Category Archives: prospecting

“It Sold for WHAT?!?” – Six Ronald Acuna Cards That You’ll Never Be Able to Find at These Prices!

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Over the course of our 12 plus year existence, we’ve seen A LOT of cards. In many cases, we first saw a superstar’s cards long before they became a household name. As a result, this lends itself to some pretty hilarious completed sales in our historical sales history. Whether these buyers are cardboard Nostradamus’s, or simply happened to pick up a card before it’s value skyrocketed into oblivion, one thing is for sure: they got a crazy good deal!

In our previous installments we’ve shown you Mike Trout Trading Cards that now the grace the nose-bleed section of the high-end of our hobby, Giannis Antetokounmpo rookie cards that sold for just a fraction of their present day value, and Christian Yelich cards that sold for prices that would make you as sad as Miami Marlins fan.

We’ve scoured our sales data and are ready to unleash our next wave of cards that make for some pretty good laughs. We don’t need to talk up the greatness of Ronald Acuna Jr. If you’ve been following baseball at all, you know that the 21 year old is on a meteoric rise to super stardom. At this point the only question is whether or not his rookie cards will reach Trout-esque levels in the next 2-3 years!

Let’s get right into how silly the trading card industry can be with just a little bit of hindsight:

2017 Bowman – Chrome Prospects – Gold Shimmer Refractor #BCP127

A great debate in our hobby will always rage about non-original Bowman Chrome parallels. Whether you like ‘Shimmers’ or hate them, we can all agree that for $145 this Gold Shimmer numbered to 50 copies of Acuna’s first Bowman Chrome would be an absolute steal present day. BGS 9.5 copies of this card have sold for around $500, and that’s before the huge September bump the Acuna market saw.

2017 Bowman – Chrome Prospect Autographs #CPA-RA

Were you one of the five lucky collectors who were able to snag this card for under $160 on the COMC Marketplace? How about the collector who bought the very first one to hit our marketplace for $53.07? It’s very likely that we’ll never see a $50 Ronald Acuna Jr. autograph of any kind on the COMC Marketplace in a very long time, if ever again. BGS 9.5 copies of this base auto are now selling for around $1500. While they still have a long way to go to reach the levels of Mike Trout’s 1st Bowman Auto, they’re still up 10x from the last copy to sell on the COMC Marketplace!

2017 Bowman – Chrome Prospect Autographs – Blue Refractor /150

Oh, you thought we were done with Acuna’s 1st Bowman Autos? Not yet! Had you been able to predict the future, and had $500.99 to spend on COMC on 7-7-2017, you could have been the lucky (notice all of those 7’s!) owner of this beautiful tried-and-true blue gem! This card recently fetched nearly $11,000 earlier this month at auction. We can’t imagine where this card will be if Acuna and the young Atlanta Braves team is able to bring a championship back to Georgia.

2018 Panini Flawless – Rookie Dual Patch Autographs #RDP-22

Similar to the argument about non-traditional Bowman Chrome parallels, another argument in the hobby rages on about unlicensed cards. With Topps having an exclusivity agreement with the MLB, Panini and other manufacturers are relegated to creating cards that do not infringe on MLB copyrights such as team logos. Even without the logos, Acuna’s Panini cards are still trending upwards, with this encased Flawless auto numbered to 25 being sold for nearly double what the COMC buyer originally paid for it just three months ago.

2018 Topps #698.2 – Back Behind Back Variation

Without question this is one of the hottest trading cards on the planet today, and probably will be for a very long time. With Acuna posed in a follow through swing, and it being an extremely tough pull out of a Topps Series 2 product, it has all the makings of an iconic trading card. While the card is a short print, we have seen significant volume of the card bought and sold, with over 50 total copies changing hands. One thing is for sure, nobody is acquiring this card for under $50 anymore, and the two lucky individuals who were able to get their hands on one for under $25.00 certainly have a story to tell around the hobby!

2018 Topps Update #US250.3 – SSP White Jersey Variation

As rare as the 2018 Topps Series 2 Bat Behind Back SP Variation is, there is an even more elusive Acuna Jr. rookie card – the super short printed white jersey variation from 2018 Update! This is a card that is rarely seen in the wild that most collectors aren’t even aware it exists! The card has already found it’s home in the high-end section of the hobby, where raw copies have recently sold at auction for nearly $2,000! Not a bad come-up for the two COMC buyers who were able to snap this card up for 1/3rd of that price just three months ago!

Now we want to hear from you! What Ronald Acuna Jr. trading cards did you not hold onto just quite long enough? Do you have a stash worth the equivalent of a new sports car that you’re hoping will one day be worth a new house or boat? Share your best investment and #collectfail stories with us!

10 Baseball Rookies to Watch in 2019

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Who doesn’t love rookie speculation? With the start of a new MLB season comes a fresh new crop of rookies who’s potential will spark the imagination of millions of fans. Who will walk away with Rookie of the Year honors? Who will make an immediate impact with their team? Will they be remembered among the greats of the game? Will they jump out of the gate at an unprecedented trajectory that looks to rival the record books?

Cody Bellinger and Aaron Judge put on a spectacle in 2017, crushing nearly every pitch that came there in way. Shohei Ohtani, Ronald Acuna, and Juan Soto carried the rookie torch in 2018, dazzling baseball fans with raw talent that infused much needed youth and excitement to their respective teams. Now we turn to 2019, where the next wave of call ups will have to fill some very big shoes. Without further ado, here is our list of 10 prospects that we believe can live up to that hype and then some!

1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (3b, Toronto Blue Jays) – The number one prospect in all of baseball is expected to make his debut in Toronto in 2019. The son of a Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero (who knew a thing or two about hitting himself), Vlad Jr. has been revered as a generational talent, capable of winning MVP awards as a premier MLB hitter for years to come. He hit .381 in the minors in 2018 split between AA and AAA ball. When he arrives in the majors he will be 20 years old, and is expected to lead a youth movement in a city that is eager to compete with the titans of the AL East.

Three Cards to Consider Owning:

 

2. Eloy Jimenez (OF, Chicago White Sox) – By utilizing his tall 6’4″ frame, Jimenez generates incredible power and bat speed through the zone, drawing comparisons to the likes of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton from a power perspective. This 22 year old also hits for huge average, hitting well north of .300 in the minor league level. The White Sox may have missed out on the Bryce Harper sweepstakes, but they have a superstar waiting in the wings in Jimenez.

Three Cards to Consider Owning:

 

3. Fernando Tatis Jr. (SS, San Diego Padres) – While all eyes might be on San Diego’s newest Megastar Manny Machado, who inked a 10-year $300 million dollar deal with the club last month, Tatis should also be arriving to the team in 2019. Tatis is a player more than capable of posting a 20-20 stat line while hitting for high average.He’s touted as above-average in the field, bringing a blend of speed and athleticism to his game. With the revival of competitive baseball in San Diego, Tatis Jr. will not fly under the radar on a team that is expected to contend for a playoff spot in 2019 and beyond.

Three Cards to Consider Owning:

 

4. Kyle Tucker (OF, Houston Astros) – Even though Tucker struggled mightily during his ‘cup of coffee’ with the Astros in 2018, failing to impress in his 72 plate appearances, the Astros have high hopes for this 2015 first round draft pick. Praised for his hand-eye coordination and strong plate discipline, it’s only a matter of time before Tucker puts it all together at the major league level. Kyle has the luxury of playing for a World Series contender, which has allowed him more time to develop in the minors before cracking the big league starting lineup. The Astros expect Tucker to bring that progression to the major league level at 2019, and he should fit in nicely to an already stacked batting order once he gets acquainted to major league pitching.

Three Cards to Consider Owning:

 

5. Austin Riley (3b, Atlanta Braves) – The hot corner in Atlanta belongs to Austin Riley once the time is right, and it appears that time will be 2019. His raw power combined with an above average arm and athleticism makes him a dual threat at the plate and in the field. Riley is not afraid to strike out at the plate, as his contact rate could use some work. With a little refinement, he should slot in nicely to an already power-packed Braves lineup. With so much protection around him, Riley could find himself in contention to deliver the same Rookie of the Year crown that Ronald Acuna Jr. brought to Atlanta in 2018.

Three Cards to Consider Owning:

 

6. Victor Robles (OF, Washington Nationals) – Suffering an injury that took him down for much last season, this rare five-tool talent is expected to return to form in 2019. All was not lost for the Nats however, as Robles injury opened the door for the emergence of Juan Soto. Robles is expected to be the rookie to watch in Washington in 2019, possessing a blend of power, speed, and athleticism that make him a dynamic player. He should have no trouble getting on base often, and keeping opposing hitters off the base pace with his defense in center field.

Three Cards to Consider Owning:

 

7. Nick Senzel (3b/2b/OF,  Cincinatti Reds) – Drafted second overall in the 2016 draft, Senzel should help boost the Reds infield in 2019. While the team will appreciate his versatility in the field, fans will love Senzel for his pure hitting ability, as he is a contact hitter who doesn’t strike out often and earns plenty of walks as well. The Reds have a good track record of developing similar players (see: Scooter Gennett), and with the Reds adding Sonny Gray and Yasiel Puig in the off season, Senzel could be the missing piece to help spark a wild card push in Cincinnati.

Three Cards to Consider Owning:

 

8. Brendan Rodgers (infield, Colorado Rockies) – Great bat speed? Check. Mammoth home run power? Check. Playing all his home games in Coors Field? Check! All signs point to Rodgers being a shot in the arm to the Rockies offense in 2019, joining the likes of Nolan Arenado, Trevor Story, and Charlie Blackmon with his 30+ home run per season potential. Rodgers has improved his K:BB ratio over his minor league career, and is touted as an above average defender capable of playing multiple infield positions. He could be a late season call-up depending on how competitive (or lack there of) the Rockies are in 2019.

Three Cards to Consider Owning:

 

9. Forrest Whitley (SP, Houston Astros) – The second Astro featured on our list, Whitley’s arrival at the major league level will bring much needed depth to a thin pitching rotation. Beyond Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole, the ‘Stros will need to find consistency, and could turn to Whitley early in the season. He posted a ridiculous 143 strike outs over 92 innings in 2017, but found his 2018 season shortened due to a drug violation suspension. Although his command could use a bit more work, he has multiple plus pitches, including a 12-6 curve and slider with late movement to compliment a 98 MPH fastball.

Three Cards to Consider Owning:

 

10. Peter Alonso (1b, New York Mets) –  A power hitting first basemen who will play his rookie season in New York. That should be all the convincing that you need that Alonso could be the real deal. The Mets top prospect mashed 36 minor league long balls in 2018, while hitting .285 and drawing nearly triple the amount of walks he did the previous season. As long as he can improve and show consistency at the plate, he will be given a pass for his below average speed and average at best defense. At 6’3″ and 245 lbs, this 24 year old should be the talk of the town if he can live up to the hype.

Three Cards to Consider Owning:

 

**Bonus** : Justus Sheffield (SP, Seattle Mariners) – A little home town bias before we wrap up, shall we? The Mariners acquired Sheffield as part of the deal that sent ace James Paxton to New York. The M’s believe they have their ace of the future in ‘Shef. He posted a 2.48 era over 116 innings between AA and AAA in 2018, while striking out 123 batters. With a wipe out slider and above average sinking fastball, Sheffield will play a pivotal role in the youth movement in Seattle and will find himself in the starting rotation in 2019 and beyond.

Three Cards to Consider Owning:

What do you think of our list? Did we snub someone who you’ve got your eye on? Let us know in the comments below who you think will be a rookie force to be reckoned with in 2019!

20 Rookies to Watch in 2018-19 Panini Prizm Basketball

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Arguably the most anticipated basketball release of each calendar year over the last several years has been Panini Prizm Basketball. Panini’s stranglehold over the NBA trading card landscape over the last ten years thanks to an exclusive agreement with the NBA has resulted in the disappearance of once established key rookie sets like the Topps Chrome Refractor and Ultimate Collection Rookie Materials Autographs. In their place rose the new heirs to the throne such as the National Treasures Rookie Patch Auto and the Panini Prizm Silver Prizm.

Silver Prizms and their respective lower numbered parallels are the beck and call of NBA basketball collectors and speculators. We’ve seen meteoric rises of Silver Prizms of some of the game’s newest established stars in recent years. Jayson Tatum silvers were all the rage in 2017-18, while Ben Simmons set new heights in 2016-17. Kristaps Porzingis won collector’s hearts in 2015-16 Prizm, while others waited on Joel Embiid in 2014-15 Prizm. While Giannis Antetokounmpo proved everyone wrong when his 2013-14 Prizm skyrocketed, we can’t forget that the 2012-13 inaugural Prizm set featured a strong crop of rookies including Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard, and Kyrie Irving among others.

So now here we are in 2019 and the 2018-19 Panini Prizm market is truly starting to take form. There’s no doubt you’ve probably heard the names of the top rookies all making waves in the NBA this season. But what about the rest? That’s why we’ve got you covered with our list of 20 rookies to watch in 2018-19 Panini Prizm Basketball

Head of the Class

 

  1. Luka Doncic – Doncic established himself internationally before making the leap to the NBA and has not disappointed. Averaging nearly 20 points a game this season, his meteoric rise can be attributed not only to his stellar on-court performance, but also his charisma and personality. He has all the makings of an NBA Superstar and is easily the Rookie of the Year up to this point.
  2. Deandre Ayton –  The first overall pick of the 2018 NBA Draft has lived up to the hype, with the big man posting over 16 points and 10 rebounds per game. The Phoenix Suns might be having a rough go at it this season, but a strong young core will eventually tip the scales the other direction.
  3. Trae Young –  The Atlanta Hawks Point Guard came out of the gate strong before cooling down, but still owns an impressive 15+ points and seven assists per game stat line.
  4. Kevin Knox – Thrust into the scrutiny of the Madison Square Garden faithful, Knox has delivered, posting over 12 points per game with a 35% 3-point percentage. A big market only means big potential for the 19 year old.
  5. Jaren Jackson Jr. – The fourth overall pick rose his stock tremendously with a 36 point performance back in November, and has elevated his game ever since.
  6. Marvin Bagley III – Prior to sustaining an injury, we loved the direction the Kings PF was headed in. That brief scope of work was enough to nudge him ahead of our #7

Rounding out the Top 12…

 

7. Michael Porter Jr. – Speculation is building on Porter, who missed the majority of the 2017-18 season at Missouri and has yet to play in an NBA game. With no timetable for his return, the five star recruit out of high school doesn’t have the stat lines to back it up, but that hasn’t stopped his Silver Prizm from reaching the $50+ mark.
8. Collin Sexton – Sexton suffers the misfortune of playing for a post-Lebron Cleveland Cavaliers team, but he has performed impressively so far, posting almost 15 points per game.
9. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – The Canadian Point Guard from ‘The 6’ has wasted no time getting acclimated to the west coast. Strong defense and the ability to score earns him a well deserved spot in our top 10.
10. Rodions Kurucs – The Latvian small forward has come on strong as of late, and has played well in limited time this season. He’s posted 24 points twice this season, earning him recognition among collectors and speculators.
11. Lonnie Walker IV – Suffering a torn meniscus in preseason was a setback, but the Spurs love what they see in the shooting guard from the University of Miami. Recently posted a 34 point performance in G-League action.
12. Mo Bamba – The Orlando Magic big man has posted decent numbers in his rookie campaign, logging 1.4 blocks per game so far. It also doesn’t hurt that a friendship with a popular rapper has resulted in off-court attention for Mo.

Don’t Sleep on These Guys..

 

13. Wendell Carter Jr. – Carter has shown flashes of brilliance mixed with inconsistency under center for the Chicago Bulls. Still, a 28 point performance is noteworthy enough to find his way into our favorite sleeper pick.
14. Miles Bridges – The 12th overall pick of the draft finds his way into #14 on our list as a strong sleeper pick. The versatile small forward has all the athleticism to either erupt into a play maker or carve our a niche as a solid role player.
15. Allonzo Trier – The Knicks shooting guard has garnered attention coming off of the bench, warranting play time as the Knicks look to get young. Suffered a small set back with a hamstring injury a few weeks back.
15.  Robert Williams III – Drew attention with two blocks on Anthony Davis in a game back in December.  Strong flashes of defense and playing for a large market earns him considerations for our list.
17. Mikal Bridges – Playing along side Deandre Ayton, the small forward from Villanova has performed commendably, posting nearly eight points per game.
18. Anfernee Simons – He has displayed phenomenal talent at the preps, and has the athleticism to boot, but has yet do anything of importance at the NBA level during his rookie campaign. Still, we have the optimism and Pacific Northwest bias to land Simons a spot on this list.
19. Kostas Antetokounmpo – The last name alone is going to draw him attention and speculation. The younger brother of Giannis was the 60th overall pick of the 2018 draft by the Philadelphia 76ers and then traded to the Dallas Mavericks. Let’s be honest, we all know what Giannis did, emerging from the ashes of mediocre stat lines to become a mega star.
20. Josh Okogie – Quickly becoming a T’Wolves fan favorite, Okogie has split time between starting and coming off the bench. We like the shooting guard’s potential.

One of the things we enjoy about these lists involving sleepers is that no one seems to want to tell us if they disagree for the sake of not drawing attention to the prospect they’re stashing! There are 53 rookies total in the 2018-19 Prizm base set, meaning 33 did not make the cut here. Who else deserves consideration? Let us know in the comments below!

Sets Revisited: 2007 Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects (baseball)

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By James Good

Although I consider myself a lifelong collector, there was about a five or six year stretch through my teenage and early adult years where my trading card collection remained largely dormant.  The 2007 Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects set is near and dear to my heart because it was the first product that pulled me back into the hobby as an adult a little over ten years ago. That makes it a perfect candidate for this installment of Sets Revisited.

As close as a 90’s kid would ever get to the real thing!

As a 90’s kid in the hobby, I bought and traded cards not only because it was AWESOME to have a superior collection than my friends, but also because I was led to believe that one day I would be sitting on a goldmine of cardboard. Shout out to all the fellow 90’s collectors with hundreds of pounds of junk wax era cards who felt the same way! While that pipe dream has yet to pan out, 2007 Bowman Draft Picks & Prospect was the first set that really introduced me to the prospecting aspect of the hobby.

In early 2008 I took a job at a sports card and memorabilia shop at the local mall. As I got reacquainted with the hobby, a lot had changed, particularly on the baseball card front. I was completely caught off guard that products containing primarily minor league players had leaped to the forefront of collector’s attention. I could not believe that the Ken Griffey Jr. and 90’s Mickey Mantle insert cards that I loved so much were worth so little, yet collectors were now crazy for kids who had yet to make their major league debut. The idea of a stock market like approach to collecting fascinated me, and I too quickly bought into the hype.

Before I get into the prospecting element of this blog, everyone likes a feel-good story, right? At the time in early 2008, my favorite baseball player on the planet was Tim Lincecum. ‘Lincy’ was a University of Washington pitching standout who I always felt belonged in Seattle Mariners uniform. But as fate would have it, my beloved Mariners instead took Brandon Morrow in the 2006 MLB Draft with the sixth overall pick instead, passing on names like Lincecum, Clayton Kershaw, and Max Scherzer. I’ll save my grievances for a later blog. Regardless, in my very first box of 2007 Bowman DP&P, I pulled a monster rookie card of my favorite player:

2007 Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects – Red Refractor Tim Lincecum #’d 3/5
(It kills me that I don’t have a better picture!)

That was all the excitement and enjoyment that I needed to keep ripping the product for the next several months. To this day, I have not hit a card from a product that I have loved nearly as much as I did that card. One of my biggest regrets in collecting was selling it when money was tight back in 2009. I’m hopeful that someday it will return to my collection, but for now a gold refractor version that I was able to snag for about $30 earlier this year on COMC will suffice.

As far as the prospects in the set, time is the one true constant in the world of professional sports, and time will always tell all. Enough time has passed that there is no more speculation to be had with 2007 Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects. Without further ado…

Who Were We Prospecting Back in 2008?

2007 Bowman DP&P was not a product that was popular for the autographs, but rather for the 1st Bowman non-autographed cards of several top prospects. We’ll get to them later. The set simply did not have a truly standout autograph class at the time:

BDPP111 Daniel Moskos
BDPP112 Ross Detwiler
BDPP113 Tim Alderson
BDPP114 Beau Mills
BDPP115 Devin Mesoraco
BDPP116 Kyle Lotzkar
BDPP117 Blake Beavan
BDPP118 Peter Kozma
BDPP119 Chris Withrow
BDPP120 Corey Lubke		 BDPP121 Nick Schmidt
BDPP122 Michael Main
BDPP123 Aaron Poreda
BDPP124 James Simmons
BDPP125 Ben Revere
BDPP126 Joe Savery
BDPP127 Jonathan Gilmore
BDPP128 Todd Frazier
BDPP129 Matt Mangini
BDPP130 Casey Weathers

BDPP131 Nick Noonan
BDPP132 Kellen Kulbacki
BDPP133 Michael Burgess
BDPP134 Nick Hagadone
BDPP135 Clayton Mortensen
BDPP136 Justin Jackson
BDPP137 Ed Easley
BDPP138 Corey Brown
BDPP139 Danny Payne
BDPP140 Travis d’Arnaud

Looking at this list in 2018 is almost painful, and not just because none of the prospects who I invested in panned out. With the success of Tim Lincecum and the (at the time) raw potential of Madison Bumgarner, fellow Giants pitching prospect Tim Alderson seemed like a can’t miss prospect. While the latter two have multiple World Series rings and individual accomplishments, Alderson was never able to reach the bigs, logging nearly 800 minor league innings as of 2016.

I can’t recall if Todd Frazier was a hyped prospect back before his big league debut, but his name is one of two on this list that stand out as having solid big league careers. The other would be Ben Revere, who was one of if not THE top auto to hit in the product. Of the rest of these names, Beau Mills, Michael Main, Jonathan Gilmore, Michael Burgess, Kyle Lotzkar, and Nick Hagadone all had appeal and were considered the best of the rest.

As I spoke to earlier, the real appeal of 2007 Bowman DP&P came from the non-autographed 1st Bowman cards of several top prospects who would command top dollar from the day that the product was released. You can catch the full checklist for all 100 prospects in the set here. So who were the cant miss prospects of this set?

Matt Laporta and David Price were on EVERY prospectors radar. Laporta was generally seen as the safer option of the two, as even prospectors to this day would agree that prized pitching prospects are high-risk, high-reward investment opportunities. Obviously David Price has had a great career up to this point, so it’s always good to see a top prospect who does pan out. Jason Heyward, Madison Bumgarner, and Freddie Freeman were also very coveted prospects who were hot sellers. Freeman  has an opportunity this season to become the first league MVP from this group, although in my belief he’s been passed up in that race as of this writing.

With Jason Heyward, Freddie Freeman, and Johnathan Gilmore, the Atlanta Braves were one of the most coveted teams in the forum group breaking scene. I opted to put my faith and dollars into the San Francisco Giants for the handful of breaks that I took part in.  Aside from Madison Bumgarner’s first prospect chrome and Tim Lincecum’s green-bordered RC, Nick Noonan, Wendell Fairley, and Henry Sosa were all above average prospects at the time as well.

Speaking of above average prospects, here are the five players that I recall being sleeper picks among prospectors. Do you remember any of these guys?

Of these five, I was most invested in Matt Dominguez, who was a machine in Single-A in 2008, cranking out 18 homers. He was never able to hit for both power and average the Major League level though, and it pains me to see that parallels of this chrome card can be had for a fraction of what they were worth back then.

Nobody had a clue about Kluber’s talent 10 years ago!

Lastly, I wanted to mention the one guy who I felt wasn’t on any prospector’s radar back then and who has had arguably the most accomplished career to date. That man would be Corey Kluber and his TWO Cy Young awards!  He remains the only base card in the set that consistently sells for above $5. The entire San Diego Padres team could be had in group breaks for just over double that price back in 2008.

2007 was a really interesting year for this product. The set list is broken up by draft picks, all depicted in professional uniforms, and prospects, who were photographed in action during the World Baseball Classic. Some collectors were put off by the fact that these players were depicted in their WBC country uniform, which really stunted the long term value of Clayton Kershaw’s card in the set among others.

That’s going to do it for this stroll down memory lane. Do you recall any fun memories from this set? Let us know in the comments below!

Rookie Review – Five Hot Football RC’s that you need RIGHT NOW!

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We are now two weeks into the NFL season, and the landscape of the league is beginning to take form. While perennial greats such as Philip Rivers, Drew Brees, and Julio Jones are doing their thing and posting the type of stats that are to be expected, there is a whole crop of players who have emerged from the pack and are positioning themselves to have a stand out 2018 season.  As a result of their strong performances, the collecting world has taken notice and these player’s cards have seen renewed and/or increased interest on the COMC Marketplace.

With that in mind, we want to share our top players who’s rookie cards you should consider picking up sooner rather than later. Whether you’re looking to invest and resell at a later point in time or you’re simply adding them to your collection, here’s who we think you need to consider buying right now:

Patrick Mahomes II | Quarterback | Kanas City Chiefs
38-55, 582 yards, 10 touchdowns, 0 interceptions

The 10th overall pick of the 2017 draft, Patrick Mahomes II has lit the NFL on fire through the Kansas City Chiefs first two victories. After his six passing touchdown performance in Week 2, Mahomes set a record for most TD’s thrown through the first two weeks of the season. Will he eclipse Peyton Manning‘s record of 55 in a season? Only time will tell, but regardless this second year stud is headed in the right direction both on the field and in the collecting world. As of this writing, his Optic Rated Rookie RC is currently selling above $12 and continue to rise with only a handful of copies available.
Our Pick: 2017 Donruss Optic #177 Rated Rookie
Alternative Pick: 2017 Panini Rookie & Stars #201 

Ryan Fitzpatrick | Quarterback | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
49-61, 819 yards, 8 Touchdowns, 1 Interception

2018 marks the emergence of ‘Fitzmagic’. Over his career, Ryan Fitzpatrick has perfected the disappearing act, as the Buccaneers are his 7th team in 12 seasons. In the wake of Jameis Winston‘s suspension, Fitzpatrick was given one more chance to shine and did he ever! Not only has he accumulated back-to-back 400 yard, 4 touchdown performances in two wins, including one against the defending Superbowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles, but he’s created a buzz off the field as well. Donning teammate Desean Jackson‘s outfit, he set social media on fire with an appearance that can only be described as Conor McGregor‘s older brother. Plenty of his 2005 rookie year cards can be found on COMC, including autographs at reasonable prices (for now).
Our Pick: 2005 Bowman #180
Alternative Pick: 2005 SPX #162 /1199

Tyreek Hill | Wide Receiver | Kansas City Chiefs
12 receptions,  259 yards, 3 Touchdowns, 1 Return Touchdown 

With Mahomes having a record setting start, someone has to be catching all of those passes right? That someone is Tyreek Hill, who is on pace to shatter the career bests that he set in 2017. A dynamic play maker, Tyreek not only found pay dirt three times on passing plays, but he also electrified the Chiefs Kingdom by running back a 91 yard return for a touchdown as well. We could be seeing the rise of the next great QB to WR duo in the NFL.
Our Pick: 2016 Panini Prizm #296
Alternative Pick: 2016 Donruss Optic #117

Michael Thomas | Wide Receiver | New Orleans Saints
28 receptions, 269 yards, 3 Touchdowns, 2 fumbles lost

In his first two seasons, Michael Thomas has posted 1,000+ yards seasons, while hauling in 14 touchdowns combined. It’s been apparent that the talent has always been there for this 2016 2nd round pick, but Drew Brees‘ favorite target has taken it to another level in 2018. He’s hauled in 28 of the 30 balls thrown his way through the Saints first two games. Even though he has lost a couple of fumbles, Thomas is positioning himself to have a truly special 2018 if he can stay consistent. He has no shortage of rookie cards to choose from, but we prefer his 2016 Prizm over the rest of the field.
Our Pick: 2016 Panini Prizm #230
Alternative Pick: 2016 Panini Playoff #240

James Conner | Running Back | Pittsburgh Steelers
39 rushes, 150 yards, 3 Touchdowns, 10 receptions, 1 touchdown

Leveon who? In the absence of arguably the best running back in the league, James Conner has emerged in the Steeler’s backfield as a similar offensive threat. With Le’veon Bell‘s hold out having no end in sight, Conner is doing his teammate no favors by stepping up and increasing his stock, while decreasing the chances of Bell getting the big payday that he seeks. Though the Steelers are 0-1-1 on the season, Conner is a big winner among fantasy owners and card collectors alike. His rookie card market has gone from stagnant to ablaze, so we’d recommend getting in on the action sooner than later!
Our Pick: 2017 Panini Prizm #225
Alternative Pick: 2017 Panini Donruss #322 

 

That’s going to do it for this installment of rookie review. We’ll be back in a few weeks with another installment. What do you think, COMC Nation? Which NFL player’s rookie cards will you be hoarding this season?

The 18 Names You Need to Know in 2018 Bowman

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The baseball card market was set ablaze in 2017 with the emergence of a rookie phenom by the name of Aaron Judge. The hobby continues that trend in 2018 as #Shotime has once again produced a frenzied hype surrounding the first few baseball products of 2018. While all eyes are on Shohei Ohtani to see what the young Japanese two-way phenom can do in The Show, he’s not the only rookie who’s name that you’ll be hearing for years to come.

While Topps products are best known as being the home of the true rookie card, those players are featured sometimes years earlier in Bowman branded products. 2018 Bowman is the first of several Bowman products to be released this year and has generated strong buzz. Not only is there handsome payday on the horizon for the lucky individual who pulls the Shohei Ohtani Superfractor Autograph, but a strong prospect checklist makes this product well worth the price.

If you’re not familiar with this year’s crop of prospects and rookies, we’ve got your back! Presenting the 18 names that you need to know in 2018 Bowman:

The Top 10

  1. Shohei Ohtani | P/DH | Los Angeles Angels

Until one or more of these prospects make it to The Show and their cards catch fire, 2018 Bowman is the Shohei Ohtani set. The Angels two-way player tops our list as the most desirable autograph to hit in the product, with base autographs currently selling for over $1,000. Ohtani also has a paper rookie card and various colored parallels that will hold steady value even after his true rookie is released in 2018 Topps Series 2.

The 1/1 Superfractor autograph was hit just a couple of weeks ago by a lucky collector in California. If it hits the market, it could fetch in excess of $75,000.

 

 

 

  1. Luis Robert | OF | Chicago White So

Robert signed one of the largest contracts ever for an international amateur player last year and is currently the #3 prospect in the Chicago White Sox farm system. The highly touted 20-year-old outfielder’s first chrome autograph and non-autographed cards are featured in 2018 Bowman.

Although injuries have delayed his 2018 debut, he hit .310 with an OPS of 1.027 through 28 games in the Dominican Summer League in 2017 in his first professional level action.

 

 

 

  1. Hunter Greene | P | Cincinnati Reds

Greene was the second overall pick for the Cincinnati Red in the 2017 Major League Baseball draft, joining the team to the tune of a $7.2 million signing bonus. Despite a slow start in Single-A in 2018, the hard-throwing 18-year-old has raw, unrefined potential and is equally potent with a bat. His fastball routinely hits the gun at 100 MPH.

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. | OF | Toronto Blue Jays

Son of a Hall-of-Fame big leaguer? Check. Headed to the majors before his 20th birthday? Likely check as well. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is the #1 prospect in all of baseball and his impending arrival to the Blue Jay is simply a formality at this point. Guerrero Jr. has been flirting with a .400 batting average in Double-A with over a dozen home runs through 230 at bats in 2018.

Even though this is the third year of Bowman products he’s featured in, as we’ve seen in the past with big league bound prospects, parallels of his 2018 chrome and insert cards should yield strong returns when the kid gets the call up. His Big League Breakthroughs insert is particularly coveted as it should be redeemable for a short printed uncirculated RC.

 

    1. Ronald Acuna Jr. | OF | Atlanta Braves

Similar to Guerrero Jr., Ronald Acuna is not a stranger to the Bowman line, previously having cards in 2017 sets.  Acuna made an early season debut for the surging Atlanta Braves, byut still found his way in 2018 Bowman as a prospect. Parallels of his base and inserts should command good prices.

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Royce Lewis | SS | Minnesota Twins

This 19-year-old Minnesota Twins prospect as drafted first overall in the 2017 Major League Baseball draft. The speedy shortstop has produced well in Single-A during his brief professional career, and his well-rounded set of skills should be a welcome addition to the Twins ball club. He has autos in both 2017 Bowman Draft and 2018 Bowman.

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Keibert Ruiz | C | Los Angeles Dodgers

Although his impending arrival isn’t likely until late 2019 at best, Ruiz ranks as the #3 best catching prospect in baseball and is the 6th best prospect in the Dodgers organization. His high upside and young age should help his case to take over behind the backstop for the Dodgers when the time is ready.  Both his auto and non-autographed chrome cards are his debut in the Bowman line.

 

 

 

 

  1. Juan Soto | OF | Washington Nationals

This prodigal outfielder arrived a bit early for the Washington Nationals in 2018 and become a household name in Washington D.C. when he became the youngest Nationals player ever to smash a home run at 19 years and 208 days old. The previous record holder? Bryce Harper. That’s pretty good company. Although he has an auto in 2016 Bowman Chrome, and a prospect card in 2017 Bowman Chrome and Draft, his is 2018 cards should also fetch solid prices.

 

 

 

 

9.Cristian Pache | OF | Atlanta Braves

19-year-old Christian Pache swiped 32 bags in Single-A in 2017 and appears to be the next-in-line to join the youth movement in Atlanta.  2018 Bowman features his first prospect autographs and are a solid long term investment, as it’s quite apparent that the Braves organization knows how to nurture young talent given the success of Ozzie Albies, Ronald Acuna and Sean Newcomb in 2018.

 

 

 

 

  1. Jordan Hicks | P | St. Louis Cardinals

Hicks arrived in the majors in 2018 for the St. Louis Cardinals and loudly made a name for himself with a fastball that has touched 105 MPH this season. He posted an 8-3 record in the minors in 2017 with a 2.74 era and 95 strikeouts in 105 innings as a starter. What his future in the big leagues holds is still undecided, but this flamethrower’s potential cannot be ignored. Despite being drafted in 2015, his first Bowman wasn’t issued until 2018.

 

Best of the Rest

  1. DJ Peters | OF | Los Angeles Dodgers

22-year-old outfielder prospect with above average power that is currently the #6 prospect in the Dodgers system.

  1. Colton Welker | 3B | Colorado Rockies

20-year-old third baseman with a good eye at the plate and can hit for power. The #4 prospect in the Rockies system is expected to arrive in the Bigs in 2020.

  1. Jose Siri | OF | Cincinnati Reds

Hey Siri, tell me about the 22-year-old outfielder who signed with the Reds from the Dominic Republic in 2012. Jose Siri is has great speed, above average power and is exciting player to watch.  His first Bowman autograph can be found in 2018 Bowman.

  1. Andres Gimenez | SS | New York Mets

19-year-old speedy shortstop that is the #1 prospect in the New York Mets farm system. Collectors won’t care about his ugly autograph if he can perform at the major league level. ETA 2020.

  1. MacKenzie Gore | P | San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres 19-year-old pitching prospect put up gaudy numbers in high school, but has had limited exposure to Rookie and Single-A ball so far. He hit the 2018 Top-100 prospect list at #17 and is second in the Padres system behind Fernando Tatis Jr.

  1. Kyle Tucker | OF | Houston Astros

2018 Bowman marks the fourth year of Bowman cards for Tucker, the 21-year-old outfield prospect for the Astros. He should arrive in 2018 for the World Series champs and will have every opportunity to an already stacked batting order.

  1. Brendan McKay | P / 1B | Tampa Bay Rays

This 22-year-old two-way player is the Tampa Bay Rays #3 prospect as a pitcher and a first basemen. He pitches with great command with three above average pitches and has a smooth swing at the plate. His 2017 Bowman Draft autos will command premium over his 2018 Bowman.

  1. JB Bukauskas | P | Houston Astros

21-year-old right handed pitcher with a plus-plus fastball and slider ranks #3 in the Astros organization. He should have a clear path to the majors in 2020, and his 2018 Bowman prospect autograph is currently his best card available.

Honorable Mentions: McKenzie Mills, Shed Long, Eloy Jimenez

Sets Revisited: Grading the 2017 Topps Chrome Rookie Autograph Class

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Welcome to Sets Revisited, a series where we take a look at sets of years past. This time around, we’re setting the way back machine to the Summer of 2017 to evaluate one of the hottest baseball sets in the last few years. The perfect storm of Aaron Judge in the East and Cody Bellinger in the West set the hobby ablaze. Long time collectors and new collectors returning the hobby simply could not get enough of these two sluggers. With a strong supporting rookie class, 2017 Topps Chrome was the highly anticipated pinnacle of the 2017 baseball season for Topps. Although Topps continued to release sets well into the off season, nothing quite captured the magic of 2017 Topps Chrome.

Do you have a set that is near and dear to your heart and want to write about it? We’re always looking for guest writers on the COMC Blog to share their passion for cards! Send an email to Staff@COMC.com and we’d be more than happy to chat about your blog ideas!

Please note that any price speculation, player or card evaluations in this blog are the opinions of the writer – James Good  in this case, and do not reflect the same views as COMC as a company.

The A Class – aka The Money Cards

It should really be no surprise to see this group of players leading the pack as the rookie autograph cream of the crop. While Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger went back and forth in the popularity contest while each running away with their respective league’s Rookie of the Year crowns, Alex Bregman and Andrew Benintendi quietly put together campaigns that would have put them in the running for those awards in most seasons. Meanwhile, Yoan Moncada and Ian Happ showed strong promise

Judge and Bellinger autos will set you back quite a few dollars, but both have the early makings of becoming iconic cards in the industry. If they’re anything like their fellow mega stars of the game (Giancarlo Stanton & Bryce Harper come to mind), their value should rise steadily for years to come.  Benintendi, Bregman and Moncada are all more economical investment options, and could yield higher returns overall than the big two, but at a slower rate. Happ remains the wild card of the group, but has all the makings of a star and plays for a big market team, hence deserving a spot in the A Class.

 

The B Class – aka The Investment Group

I’v dubbed the next ten best cards of the 2017 Topps Chrome Rookie Auto class as ‘The Investment Group’ because several of these players have a chance to break out huge over the next several years and join the ranks of standout 2017 rookies above. Trey Mancini came into the season with a buzz and did not disappoint. His stock could rise substantially in Baltimore with the speculative departure of Manny Machado. Mitch Haniger flew under the radar for the Seattle Mariners in 2017, and despite injuries produced a stat line similar to Bregman. It wasn’t until he cranked out 10 home runs in April 2018 that his hobby stock rose significantly and the price of his ’17 Topps Chrome Auto rose from $4 to $15.

Yuli Guerriel‘s age (32) played a factor in his hobby value, but like Bregman, did have a huge spotlight shined on him (both positively and negatively) as the Astros claimed World Series glory. Teoscar Hernandez only played 26 games last year, but did hit 8 homers for Toronto after being traded in a deal that saw Francisco Liriano head to Houston. The price of his rookie auto has steadily risen ever since and his base auto is currently sold out at time of writing.

Matt Olson generated his fair share of hobby buzz by smashing 24 homers in under 60 games, but his value has tapered off in 2018 with a slow start. Josh Hader has increased his stock dramatically as a dynamic reliever who is an absolute strikeout machine. It’s likely that a large amount of Hader autos can still be found in $3 and $5 boxes at your local card shows – scoop them up because the kid is young and can deal! Hype for Alex Reyes is starting to generate as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery. He is the Cardinals top-rated prospect. Tyler Austin, David Dahl, and Ryon Healy round out the group with similar long term investment potential as the rest of the B Class, but they’ve yet to put it all together at the big league level for a sustained period of time yet. Of the three, Healy has shown above average defense and pop in his bat playing for the Seattle Mariners as their everyday first basemen. Any of these three players can get hot in an instant and when they do, their chrome starts shining a lot brighter!

The C Class – aka High Risk, High Reward

Rookie Chrome Autos for starting pitchers tend to be somewhat polarizing in the hobby – they’re either very hot or very tepid. Highly touted pitching prospects often dominate Bowman prospecting speculation, yet fail to produce similar hype initially once they reach Topps Chrome. For that reason, I’ve dubbed this class as high risk, high reward.

The C Class is rounded out by two starting pitchers who have each shown that they deserve a spot in their team’s starting rotation, but have yet to show collectors a reason to invest with urgency. Luke Weaver and Carson Fulmer have all the makings of top-of-the-rotation pitchers, but are still developing at the big league level. Jessie Winker, Lewis Brinson, Bradley Zimmer, Hunter Dozier and Franklin Barreto have yet to really make a splash in the majors, but they show all the tools to be solid everyday players. Unfortunately, in an industry that is constantly chasing the next big thing, they’ll each have to step it up to gain recognition in the hobby beyond the local scale.

The D Class – A Couple of These Guys Will Prove Everyone Wrong

*Record scratch* *Freeze Frame*
Dansby Swanson: “Yup, that’s me. You’re probably wondering how I ended up here in the D Class….”

I know that this is going to generate some buzz, and a lot of people are going to disagree with my assessment. I hope that I end up being wrong, because I fully expect at least two or more of these guys to put together great big league careers. I expect that a few of these guys certainly won’t stay in the $5 price range either. But for right now, this is where Dansby Swanson belongs. He has all the potential to be a B+ or even an A- player years from now, but he has a long road to redemption. To say that his career up to this point hasn’t gone the way that him and a lot of speculative prospectors would have hoped would be an understatement. With all the young talent that is flowing in Atlanta, Dansby is going to struggle to regain his footing in the hobby as players like Ronald Acuna and Ozzie Albies pass him by.Although he has shown flashes of brilliance at times this season, he is currently a bottom of the order hitter on a team stacked with younger, and wildly more popular talent.

Of the rest of the players in this group, I’d like to highlight Jorge Alfaro, Chad Pinder, and Hunter Renfroe as the three most likely candidates to break out of this group. Pinder has also shown to be adept with the bat – cranking out 15 home runs in 2017 but striking out around 30% of the time.

The F Class – Available in Bulk on COMC!

I’m not going to say anything bad about this group of players. Every Topps Chrome rookie auto checklist is rounded out by a crop of guys who simply aren’t buzz worthy in the hobby. Some of these guys will have decent careers or fit niche roles very well throughout their career. However, for now they will forever be the ‘hits’ that could have been. For every Aaron Judge auto pulled from a pack of chrome with excitement, there is a Joe Jimenez or Reynaldo Lopez auto hit elsewhere with little fanfare.

The good news is that if one of these players do happen to break out, a feeding frenzy of flipping (say that one three times fast!) will happen because these players are all available in bulk on the COMC Marketplace! For the sake of optimism, I’ll take Rob Gsellman and Pat Valaika as my two candidates who could shift the market with a single performance.

Overall as a whole, I’m going to give the 2017 Topps Chrome Rookie Autograph class a collective grade of B+ This set has some serious potential to go down as one of the best in Topps Chrome history. Featuring two of the games most popular players with bright careers ahead, and several others with the ability to reach that level, this wasn’t a product where collectors were only chasing one big name. I highly enjoyed ripping my case of 2017 Topps Chrome in a hotel room while vacationing in North Carolina. Hitting a purple Judge auto at the height of his popularity will always be one of my favorite hobby moments, and the reason why this set is near and dear to my heart.