Adam Loewen is a former professional baseball player who played primarily as a pitcher in Major League Baseball from 2003 to 2011. While his MLB career was relatively short and unremarkable statistically, Loewen has achieved some notoriety in the baseball card collecting world due to the hype surrounding him as a prospect and the rarity of some of his early cards. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the key Adam Loewen baseball cards that collectors seek.
Loewen was drafted 4th overall by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2002 MLB draft out of Griffith High School in Ontario, Canada. As a highly touted pitching prospect with a mid-90s fastball and plus slider, Loewen received significant attention from card manufacturers even before making his professional debut. One of the earliest Loewen cards is the 2002 Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects card. This refractory (#BDPP-AL) shows Loewen in an Orioles uniform holding a baseball. Despite being a fairly common insert in packs, the Loewen has maintained strong value at around $10-15 in near mint condition.
Loewen got his first taste of pro ball in 2003, pitching 12 innings for the Aberdeen Ironbirds of the NY-Penn League. His pro debut made him eligible for inclusion in several 2003 sets. The most iconic of these early pro cards is the 2003 Bowman Chrome Draft Picks card (#BCP99). Featuring a colorful chrome design and on-card autograph, these Draft Picks autos became highly coveted. In gem mint 10 condition, ungraded Loewen autos have sold for over $100 due to the player’s prospect status and the rarity of the parallel.
After another season in the minors, Loewen made his MLB debut with Baltimore in 2005. Card companies were eager to showcase the debut of this blue-chip pitching prospect. Loewen’s rookie cards include the 2005 Bowman (#373), 2005 Topps (#679), and 2005 Topps Total (#T249). The Topps cards can be found for $5-10, but the Loewen Bowman rookie holds greater nostalgia and value at $15-25. Loewen also appeared in multi-player rookie sets like 2005 Topps Rookie Crusade (#RC75).
Injuries began derailing Loewen’s career in 2006. Elbow problems limited him to just 5 MLB games that year and required Tommy John surgery. The 2006 Topps Update and Total Update sets acknowledged Loewen’s injury with shortprint cards showing him on the disabled list. These DL variation cards #U-AL32 and #TUP-AL32 command $20-30 due to their storytelling element and rarity relative to the base rookies. Loewen spent 2007 rehabbing before returning to MLB action in 2008 with Baltimore and Kansas City.
Loewen’s career transition from pitcher to position player started in 2009 when he signed with the independent York Revolution. His appearances for York yielded cards in 2009 Epoch Independent League (#EIL-AL) and 2009 Topps T206 (#T206-AL) sets. In 2010, Loewen fully committed to playing the outfield and signed a minor league deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. Highlights of his cards as an outfielder include 2010 Bowman Prospects (#BP99), 2010 Topps Pro Debut (#PD99), and 2011 Topps Update (#U-AL99) showing his position change.
After retiring from baseball in 2013, Loewen has remained a curiosity for collectors due to his unique career arc. Parallel and autographed versions of his cards continue to attract attention. For example, Loewen’s 2003 Bowman Chrome Draft Picks autograph recently sold for over $400 in a PSA 10 slab. While not a true “star,” Loewen’s prospect pedigree and transformation make his baseball cards an interesting microcosm of a changed trajectory in professional sports. For the right Loewen collector, his cards serve as a reminder of the unpredictability of a prospect’s path and success.