After hibernating from 1956-1988, the Bowman brand made its return just in time for the chaos that was the late 80s and early 90s baseball card market.
Has it really been 30 years?
2019 Bowman Baseball marks the anniversary with some throwback cards and even some buyback autographs of guys who appeared on that oversized 1989 set. Scheduled for release April 17, Bowman is again focused on prospects but mixes in rookies and veterans, too.
A checklist is below.
2019 Bowman Baseball Basics
Topps says 2019 Bowman will again come to two main forms: Hobby boxes that will contain 24 packs of ten cards (five base and five prospects) and 12-count Jumbo boxes that will have 32 cards in each pack with a 16/16 mix. Hobby boxes promise one autograph while Jumbos will carry three.
2019 Bowman Base Set and Inserts
Featuring veterans and rookies, the base set will also have seven parallels versions including Orange, which won’t be in blaster boxes or other retail packs.
Inserts will include Ready for the Show, a new set that features 20 products “who are MLB ready” according to Topps. There will be five parallels including the Hobby-exclusive Orange versions. Topps will salute that 1989 Bowman set with a 30th anniversary insert set that’ll be done in the same design as the original and include seven parallels. Since the 1989 set was oversized, we assume the 2019 version will be done in a smaller style.
Paper Prospects will have eight parallels to chase. Again, the Orange versions are hobby only. Chrome Prospects will boast 17 different parallels including a new Speckle Refractor version.
The Bowman Scouts Top 100 set returns (five parallels) along with Rookie of the Year Favorites (five); Talent Pipeline (five) and Sterling Continuity (3).
Autographs
The Bowman Chrome Prospects are always the most sought after cards in boxes and they’ll be back with 13 different parallels including Speckle Refractors. Chrome Rookie autos will have seven parallels.
Among the signers: Eloy Jimenez, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Wander Franco, Marco Luciano, Joey Bart, Seuly Matias, Ronny Mauricio and Julio Pablo Martinez, among others.
Rookie of the Year Favorites will by hobby only and feature autographs from some of the top players who will be eligible for the award in 2019 (three parallels for each). Look for autographed 1989 Bowman Buybacks, Dual Bowman Prospects (with 1/1 Superfractors), All American Game and Sterling Continuity to provide autographed cards as well.
One major hit hidden inside 2019 Bowman will be the Ultimate Autograph book card that will hold 24 autographs on six panels.
And…a late addition: Topps has created a Bryce Harper Phillies short print base card that shares #3 on the checklist.
Hobby boxes are available on eBay at around $130 with Jumbos higher.
You can see cards as they are pulled and listed on eBay here and see the current most watched auctions below.
2019 Bowman Baseball Checklist