Forget Rookie of the Year..Ryan Braun might be making a late bid for NL MVP. He's the latest addition to the Topps' Finest Rookie Redemption roster.
Update: Upper Deck releases final SPx rookie.
Topps announced Monday the player redeemable for the 2007 Finest Baseball Rookie Card Redemption # 6 is Milwaukee Brewers' third baseman Ryan Braun.
The Brewers' young third baseman belted his 14th home run of the season Monday night and seventh in his last nine games. He's driven in 38 runs in just 176 at-bats since being recalled from the minors in late spring.
Braun joins six other rookies announced thus far in the 10-card set Each Master Box of Topps Finest includes one Rookie Redemption. The cards will be printed and shipped to collectors after the redemption close date (8/15/07).
Thus far, the set includes:
Hideki Okajima, Pitcher, Boston Red Sox
Elijah Dukes, Outfielder, Tampa Devil Rays
Akinori Iwamura, Third Base, Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Tim Lincecum, Pitcher, San Francisco Giants
Daisuke Matsuzaka, Pitcher, Boston Red Sox
Ryan Braun, Third Base, Milwaukee Brewers
Meanwhile, Houston Astros slugger Hunter Pence bats clean up for Upper Deck and its SPX Baseball mystery rookie redemption card program. Pence, the final rookie to be unveiled, will be card #137. Each SPX Baseball mystery rookie redemption card will be autographed.
Boston Red Sox ace Daisuke Matsuzaka was the seventh player to be unveiled .
Upper Deck says it's "working tirelessly" to acquire an autograph deal with Matsuzaka. If an agreement is not reached before production begins each redemption card will be replaced with a rookie triple jersey memorabilia card featuring the star pitcher.
Tim Lincecum, Phillip Hughes, Mark Reynolds, Homer Bailey, Kevin Slowey, Matsuzaka, Braun and Pence make up the mystery rookie redemption set.
