2017 Bowman Chrome baseball will mark the popular prospect-oriented product’s return to the Topps stable when it arrives in late September. A final checklist is at the bottom of this story.
There will be two configurations to choose from: Hobby boxes will have 12 packs per box (6 per mini box) with five cards in each pack. Boxes will have two on-card autographs and two new inserts: Prospect Shimmer and two Arizona Fall League Chrome cards. HTA boxes will stick to the autographs-only format with three signed cards per one-box and nothing else. The HTA boxes will cost slightly more.
The base set will include veterans and top prospects currently in the minor leagues. Base cards will have Refractor parallels, including serial numbered Purple, Green, Blue, Gold, Orange (# to 25), Red (# to 5) and Superfractor (1/1) versions. A sequentially numbered card of Arizona Fall League MVP Willie Calhoun will also be issued.
Bowman Chrome Prospects will be found two per pack including several different Refractor parallels including Bowman 70th Logo, Orange (# to 25), Red (# to 5) and 1/1 Superfractors. Autographed versions of the Chrome Prospects and 2017 rookie cards will have Blue, Green, Gold, Orange (# to 25), Red (# to 5) and the 1/1 Superfractor versions.
Two new autograph subsets are Prime Chrome Signatures and Chrome Sensation Autographs. Prime Chrome cards will be horizontally oriented to showcase signatures of the game’s brightest prospects. Each will be numbered and 1/1 SuperFractors will be produced. Chrome Sensation will be focused on elite prospects with a “distinctive design” according to Topps. They’ll feature on-card autographs and be sequentially numbered with Orange (# to 25) and Superfractor parallels.
New insert cards will include Bowman Chrome Prospect Shimmer Parallels. Exclusive to hobby boxes, these will be a parallel of the Bowman Chrome Prospects featuring a purple shimmer chrome refractor. One will be included in each box. Green and Gold Shimmer Refractors will each be sequentially numbered with Orange parallels numbered to 25 and 1/1 Black versions considered the top hits.
2016 Arizona Fall League Fall Stars highlighting the game’s top performers and names, each with Orange and Superfractor versions. Autograph parallels will be randomly inserted. Bowman Scouts’ Updates will be centered on players who made waves within the prospecting community with their 2017 performances. Again, Orange and Superfractor versions will be in the mix as well as autograph parallels. Rookie Short Print Image Variations feature rookies with a thematic image variation.
Additional content will include “Refractors that Never Were.” These cards will feature past greats whose Bowman issues never included Bowman refractors including Derek Jeter. Numbered autograph parallels will be part of the concept. All-America Game Autographs feature some of baseball’s top high school age prospects.
Memorabilia cards in 2017 Bowman Chrome baseball will include new Chrome Autograph Relic Cards which feature autographs and jersey or bat memorabilia pieces. Look for Gold, Orange (# to 25) and Superfractor versions.
2016 AFL Fall Stars Relic Cards will have game-worn or used memorabilia pieces from the 2016 AFL Fall Stars Game in November 2016. Orange and Superfractor parallels as well as specially inserted autographed versions will be part of the content.
Release day for 2017 Bowman Chrome baseball is September 27. You can order by clicking here.