2020 Bowman Baseball was one of the hottest prospect products ever released. There were a couple of reasons for this, but the overwhelming reason was one Mr. Jasson Dominguez. His coveted “1st Bowman” card is in 2020 Bowman Baseball and he has had hype like no other prospect in recent memory. The question a year later is will that level of hype carry over into 2021 Bowman Baseball?
The Design
The first time I saw the cards, my immediate thought was this looks a lot like 2016 Bowman with the Bowman and team logos swapping sides from 2016. I like the full border and I like the readability of everything, which I never really considered until we saw this year’s flagship design. There are various inserts all with various degrees of good to bad designs. I like the throwback design, as always, which is using the 1991 Bowman design. The die-cut gold nugget design is fun and supposedly short printed, so they will be likely selling for a lot. The other subsets we’ve seen are the Futurist and Positional Promise inserts, and I am not really a fan. Bowman inserts tend to not be my favorite, and it seems like that will be the case again this year.
The Configurations
There are two hobby configurations - a “Hobby” box and a “Jumbo” box. Hobby boxes will have one guaranteed auto while Jumbo boxes will have three guaranteed autos. Hobby boxes are running in the $300 - $350 range and Jumbos are around $600+. While Topps rarely if ever announces retail formats, there will likely be all of the various configurations you would expect. Loose packs, Cellos, Blasters, and perhaps a Mega box. Topps did sell direct a sealed Retail box last year as well which was 24 retail packs with no guaranteed hits.
The Main Attraction
The most desired prospect cards are going to be the ones with the “1st Bowman” logo on it. Those denote a prospect’s very first Bowman card, which should be their first officially licensed card in their major league uniform. Only one of three products each year will carry the cards with the 1st Bowman logo - Bowman Baseball (sometimes just called “Bowman”), Bowman Chrome, and Bowman Draft and all their associated “editions” (1st edition, Sapphire, etc.).
What I am going to focus on for my preview of the checklist is any player that has a 1st Bowman base card and/or 1st Bowman autograph in this product. There are various other vets, rookies, and prospects who have had 1st Bowman cards in previous releases. I think most of us already have good ideas and formed opinions on those players. Thus my focus will be on the players that do get their 1st Bowman Card* in this product. The exception here is for players that only have a Paper 1st Auto in Bowman, which can only be found in retail configurations, with no base cards - none of them are considered as potential every day MLB regulars and would all fall in my Tier None. If I had to pick the one I am most interested in, it would probably be Jaylen Palmer, for whatever that’s worth.
Prospect Tier Breakdown
I have broken down these “1st” prospects into four tiers based on a combination of my perception of hobby interest and my own personal long term hobby outlook. As I always say, prospects are the most volatile and highest risk/reward part of the hobby. Finally, real life baseball value, fantasy baseball value, and hobby value aren’t always the same. Keep all of those things in mind as you read my breakdown, when formulating your own tiers and evaluations, and as you are buying boxes, singles, and into breaks for 2021 Bowman Baseball.
Tier 1 - Cream of the crop. Combination of high-end Hit and Power tools that won’t end up as full-time designated hitters. Power/Speed combo players. Elite SP 1 pitchers (very rare). Potential for being perennial All-Stars and award winners.
Tier 2 - Bats that may lack in a certain area such as top end power, three true outcomes players, may be great real life/fantasy players, but not hobby-elite, or tantalizing raw talents. High end SP 2 pitchers with additional positive factors such as team, arsenal, pedigree, etc.
Tier 3 - May have some hobby interest due to a single factor such as prospect pedigree, team interest, general hobby hype, an interesting carrying tool, etc.
Tier None - The likelihood of widespread short term hobby interest, and most likely long term as well, is close to none. Plenty of pitchers, catchers, role players, hit tool only bats, defense first players, etc. to be found here. Hobby lottery tickets where the odds are stacked against you.
*Catchers and Pitchers are often knocked down a tier just due to their position.
Player (Team, 1st Cards, Houdini 20 case Pick Your Player Auction price (for market leading indicator purposes))
Tier One
Aaron Sabato (Twins, 1st Base and Auto, $2,175) - If there was no DH stigma in the hobby, Sabato would be a no doubt Tier One player for me. We could be easily looking at a .300 hitter with 30+ home runs assuming full playing time. Unfortunately his only option on the field appears to be 1B, and he is subpar there at the moment, leading to DH fears.
Austin Martin (Blue Jays, 1st Base and Auto, $4,000) - The headliner in the product has such strong hobby momentum behind them that he falls into Tier One for the short term selling opportunity. The hit tool is plus plus and he could probably roll out of bed and hit .300. He will also chip in double digit steals, but he may struggle to get more than 20 home runs. On top of that, the lack of a defensive home also floats around as a minor concern. In the long term, I view Martin as having more value as a real life and fantasy player and less as a hobby target, especially given his cost. That high price, if maintained, is a selling opportunity in my opinion.
I came very close to leaving this tier empty as I don’t believe this checklist has any hobby elite players. Sabato’s DH risk and Austin Martin’s lack of pop are concerns, but ultimately not enough to fully nuke this tier.
Tier Two
Hedbert Perez (Brewers, 1st Auto only, $1,310) - There is a lot, and I mean a lot, to like about Perez. Athletic, tooled-up prospect whose father was a major leaguer. He has plus grades across the board that should easily be able to get to his power in-game with his elite bat speed. Lacking affiliated ball experience and video, it’s tough to have a fully formed vision of what he can be and where his deficiencies lie - in other words, there is a lot of risk of the unknown here. From a hitter stand-point, he is a close second to Aaron Sabato as the prospect I am most looking to acquire from this product for long term prospecting purposes.
Mick Abel - (Phillies, 1st Base and Auto, $1,200) - My favorite pitcher from the 2020 MLB draft, he would be in Tier 1 if he didn’t have the inherent risk associated with all prep arms. All the stuff is there for him to reach that rare SP1 ceiling with four plus pitches already in his arsenal. The hobby appears to agree with me as he is the clear cut favorite of pitchers in this product above Kelley. The price point, volatility/risk with prep arms, and just the capped ceiling on pitcher cards in general, it hurts me to say that I would be selling Abel in the short term if the price is right. But I also want to hold on to some for the long term if I could afford to.
Maximo Acosta (Rangers, 1st Base and Auto, $3,100) - A shortstop who has a lot of people in the baseball and hobby worlds excited, he is probably the second or third most sought after player in the product depending on who you ask. He possesses an advanced hit tool for his young age and it still remains to be seen if he grows into 20+ home run power or not. If Acosta’s price point were a lot lower, and I mean a LOT lower, I would definitely be interested in taking a few shots to see if he does end up as the next Gleyber as has been comped. Seeing his current high price range, I am a seller in the short term.
Blaze Jordan (Red Sox, 1st Base and Auto, $3,200) - Power bat is his carrying tool with 30+ home runs being easily achievable. All of his other tools are average and he likely ends up having to move from 3B to 1B/DH as he develops. There are legitimate concerns around his ability to hit enough at the big league level to utilize his power skills to the fullest. He came to the baseball world consciousness very young by hitting the ball out of Major League stadiums including winning the 2019 all-star game’s high school home run derby with two 500 foot home runs. Add in a highly collectable team like the Red Sox just adds more gas to the fire. Long term he could be Bobby Dalbec or he could be Jabari Blash. Given the very high prices his cards are going for, I would sell his cards as soon as they hit my hands or even sooner if I could. Without the hobby love, he might have been a candidate for Tier Three
Coby Mayo (Orioles, 1st Auto only, $362) - A lot of what I just said about Blaze Jordan applies here with Mayo. The differences are that Mayo has a better chance to stick at third base or possibly push out to left field, has a better arm, and could grow into even more power as he matures. The even more important difference is the price point - I would much rather get Mayo’s cards at a fraction of the cost for the long-term prospector play.
Kevin Alcantara (Yankees, 1st Base and Auto, $1,750) - A 6-6 outfielder with a thin, athletic frame that at the moment still seems like he can stick in center field. He can hit for good power but may struggle hitting spin and likely will have to figure out how to hit with his height and long levers. Absent the Yankees boost, I probably would push him down to Tier Three, but his ceiling and team affiliation land him in Tier Two for me. I would prefer to sell given the risk and high price point.
Johan Rojas (Phillies, 1st Auto only, $625) - Prior to this checklist, I hadn’t dug into Rojas much. Watching video and reading the various reports had me come away quite smitten. A power/speed prospect that can likely play any outfield position, he is still quite raw. I initially had him in Tier Three, but pushed him up to the bottom of Tier Two. There is some needed growth in his power tool and plate discipline as he matures and develops. If he delivers on that, expect to hear his name a LOT.
Jared Kelley (White Sox, 1st Base and Auto, $420) - Starter physique that throws gas and shows a strong change-up with a developing slider. Questions leading up to the draft around his ability to spin the ball led to him dropping into the second round when it looked like he could have easily been a first rounder. The built-in risk of being a prep arm and the spin concerns had me considering dropping him down to Tier Three, but there is enough raw material to work with that he sneaks into the bottom of Tier Two for me.
Tier Three
Christopher Morel (Cubs, 1st Base only, $323) - If Morel had a 1st auto in this product, I probably would’ve snuck him into the bottom of Tier Two. Oozes athleticism, especially on the defensive side of the equation. The is potential there with the bat, but at the moment his swing does not look like it is geared towards unlocking the power I would expect from an athlete of his nature. Add in natural speed and a collectible team and that puts Morel towards the top of Tier Three for me.
Alexander Ramirez (Angels, 1st Base and Auto, $685) - Outfielder with a strong enough arm that he could play in right field. Power bat that can put the ball over the fence in any direction. The assumption is that his hit tool should be good enough, but we haven’t seen him for close on two years now, so the risk of the unknown is very high. That unknown keeps him in Tier Three, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he starts jumping up prospect boards once he gets some stateside run. A gamble I would be willing to take if the price is right.
Heriberto Hernandez (Rangers*, 1st Auto only, $750) - Easily the best catching prospect with a 1st Bowman in the product (even though there aren’t many to begin with), he was sent to the Rays as part of the Nate Lowe deal in the off-season and was considered the main return by many. His calling cards are his hit and power tools, although there is some swing and miss due to his aggressiveness. Without the catcher tax, he would likely be in Tier 2 given the potential with his bat. However, It’s a bit surprising to see how high he went in Houdini’s PYP auction given the catcher tax and if that is an indicator of his short term selling price, I would take advantage of it.
Gabriel Arias (Indians, 1st Base and Auto, $700) - Traded to Cleveland as part of the Mike Clevinger deal with San Diego, Arias is a plus defensive shortstop that should stick at the position. While he has a lot of raw power in his bat, his hit tool is lacking and may prevent him from getting to much of that hobby-coveted deep ball potential. This is the prototypical Tier Three player. A big “IF” in his profile that with some improvements could find him vaulting up the tiers. In the context of his price point, it's more than I would be willing to pay and kills any interest I have for the moment.
Jeremy De La Rosa (Nationals, 1st Base and Auto, $575) - A collection of average tools with some hope around improvements in the hit tool that may allow his above average raw power to turn into game power. Positive alternate site reports from 2020 have pushed him up prospect rankings and driven a higher price point than I am willing to go. Towards the bottom half of Tier Three in my opinion, but it feels like there are plenty of others out there that are higher on him than I am.
Brayan Buelvas (Athletics, 1st Auto only, $645) - All around tool set center fielder with his best one being the hit tool. Likely won't ever get to the 20 home run mark, but he could get close with the frequency at which he puts the bat to the ball. Think he will end up being a better real life and fantasy player than a hobby commodity long term. Seeing his price point, I think it’s an opportunity to sell, but I also think there will be continued opportunities with the momentum I expect to see as he succeeds at most of his minor league stops and shoots up prospect lists.
Liover Peguero (Pirates, 1st* Base only, $422) - The main thing lacking with Peguero is power, and the likelihood that changes is small. Top of the order shortstop that should stick there can also steal a decent amount of bases and grab the extra base on 50/50 balls. While this is his first official Bowman product and he should have received the 1st Bowman logo, he did not in 2021 Bowman Baseball 1st Edition, which is essentially a preview edition of the full release. There is probably less than a 0.1 percent chance this is fixed in the full release, so that does drag down his cards a bit. In addition, he only gets a base card. All that combines to be near the bottom of Tier Three rather than closer to the top of it.
Jake Vogel (Dodgers, 1st Base and Auto, $440) - The super fast outfielder has a good hit tool projection, but not much present power. I am probably a bit optimistic on Vogel, but part of that is my belief that the Dodgers can take these types of profiles and find power you weren’t expecting. In almost any other org, I would drop Vogel down a tier into Tier None.
Jeferson Espinal (Diamondbacks, 1st Auto only, $450) - Near the bottom of Tier Three because his hit and power tools are not present at the moment. He’s got everything else though, with speed for days. Still just 18 years old, there is still hope that the hit and power tools develop to the point where he flies up the prospect lists. Not someone I am targeting, but I wouldn’t mind owning a card or two of his.
Jose Salas (Marlins, 1st Base and Auto, $540) - A super high variance player that likely won't stick at short long term and just turned 18 years old. Not a lot of video out there, but he looks the part from the left side of the plate. Did not do well in Winter ball, but he is young and raw, so I don’t put too much stock in that. Unlikely to stick at short which will put more pressure on his hit and power tools. At the moment he does possess good speed. He is borderline Tier Three/Tier None for me. I wouldn’t mind owning some of his cards on the small chance the variance lands in my favor, but given the Houdini PYP winning bid, I would be selling with that type of demand.
Adinso Reyes (Tigers, 1st Base and Auto, $435) - Good all-around player with the hit tool probably being on the plus side and the best of what he has to offer. Nothing special though and likely never ends up as more than a league average or slightly better player. On the fringe of Tier Three/Tier None.
Freddy Valdez (Mets, 1st Auto only, $310) - Power hitting corner outfielder that needs plenty of hit tool development to get to a future full time MLB role. WIth power as the calling card and the New York bump, he just squeaks it into Tier Three.
Luis Frias (Diamondbacks, 1st Auto only, $135) - The only pitcher I have in Tier Three, he has an intriguing profile. A fireballer with a potential four-pitch arsenal that currently profiles as a mid-rotation starting pitcher, but I have a sneaking suspicion there may be a bit more than meets eye. If I’m shooting my shot on any of the cheap pitchers in the product, it will be on Frias.
Yoelqui Cespedes (White Sox, 1st Auto only, $1,500) - Based on price alone, he should be in Tier Two. The younger brother of Yoenis Cespedes, he has all of the same physical gifts headlined by an arm that can be compared to the best in the game. But there are very big question marks around his hit tool. Couple that with little to no real baseball action in the last four years and the concerns are enhanced. Without the last name and the 2 million dollar bonus he received, I think the hobby love would be a lot less. With his price point and hobby demand, I am a bit forced to put him into Tier Three, but I am sure tempted to drop him into Tier None. I am selling immediately here as I don’t want to end up in a Victor Victor Mesa situation.
Mac Wainwright (Reds, 1st Auto only, $175) - I was a bit surprised at how cheap Wainwright was in Houdini’s PYP auction, but then I saw the news regarding recent criminal indictments and it made a lot more sense. In regard to the baseball stuff, there are definitely concerns with his hit tool and rawness. On the other hand, he looks the part and has potential plus power that could get him over the 30 home run mark in the future. If he is cleared of any wrongdoing, this would be a player I wouldn’t mind getting some cards of. Until then, I would look elsewhere.
Tier None
Adael Amador (Rockies, 1st Auto only, $297) - Amador is on the cusp of Tier Three, but at the moment he doesn’t have enough power projection to make it there. On the one hand, his major league park will be Coors Field, which will help his offensive profile. On the other hand, the Rockies organization slow-roasts the majority of their prospects and are not known as the best player dev organization (that may be an understatement). Young and raw without much info to go on, I have put him at the top of Tier None, but I wouldn’t argue with anyone who thinks he should be bumped up a tier.
Angel Martinez (Indians, 1st Auto only, $310) - Son of a former major leaguer that looks like he will stick at shortstop with an athletic, switch-hitting profile. Not much present power, but may grow into 15 to 20 home runs. He falls somewhere between a utility player and an everyday regular, but nothing overly exciting for the moment. That could change as he matures. Not really sure why he ended up with this much money spent in the Houdini PYP auction given the profile, but that may just be real life baseball evaluations clouding the judgement of hobby evaluations.
Alexander Vargas (Yankees, 1st Auto only, $525) - I’ve seen widely varying evaluations on Vargas. I think everyone is in line with his ability to be a plus defender at shortstop and retain enough speed to steal a decent amount of bases. The variance comes in the hit and power tool projections and the video I’ve watched wasn’t all that encouraging, so I tend to come down on the side of his hit tool and especially his power tool will be underwhelming. He was pushing a lot of stuff to the opposite field without much authority and didn’t look that comfortable at the plate. He is likely going to need a lot of work on the hit and power aspects to his game to get it to a major league level. The Yankee tax and some of the more positive evaluations are likely driving the price point - I am not interested and would be selling anything I picked up.
Brainer Bonaci (Red Sox, 1st Auto only, $321) - A strong-armed middle infielder that should be able to play multiple positions with a feel for the hit tool from both sides of the plate. That should be enough to get him into a utility role or everyday regular spot at times, but doubt there is ever enough power in the profile to draw long term hobby interest. The Red Sox tax is likely the main driver of his higher than I anticipated Houdini PYP auction price point.
Nick Maton (Phillies, 1st Base and Auto, $270) - A defense first super utility profile, he recently made his big league debut. He has hit more than I expected in his small sample size of MLB games so far, so there may be something here, but with little home run power in the bat, there isn’t much here to even get to Tier Three in the long term. Take advantage of his successful MLB debut to sell as much as you can.
Antonio Gomez (Yankees, 1st Base and Auto, $355) - The catcher tax is balanced by the Yankee bump. Young, raw, power bat behind the plate that is going to require significant hit tool development to be more than a backup. For the moment, I’m not interested.
D’Shawn Knowles (Angels, 1st Auto only, $279) - Athletic center fielder that can cover all three outfield positions with some good wheels and a strong enough arm for right field. Decent bat skills that can take a walk, but fringe power at best. If the hit tool continues to progress, he will end up as an everyday regular, but not much more than that is currently projectable. The hobby may have some love for Knowles, but there isn’t much interest for me.
Endy Rodriguez (Mets*, 1st Auto only, $180) - 20 year old that is listed with Catcher, First Base, and Outfield eligibility. He was a Mets prospect that landed in the Pirates organization as part of the three-way trade with the Padres headlined by Joe Musgrove. Has doubles power at the moment with a decent hit tool, but may grow into additional power. Old for his level which is almost never a positive. With the potential catcher tax, don’t see a whole lot of reasons to be interested.
Ivan Johnson (Reds, 1st Base and Auto, $200) - Switch hitting middle infielder that does most things well, but doesn’t really stand out anywhere. Should be able to reach the big leagues, but probably wont do enough to provide much hobby value.
Jose Tena (Indians, 1st Base and Auto, $400) - One of a bunch of middle infield prospects in the Cleveland organization, he doesn’t do much to set himself apart nor does he currently hit for any significant power. Could stick at short, but likely plays up better at second base. Another utility player/every day regular without much to write home about. Not sure why he went so high in Houdini’s PYP auction, but that doesn’t change my opinion on him.
Ismael Mena (Padres*, 1st Base and Auto, $410) - Acquired from the Padres by the Cubs as part of the Yu Darvish deal. Speed demon that steals plenty of bases and covers plenty of ground in center field. From the instructs videos I watched, he seemed to be over-matched, flailed at a lot of pitches, and hit the ball into the ground more than I would hope. He did put one meatball over the fence, but at the moment I am questioning if he can hit for enough power to be hobby relevant. While hit tool development could be a good possibility, I don’t see it on the power side. I’m out at this price point.
Jairo Pomares (Giants, 1st Auto only, $385) - As a Giants fan, I really wanted to push Pomares into Tier Three, but at the moment he simply is not more than a collection of average tools with a bit more with the hit tool. My fandom believes he can be more than that, but my head tempers that expectation towards a guy that could make the big leagues, but even if he does, not one with a huge impact.
Yolbert Sanchez (White Sox, 1st Base and Auto, $330) - Speed and strong enough defensive skill set to stick at shortstop, but not much there with the bat in his hands. I’m scratching my head as to why he got to the auction price he did in Houdini’s PYP auction. I’m passing and if there is some sort of decent demand, selling all day long.
Ji-Hwan Bae (Pirates, 1st Auto only, $165) - A similar profile to his teammate Liover Peguero, he is a bit faster but lacks the arm strength to play shortstop and will likely end up at second base or center field. Because of that hit/defense/speed with no real power that can’t stick at short and the seeming lack of hobby interest, he lands in Tier None.
Marcus Smith (Rangers, 1st Auto only, $200) - Speed and hit tool outfielder that was acquired as part of the Mike Minor trade during the 2020 season. Not really any pop to speak of and hits the ball into the ground too much. Not much more than an everyday regular at best and more likely org depth/platoon bat.
Darryl Collins (Royals, 1st Auto only, $160) - A left fielder only profile that is going to have to hit and get to the power that you think he has when you look at his frame, but has yet to display. Until further development, there is little reason to be interested.
Yunior Severino (Twins, 1st Base and Auto, $150) - Second baseman that has battled some health issues and doesn’t have any standout tools. Decent power, but needs to get more out of his hit tool to be relevant, which he is not at the moment.
Trent Deveaux (Angels, 1st Base only, $111) - Speed for days, but is super raw and young. Hopefully he gets everything else figured out, but there is a lot of work to do in all other facets of his game. Add to that the fact that he does not have a 1st auto and only has a base card and that absolutely eliminates any hobby interest for me, or anyone else outside of Angels fans.
Jackson Cluff (Nationals, 1st Auto only, $175) - Defense-first singles hitter that will likely make it to the majors simply for his solid defensive talent, but will likely be a bottom of the order platoon/utility type of player. No real hobby interest here.
Jose Rodriguez (White Sox, 1st Auto only, $200) - Average tool set middle infielder that has the best opportunity to see improvement in the hit tool. I don’t expect we see much, if any, power and he likely won't be more than a role player profile. Shouldn’t have much hobby interest.
Luis Santana (Astros, 1st Auto only, $225) - Hit tool bench bat infielder that likely doesn’t have much else in his projection. Not a very interesting outlook and no hobby viability.
Eddy Diaz (Rockies, 1st Base and Auto, $210) - A likely utility player with middle infield ability that has speed as his calling card. He probably hits enough to make it to the big leagues, but there is no reason I see to be interested from a hobby perspective.
Daniel Montano (Rockies, 1st Auto only, $135) - Not much here unless his hit and power tools take the next step, and even then, he may only be an average MLB outfielder. Nothing to see here.
Mariel Bautista (Reds, 1st Auto only, $125) - The 23 year old outfielder has already been passed over by his own org (instructs, alt-site) as well as all the others (Rule V) and the window is starting to close on his hobby relevancy. Tough to have much interest here even if there has been some in the past.
Sandy Gaston (Rays, 1st Auto only, $150) - Zero control and throws flames. He’s still super young, so the profile could improve to a potential starting pitcher, but right now he is a middle reliever at best. I will pass.
Eddy Yean (Nationals*, 1st Auto only, $115) - Has starting pitcher potential and a decent arsenal, but nothing special. Was part of the Josh Bell trade and is now on the Pirates. Nothing much here to be interested in from a hobby perspective.
Beck Way (Yankees, 1st Auto only, $225) - Should be able to find his way to the major league either in the capacity of a backend or spot starter or perhaps somewhere in the bullpen. But right now there isn’t a ton of upside. There should be zero hobby interest, but the Yankee tax should encourage anyone who ends up with him to sell whenever the iron is hot.
Austin Cox (Royals, 1st Auto only, $135) - Likely to end up as a back-end starter or late inning reliever. No reason for any hobby speculation.
Riley Thompson (Cubs, 1st Auto only, $130) - Mid rotation starter potential with a strong curveball and decent fastball velocity. Health concerns further dampen any interest here.
Dylan MacLean (Rangers, 1st Auto only, $120) - 2020 4th round prep lefty looks to be a back end starter with no outstanding pitch at the moment, but a feel for command and control that helps elevate the profile. Nothing really to get overly excited about.
Michael McAvene (Cubs, 1st Auto only, $118) - Cubs sound like they want to push him down the starter path, but he more likely fits in as a late innings relief arm with a high velocity fastball and a decent slider, but that’s about it. Nothing to see here.
Hyun-Il Choi (Dodgers, 1st Base and Auto, $200) - A spot starter or multi-inning relief role unless he finds some added velocity to his fastball. Even then he wont be more than an SP4/5 type. Add in the Dodgers tax and it even lessens my interest to buy and increases my interest to sell anything I randomly end up with.
Breidy Encarnacion (Marlins, 1st Auto only, $225) - Backend starter to some, not much else to others. I almost think that some people thought they were bidding on Jerar Encarnacion of the same Miami Marlins for Houdini’s PYP auction.
Jeremy Wu-Yelland (Red Sox, 1st Auto only, $130) - Chance for a backend rotation spot or could easily end up in the bullpen with a deceptive left-handed slot and a strong fastball, but not much else. Nothing to see here.
Jake Eder (Marlins, 1st Auto only, $125) - Left hander with starter potential, but needs a lot of work to get there. Not a ton of upside, and no reason at present to have any hobby interest.
Kohl Franklin (Cubs, 1st Auto only, $171) - Backend starter or long man in the bullpen. Nothing in his arsenal is plus and his fastball typically sits in the low 90’s. Nothing to see here.
William Holmes (Angels, 1st Auto only, $120) - Two way player that doesn’t present a ton of upside on the hitter side of the coin. Likely will shift towards the pitching side of the coin long term even if he is only a spot starter or bullpen arm. The Angels are much more in need of pitching than hitting prospects. From a hobby perspective, I don’t see anything to be interested in.
Stevie Emanuels (Athletics, 1st Auto only, $125) - Doesn’t make it really onto any prospects lists anywhere for the Athletics. Taller pitcher that didn’t really start much until the shortened 2020 season, he didn’t seem to get more than 93 MPH on his heater, although he did rack up the strikeouts in 2020. There isn’t much here to interest me.
NOT QUITE THE MAIN ATTRACTION
There are plenty of prospects that have been in previous editions of Bowman products as well as the rookies that will hold some interest in this product. The prospects the hobby is mostly going to be focused on are Spencer Torkelson, Heston Kjerstad, Nick Gonzales, Garrett Mitchell, Robert Hassell, and Zac Veen for base autos. Bobby Witt, Jr, Jasson Dominguez, and Wander Franco will also be present with base cards, as they have been in every single Bowman release since their 1st Bowman cards. The rookies with autos (which historically are much tougher to hit than prospect autos) that the hobby will most likely be focused on are Alec Bohm, Cristian Pache, Dylan Carlson, Jo Adell, Joey Bart, Jake Cronenworth, Ke’Bryan Hayes, Ryan Mountcastle, Casey Mize, Nate Pearson, and Sixto Sanchez.
Final Thoughts
To answer my question I posed at the beginning of the preview - will the hype from 2020 Bowman Baseball mostly generated by Jasson Dominguez carry over to 2021 Bowman Baseball? In general, outside of the initial rush and the first few weeks of giddiness over the product, I don’t see it. I am underwhelmed with the checklist as a whole. I have singled out a couple of prospects that I would be interested in acquiring, but as a whole, the percentage of players that I feel will be hobby relevant by the time they are having big league impacts is a lot smaller than usual. Add in the fact that over half the players with their 1st Bowman cards are going to be of the autograph-only variety and my interest drops even further. Hopefully I am wrong and the lesson of 2016 Bowman Chrome holds true - a widely panned product turns out to have two of the best young superstars in the game today (Soto/Tatis). Only time will tell.