2021 Baseball America's Top Prospects features the future phenoms of baseball. Colton Cowser - OF (Orioles, 1st Base and Auto, 5/12) - The 5th overall pick has a double plus hit tool and plate approach that constantly delivers the barrel to the ball. The opening Bowman checklist of the season is a fairly strong one. Configuration: 10 cards per pack. Another righty prep arm that makes sense to start in Tier None until further notice. McCade Brown - RHP (Rockies, 1st Base and Auto, 79/94) - The Rockies third-round pick is the epitome of one of the major archetypes of the Tier 3 pitcher - upside with physical projection and potential plus pitches that should equal a mid-rotation starter or better but lacking command and control to harness those talents. Until he starts to implement plus game power, Cowser will be a Tier 2 player, but if he does so successfully, watch out. Arguably the sport most associated with the hobby, baseball has a rich history that stretches from tobacco cards to ultra-modern superfractors. However, given his defensive concerns and uncertainty, if he will be a 25+ home run hitter, I will put him at the top of Tier 2. Every week for 4 weeks will feature 21 top prospects! Bowman 1st Edition teased the hobby with a limited release one month ago but now collectors can finally dive into a full checklist of top prospects. The right-hander was a starter in college with a mid-90's fastball that can top out close to 99 and three secondaries with the slider being the best of them followed by a curveball. His command looked to be an issue as he regularly missed his spots in the videos I watched. Both pitches looked good in college. More than likely a table setting second division regular outcome. Configuration 21 cards per pack 1 sticker autograph card (unnumbered, # to 10, # to 5, # to 1) Specs Download Checklist (34.74 kB) . Lots of raw stuff with big spin to get excited about lead by a mid-90's fastball and a swing and miss slider when he has it working. A coin flip for me between the top of Tier 3 and the bottom half of Tier 2, but given the draft pedigree of the first round, I am going to lean Tier 2 here. He also throws a curveball and a changeup that I saw in his college tape but didn't see at all at the Complex. Bowman Draft Picks and Prospects Baseball Sports Trading Cards, 20 Size MLB Posters, 20 Size MLB Banners, 20 Size MLB Signs, 20 Size . . Rating: 7.7 (3 votes) Click here to Rate. The jury is out on Moller there, but if I was placing bets, I would guess he does stay there. Would like to see if that is a consistent thing and perhaps an adjustment can be made or if that was just the short video I saw. The second new parallel is exclusive to the Lite boxes and is the Black & White RayWave refractor. Jordan Lawlar - SS (Diamondbacks, 1st Base and Auto, 6/2) - The 6th overall pick in the draft had been at play for the top overall pick for quite some time. 2021. He'll also throw an average slider and changeup, but I rarely saw it in the starts I watched. In other words, there is a lot of work to be done with his secondaries. With more comfort throwing his changeup regularly and improved command and control, Petty could step up into the SP1 conversation. Connor Norby - 2B (Orioles, 1st Base and Auto, 41/43) - The Orioles second-round pick is your classic second base prototype player. 32 cards per pack. If he does that, he easily jumps into Tier 2. Marcelo Mayer - SS (Red Sox, 1st Base and Auto, 4/1) - The 4th overall pick in the draft, that spot was likely the floor for him as he was a popular pick for the top overall pick in many mock drafts. Given the injury situation, I'll slot him as a high-risk play at the bottom of Tier Two and see how he looks in 2023. Asia Edition Hobby box - one guaranteed auto with exclusive Asia refractors - these have typically been the same thing as the mojo refractors you find in retail Mega boxes of Bowman Baseball and Bowman Chrome. And then we came to find out that was because he had to go under the knife for Tommy John surgery. Above average to plus hit tool with a strong plate approach is brought down by the rest of his average-ish tools. That potentially becomes a problem with his biggest negative is his lack of power at the moment with bottom tier max velo numbers - not great when power is one of the bigger pre-requisites for first base. He regularly keeps it in the zone and is able to get plenty of swing and misses with it. Features a low to mid 90's fastball and a plus sweeping slider that play up due to his arm angle and height. He has a notorious hitch in his swing and regularly is mentioned in the same breath as Hunter Pence. A bullpen floor, but I think we also have a good likelihood that he ends up as that backend starter the Padres probably drafted him for. Plus mechanics from a 3/4 slot that is fluid and repeatable. A lot of strikeouts in college and in his brief minors exposure this year with both the knuckle curve and fastball. A back-end starter profile with the potential to get into that SP3 type role because Yankees have been a strong pitching dev org. I'll drop him into the top of Tier None for now. When it comes to prospect products, the 1st Bowman logo is all that and then some. Potential for being perennial All-Stars and award winners. Joe Rock - LHP (Rockies, 1st Base and Auto, 68/101) - The highest pick ever at Ohio University, the 6'6" lefty has some projection left as he barely tips the scales at 200 pounds. Carter Jensen - C (Royals, 1st Base and Auto, 78/112) - Another risky prep catcher profile and there are some that think Jensen may not stick there. Free shipping for many products! . An easy Tier None choice for now, but I can squint and see a potential mid-rotation, Tier 3 starting pitcher at some point in his future. Solid player, but no carrying tools. He's got an inverted front leg batting stance that just looks uncomfortable and I wonder over time if that has to be adjusted simply due to the wear and tear on catcher's knees and ankles. Left hander that is more bat than glove that could also play third base or possibly some outfield in the future, but average power tool likely keeps him more valuable at second base or perhaps center field. Evaluating The Best Prospects In 2021 Bowman Chrome Prospect rankings are based on scouting grades and narrative reports for each player. When I watch video of him, I see a professional baseball player all around. However, a groundball rate above 50% and what appears to be an average hit tool at the moment along with the risk of having to potentially slide him over to third base drags down the previously mentioned positives. I remember catching some of those early game highlights and seeing either a lot of out of the zone misses or getting hit hard when in the zone. Watching video and literally every swinging strikeout I see is either the slider or the fastball. Slotting him into the top half of Tier 3; if he does take that next step in his development, he becomes an easy player to jump into Tier 2 with that god-mode fastball. Cameron Cauley - SS (Rangers, 1st Base only, 73/230) - The prep shortstop out of Texas has all the tools to stick at short which is his main calling card. I considered putting him into Tier 3, but all of the negatives cap his ceiling for the moment, even if his floor seems somewhat safe. Literally making the hitters look foolish. Jackson Jobe - RHP (Tigers, 1st Base and Auto, 3/5) - The best prep pitcher in the draft and likely in the product given that Jack Leiter has been held out for 2022 Bowman. Mitch Bratt - LHP (Rangers, 1st Auto only, 134/287) - Prep left-hander originally from Canada but was pitching in the Georgia prep ranks. Ad Ad - content continues below Free shipping for many products! He'll be a Tier None player for me until we see which way his development path trends towards. I've seen some higher on Kudrna than Mozzicato and I wouldn't argue too much against it, but I'd rather bet on the lefty over the righty. He didn't get a hit, but he actually had the best contact of all of the A's facing Bachman with a sharply hit ground ball to the pull side that he was thrown out on. Dustin Saenz - LHP (Nationals, 1st Base only, 112/103) - The National's fourth-round pick out of Texas A&M didn't get drafted in the COVID-shortened 2020 draft. I really liked the looks I had and was tempted to push him up to Tier 3, but will let caution get the better part of valor here. International. When there are more than three or four guys to chase in a product, collectors tend to be relatively happy. A back-end starter with a history of arm injuries is an easy Tier None decision until we see his return to the mound. 2022 BOWMAN DRAFT Baseball Complete Paper Prospect Team Set - Texas Brand Bowman Draft Picks and Prospects 21 $519.99 Product Details Set Checklist Shop Boxes Product Details User Rating: Rating: 3.8 Rate This Product Putting the final bow on the main run of Topps' MLB prospect releases for the year, 2021 Bowman Draft Baseball focuses on top picks from the 2021 MLB Draft. Baseball Cards: The Curious Case of Andrew Painter's Bowman Chrome Other parallels: Refractor (499) Purple (250) Blue (150) Backend starter potential with perhaps some more when added mass leads to increased fastball velocity. He's an easy Tier None call for the moment but someone to keep an eye on because the raw stuff is there to become a lot more. Ryan Spikes - SS/2B (Rays, 1st Base and Auto, 100/104) - No elite tools but also no real skill deficiencies for the Georgia prep infielder. An underslot sign in round 1, him and Tommy Mace get off the Cleveland bus together and you imagine it's the Cavaliers and not the Guardians. Andrew Painter - RHP (Phillies, 1st Base and Auto, 13/25) - Came into the year as potentially the top prep arm for the 2021 draft and ended up as the third prep arm drafted which isn't that far of a fall. Backend starter with bullpen risk or follower type role lands him in Tier None. Easy Tier 1 player for me, but I will put him below Mayer in this tier since we didn't get to see Lawlar and he now has shoulder surgery plus the associated rehab and recovery that will slow down his timeline. Current Bid: USD 3.00 . 2018 through 2020 Bowman Draft easily provided 10 to 15 prospects to chase per release plus a variety of the standard fare lottery tickets inherent in a prospect product. An average hit tool and a willingness to take a walk in college, but showed increased strikeout rates in his short stint in the minors this year. I like the power swing from the left side and that gives him Tier 2 upside, although I strongly considered keeping him at the top of Tier 3 until we see some of that swing and miss lessen. The rarely seen, if ever, in baseball tidbit to Steinmetz is that he is an Orthodox Jew, so that will likely get some regular mentions as he works his way up the minors. Ky Bush - LHP (Angels, 1st Base and Auto, 45/73) - Angels 2nd Rounder out of St. Mary's College cuts an imposing figure on the mound at 6'5" and 250 pounds. Bottom half of Tier 3 guy for me but if he can't get to that 20 home run number, the hit tool gets even more pressure to keep him in Tier 3 and he could easily slide into Tier None. Tier None guy with the potential for Tier 3 if the Giants can get him right. On the other hand, the Angels need starting pitching in the worst way (spending every draft pick on a pitcher is certainly a mood) and I imagine they will give him every opportunity to see if he can stick in the rotation. I can squint and see it as well, but I am taking the easy way out and putting him in Tier None as a high-risk prep right-hander that needs to get an effective third pitch before climbing up the Tier rankings. Elite SP 1 pitchers (very rare). As it stands now, he doesn't have the profile to be more than a second-division regular. On the negative side, he may eventually move over to 3B but I think this is a lower outcome than other players given that same tag. 2023 Top 200 Draft Prospects 2023 Top 100 College Prospects . Will also throw an average changeup now that he's starting that shows nice arm-side fade when it's on. Changeup gets the most swing and miss and has noticeable run as well as fade. Yorke was ranked No. He tended to mostly throw this to his arm side and was inconsistent with location from what I saw. Which is great because there are a lot of them. I am making an exception because his fastball is seriously special. His third pitch is a changeup that is reportedly above average, but I wasn't able to find many looks at it. The situation is this: the 2021 Bowman's Best Baseball base set has its usual mix of veterans and rookies. February 2, 2023. Like Rutschman, Torkelson was also a number 1 draft pick. Prep catcher penalty plus hit tool concerns leads me to placing Moller in the middle of Tier 3. With full run, he could hit for a good average, get 20 home runs, and steal 20 bases. Izaac Pacheco - SS/3B (Tigers, 1st Base and Auto, 39/45) - The prep shortstop out of Texas was an overslot 2nd round draft pick of the Tigers and given his size and profile is highly likely to bump out to third base long term even though he played exclusively at shortstop in his Complex league season. No real reliever risk either. Profiles best at second base given his size and arm strength, but could play shortstop if needed. An inconsistent backend starter type with command and control issues that lead to bullpen risk is going to end up in Tier None almost every time. Saw quite a few Florida preps swinging and missing at both his fastball as well as the slider. High floor low ceiling guy with not a ton of raw stuff nor athleticism to get excited about. As an example, imagine if you were a big believer in Mike Trout before he took his first professional at-bat. Matheu Nelson - C (Reds, 1st Base and Auto, 35/57) - Nelson shot up draft boards in 2021 after a huge season at Florida State which led to his selection by the Reds in the Comp A round at 35th overall. Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz - RHP (Red Sox, 1st Base only, 105/426) - The prep right-hander out of Puerto Rico is a gangly 6'4" featuring a low to mid 90's fastball with a curveball with good spin as his main secondary pitch. Although Davis' numbers may not be mind blowing, he's only played in 167 games in his entire MiLB career. Anyways, mostly a back-end starter looks with some bullpen risk if he can't get the slider to be more consistent. Not a lot of video available, but what I did see was promising with a short and quick lofted power swing. Free shipping for many products! Given what I did find, he looks to throw both a four-seamer and a two-seamer in the low 90s with a nicely shaped slurve and a changeup. Follow our 2023 NFL Combine tracker, top performers, participants, live results and commentary. No standout tools and already older than his counterparts, he probably ends up as a strong side platoon or 4th outfielder type role. Currently, it looks like his personal approach is that during the Sabbath (sundown Friday to sundown Saturday), he will pitch, but has to be able to walk to the ballpark. Lacking the pedigree and huge upside, TJ pitchers are almost always going to end up in Tier None which is where I am putting Webb. The list below breaks down my top 10 current prospects and young players whose cards you should be looking out for: 1. Should be able to stick at the position given that arm strength along with good athleticism and size. Great for a later fantasy baseball pick and a nice real-life baseball roster piece. A pitchability righty with a bucket of average offerings starting with a low 90s fastball and a slider, curveball, and changeup as his secondaries. At the moment, high floor low ceiling defense-first player is what you're looking at and that will almost always be Tier None. Chad Patrick - RHP (Diamondbacks, 1st Base only, 107, NR) - I'm going to be honest here - I knew nothing about Chad Patrick before the draft, and at this point, I haven't been able to fill that gap with much. Top 10 MLB Prospects With Bowman Chrome Who Could Debut In 2022 With just two pitches and some injury history, the relief risk is real. This is purely a prospect product. The athletic Pennsylvania prep outfielder has a plethora of plus tools in power, fielding, and arm while he has double-plus speed. He doesn't profile as ever having more than average power. Another watchlist guy to see if that patience and power materialize to push him out of Tier None. I like this profile a lot for the hobby and I'm going to go with my gut and put him at the bottom half of Tier 2 even though my head tells me he is more of a top of Tier 3 player with the lack of walks and strikeout tendency. It also seemed like he was a bit over-matched at the complex level. Very athletic at 6'2" 190 with room to fill out. 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 Draft. 10 Best Wander Franco Rookie Cards To Buy Now - Gold Card Auctions My concern is that House could easily end up a sub-.250 hitter even if he does end up with 30+ bombs regularly, and that isn't in the elite category in today's game, let alone perennial all-star. Outside of the 1st Bowman prospects above, you will also get plenty of base and autos from non-1st Bowman prospects. Didn't pitch in the minors post-draft, so the only video is against weaker college teams. Also has a slider which I didn't see. No plus pitches, but throws four average to above average pitches that all work well with each other. An easy Tier None slotting for the Blue Jays 4th rounder. Tier 2 - Bats that may lack in a certain area such as top-end power, three true outcomes players, maybe great real life/fantasy players, but not hobby-elite, or tantalizing raw talents. Mid-90s fastball with three secondaries all average to above average in a slider, curveball, and changeup. Low 90's fastball with arm-side run that leads to uncomfortable at bats for left-handers. However he moves forward with that or without it, the missing ingredient is getting the hit tool up to the level of all his other tools, or close to it. Jeremy Woo May 26, 2020 Traditionally, we've waited until after the draft to take a hard look. Perhaps he works his way into a high leverage role and generates some value, but it's hard to get excited about a relief-only profile with no elite traits. Donta Williams - OF (Orioles, 1st Base only, 106/333) - The Orioles underslot fourth-round pick out of the University of Arizona projects to a second division outfielder or strong side platoon as a lefty bat. 15) and has him as the second-best defensive end behind only Texas Tech's Tyree Wilson. Luke Murphy - RHP (Angels, 1st Base and Auto, 110/NR) - Angels 4th round reliever out of Vanderbilt tore his UCL before getting to campus in the summer of 2018 and then got only a partial season when he came back in 2020 due to the pandemic. Will regularly throw all three of his secondaries with the slider and curveball being above average to plus offerings. Easy Tier None choice for me. Anthony Solometo - LHP (Pirates, 1st Auto only, 37/34) - Player comps are hard and often wrong which is why I try to stay away from them as much as possible. Given his top 10 draft pedigree and being a top 10 player in our Data Driven Top 500, I feel comfortable slotting Ford into my Tier 2. Top Baseball Draft Prospects | MLB.com For now, given he is a cold-arm prep righty without a ton of fanfare and very little information, the profile is extremely risky and someone I will drop into Tier None. 2021 Bowman Draft Baseball - Group Break Checklists A Tier 3 pitcher that could easily jump into Tier 2 with some consistency and any additional fastball velo bump. Top 10 MLB Prospects and Their Rookie Cards to Look Out For - ONE37pm With the inherent risk of prep righty profiles, he goes into the bucket of similar profiles in Tier None with a firm "watch list" designation. But like the rest of the guys with this profile, keep tabs on them. He has a four-pitch mix highlighted by a low to mid 90s fastball that plays up with the spin and vertical approach angle with a slider, curveball, and changeup making up the rest of his arsenal. Currently playing center field, scouts also think he could move to second base as well, which will increase his positional versatility. He is mostly viewed as a reliever and that limits his hobby interest to Tier None until further notice. 2021 Bowman Draft Baseball Hobby Jumbo Box | DA Card World Nicely balanced delivery that features a low 90's fastball and a biting 12/6 curveball. Plenty of pitchers, catchers, role players, hit tool only bats, defense-first players, etc. Click on a Card detail page to see historic prices and values for all different grades. An advanced arm that likely doesn't need a ton of changes to get up to the majors and be a competent innings eater mid-rotation/backend starter. Fastball lives in the low 90's with the slider in the mid-80's as his best secondary. Going to slot him at the bottom half of Tier 2 because of the ceiling, but wouldn't argue pushing him into Tier 3 given the risk of a mid to back end rotation arm. In 2021, Banks had 59 solo tackles, 69 assists, 128 total tackles, 4 pass deflections, 5.5 sacks, and 1 interception. Throw in the round 1 draft pedigree and the Cleveland secret sauce, I am going to slide him into the bottom half of Tier 2. He's a top Tier 3 guy that I am going to watch closely to see if he can develop the hit tool to match the power and vault into Tier 2. In general, Goodman would have at least a partial catcher penalty and a questionable contact ability, but the all important to the hobby plus power with a promising showing at the Complex will have me push Goodman up to the bottom half of Tier 3. He has all the tools to stick at shortstop which gives him a nice floor. Big time deceptive delivery from the left side with a big arm swing. Brewers dev org likely gets the most out of him, but at his height, a lot has to continue to go right and that has me sliding him into the top of Tier None instead of the bottom of Tier 3. A switch hitter that can steal a couple of bases and has more pop from the left side. Wes Kath - 3B (White Sox, 1st Base and Auto, 57/33) - The White Sox second-round pick out of the Arizona prep ranks was a shortstop in high school but has pushed out to third base in his first pass through pro ball. Watching a start of his in Low A and it was swing and miss after swing and miss on his fastball. Harry Ford - C (Mariners, 1st Base and Auto, 12/9) - The top prep catcher in the draft taken by the Mariners at ninth overall and signed for full slot value. I'll slide House into the bottom of Tier One and be cautious with him due to what I see as lower floor than other guys in this Tier, but his ceiling is undeniable. He easily ticks all the boxes and seems natural in whatever he does. He starts with an open-face stance and seemed to really sell out for power with a very unbalanced finish. 2021 Bowman - Prospects Baseball Checklist | Trading Card Database On with the show! Super Jumbo Hobby box - guarantees 5 autos and is roughly $600 pre-sale per box. Never going to steal bases is probably the biggest negative. What I did see in addition to the fastball and curveball was a pitching motion that almost looked like he was falling towards the first base side mid-arm swing which lead to the pitches all staying arm-side. Baseball's number two prospect hit a whopping .347 in 2021 and flashed his power ability as well with 13 long balls over 291 . Look for 1 autograph per box! Bowman Draft Picks and Prospects Baseball Sports Trading Cards, 2018 through 2020 Bowman Draft easily provided 10 to 15 prospects to chase per release plus a variety of the standard fare lottery tickets inherent in a prospect product. At worst, he is a utility player that is passive at the plate with disappointing bat speed. Ty Madden - RHP (Tigers, 1st Base only, 32/13) - The Tigers Comp A pick out of the University of Texas has the prototypical starting pitcher frame featuring a plus slider and an above-average fastball that he runs up into the high 90s. Changeup is his third pitch with above average potential, but hasn't thrown it much. You will find all the major prospects in the 150-card set, including Futures Game MVP Brennen Davis, Jasson Dominguez, Bobby Witt Jr. and Adley Rutschman. 2021 Bowman Draft Baseball Checklist Overview A total of 200 prospects make up the 2021 Bowman Draft Baseball base set.