Bowman is one of the most highly anticipated baseball card releases each year. Produced by Topps, Bowman is seen as the premier rookie card issue and gives collectors their first cards featuring the top prospects in baseball. The 2022 Bowman set continues this tradition and contains cards of many players expected to make an impact in Major League Baseball for years to come.
One of the biggest storylines around the 2022 Bowman release was the abundance of star rookies and prospects to collect. Headlining the class was Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco, who had a phenomenal debut season in 2021. Franco’s cards were highly sought after by collectors and his rookie cards commanded big prices. Other top prospects like Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler, Kansas City Royals catcher MJ Melendez, and Chicago White Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet also made their rookie card debuts in 2022 Bowman.
In addition to starring rookies, Bowman sets also focus on younger prospects still making their way through the minor leagues. The 2022 release featured cards of players like Boston Red Sox shortstop Marcelo Mayer, Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Henry Davis, and Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman, all top picks from the 2021 MLB Draft. These players are considered future stars and their Bowman rookie cards are seen as valuable long-term holdings. Collectors love chasing cards of prospects before they debut in the majors.
A key aspect of Bowman that separates it from other baseball card issues is the inclusion of prospect autograph and memorabilia cards. These “hit” cards add excitement to the hobby as collectors try to pull the rookies of tomorrow with on-card autographs or swatches of worn game jerseys. Some of the biggest hits in 2022 Bowman included Wander Franco autographs, which carried hefty price tags. Other coveted autographed rookies were Julio Rodriguez of the Seattle Mariners and Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals.
The 2022 Bowman release also featured special parallels and insert sets focusing on top prospects. The Chrome set included colorful refractors and parallels that looked fantastic in person. Specialty inserts like Gold Ink featured prospects signed with gold markers. Bowman also introduced a new “Best of” set highlighting the top 60 prospects, which included prized autographs. Collectors enjoyed chasing all of these limited parallels and inserts throughout the release cycle.
In addition to the flagship Bowman set, Topps also produced a variety of high-end Bowman products. Bowman Draft had an early release focusing on draft picks. Bowman Sterling contained high-quality autographed and memorabilia cards. And Bowman’s Best highlighted the cream of the crop prospects. These exclusive releases allowed collectors to target specific players in luxurious formats. They also served as a barometer of which prospects were generating the most hobby buzz.
The 2022 release maintained Bowman’s reputation as the preeminent baseball card issue for prospect hounds. Strong rookie classes featuring future stars and an abundance of hits kept collectors engaged throughout the release cycle. While flagship rookies like Wander Franco took the spotlight initially, the true long-term value of Bowman lies in identifying prospects still developing in the minors. Collectors enjoyed chasing cards of the next generation of MLB talent in the 2022 Bowman release and beginning to build collections of players who may someday achieve stardom in “The Show.” The release highlighted baseball’s exciting future and continued the tradition of Bowman as the hobby’s premier prospect platform.
The 2022 Bowman baseball card set delivered another year of top prospects, prized rookie cards, and coveted autographs for collectors. Headlined by stars like Wander Franco and featuring younger talents like Marcelo Mayer and Henry Davis, the release gave hobbyists their first cards of the next wave of MLB players. Between the flagship Bowman issue and various high-end releases, the 2022 cycle had something for all types of collectors chasing tomorrow’s talents. Bowman remains the leading baseball card product for prospect hounds and its 2022 edition lived up to the standard with an abundance of young stars to collect.
