Pulling the Franchise Futures auto of a prospect who pans out is a dream come true for dedicated team collectors.
Of course, for the truly ambitious, one of the biggest chases is always the 1/1 parallel autos and patches. Incredibly rare one-of-one versions of the major autograph inserts, these ultra-premium cards separate the hobby’s biggest whales from the rest. Past examples like the 1/1 Wander Franco Gold Ink auto or Acuña Jr. Patch auto from 2017 are now worth tens of thousands. While the odds of pulling a 1/1 parallel are infinitesimal, it’s what keeps collectors ripping pack after pack of Bowman in hopes of the ultimate hit. Even second and third tier prospects can spike in value with a strong career, making 1/1s a true jackpot for savvy collectors.
While the base Bowman set remains the most fun way to potentially find tomorrow’s MLB stars, it’s these scarce parallel and autograph chase cards that really drive collector excitement for the upcoming 2023 release. With another stellar draft class headlined by names like Druw Jones, Jackson Holliday, and Elijah Green, collectors will be hunting high and low for their prized refractors, rainbow foils, prizm autos, and 1/1 parallels. For those who pull the right prospect at the right time, these inserts can gain incredible value as players emerge in the big leagues. The 2023 Bowman release shapes up to be another exciting year in the never-ending hobby chase.
