2016 Bowman Draft Baseball - An Overall Dissapointment

I took a moment over the past week to review some of my old recommendations. After reviewing 2016 Bowman Draft, I can honestly say this draft class was not good at all and could be impacting the market. With so many nonperforming prospects in this draft, the overall supply of the talent in the minors is now weaker and could be causing higher prices. Don't get me wrong there are some good players in this draft class (Lux, Alonso) but there is not much to look at overall. Most of the players drafted should be close to the majors and have not developed as expected.

2019 Bowman Draft Baseball - Early Pricing Trends

Hello all. Bowman Draft has been out for ten days and I have taken a look at the prices. No big surprises but there is some value out there. Please note I am only looking at the prices for base autographs. Lastly, I only took a look at the prospects I think you should keep an eye on. Thanks again for all the support and reach out to me with questions. Spend wisely.

Andre Lipcius - Detroit Tigers 2B/3B - Around $5-$10 bucks. Not bad and not a surprise.

Adley Rutschman - Baltimore Orioles C - High as expected. Around $200 or above for base.

Andrew Vaughn - Chicago White Sox 1B - High as expected. Around $160 for base.

Brett Baty - New York Mets 3B - Hmm around $75 bucks right now. Nope.

Brennan Malone - Arizona Diamondbacks P - Around $10 bucks. Not bad. See if you can get lower than that. 

CJ Abrams - San Diego Padres SS - High priced as expected.

Corbin Carroll - Arizona Diamondbacks OF - Base auto is around $40. I would go no higher than $50.

Dasan Brown - Toronto Blue Jays OF - Affordable. Prices between $10-$20.

Daniel Espino - Cleveland Indians P - Around $10. I would go no higher than that.

Gunnar Henderson - Baltimore Orioles SS - Around $15 bucks. Not bad.

Grant McCray - San Francisco Giants - Affordable (Around $10) but a ton of refractors are on the market vs base.

Hunter Bishop - San Francisco Giants OF- High priced. Over $60.

Jamari Baylor - Philadelphia Phillies SS - Around $10-$15. Not bad but the power potential is a major concern.

Joshua Mears - San Diego Padres OF - Can be yours for under $20. Not bad.

Josh Smith - New York Yankees SS - Under $20 but I would lay off the Yankees right now. The team is going for it and all prospects are available. (Except Jasson Dominguez!)

Jared Triolo - Pittsburgh Pirates 3B/SS - Under $10 and will be 22 when the season starts. Power potential is there.

Keoni Cavaco - Minnesota Twins SS -Hmm. Selling for around $40. I'm surprised. Help me out on this one readers.

Matthew Lugo - Boston Red Sox SS - A ton of redemption cards and is it possible he only signed refractors? Help me out on this one. 

Nick Lodolo - Cincinnati Reds P - Around $40. The price has to be related to being a top ten pick.

Quinn Priester - Pittsburgh Pirates P - Around $10. A good price for a pitcher. See if you can get under that.

Riley Greene - Detroit Tigers OF - High priced. Over $100.

Rece Hinds - Cincinnati Reds 3B - Around $20. Good price for him but it comes with risk.

Sammy Siani - Pittsburgh Pirates OF - Around $10. Not bad. The power is not there right now.

Tyler Callihan - Cincinnati Reds OF - Around $10-$20. I like the price.

2019 Bowman Draft Baseball - Complete Prospect Analysis

Hello all. I know its has been a while since my last post but thanks for hanging in there with me. My review of the 2019 Bowman Draft Baseball checklist is complete and overall I think its a strong product. Overall high school arms were very weak in this class. In addition, teams selected a ton of college talent. The one thing that concerns me about a college prospect is will they be able to move quickly and their age. How much upside is still there? Remember these are my opinions so if you disagree that is OK. Go with your instincts. Please see the review below and spread the word. Links to EBay have also been provided. Thank you for your patience and I promise more posts are coming soon.

Antoine Kelly - Milwaukee Brewers P - Pass

Andre Lipcius - Detroit Tigers 2B/3B - A little older but someone I will keep and eye on.

Alek Manoah - Toronto Blue Jays P - Pass

Alec Marsh - Kansas City Royals P - Pass

Adley Rutschman - Baltimore Orioles C - He's the No 1 pick. Prices will be high. Too high for me to recommend.

Aaron Schunk - Colorado Rockies 3B - Pass

Andrew Vaughn - Chicago White Sox 1B - Love him. Has power and can make contact. We should see him in the majors this season. Prices will be insane but could be worth it.

Brett Baty - New York Mets 3B - I like the overall numbers even though the strikeouts are high.

He is someone to keep an eye on. Watch.

Brennan Malone - Arizona Diamondbacks P - Watch. Small sample size.

Brady McConnell - Kansas City Royals SS - Pass. Too old.

Beau Philip - Atlanta Braves SS - Pass. Too old.

Bryson Stott - Philadelphia Phillies SS - Pass. Too old.

Braden Shewmake - Atlanta Braves SS - Pass. Too old.

Blake Walston - Arizona Diamondbacks P  - Pass

Brandon Williamson - Seattle Mariners P - Pass

CJ Abrams - San Diego Padres SS - A top pick who is good but will be high priced.

Corbin Carroll - Arizona Diamondbacks OF - Numbers are not bad. Watch.

Cameron Cannon - Boston Red Sox 2B/SS - Pass. Too old.

Chase Strumpf - Chicago Cubs 2B - Too old.

Dasan Brown - Toronto Blue Jays OF - Watch. Small sample size and is only 18.

Daniel Espino - Cleveland Indians P - Watch. Young arm.

Dominic Fletcher - Arizona Diamondbacks OF - Pass. Too old.

Drey Jameson - Arizona Diamondbacks P - Pass

Davis Wendzel - Texas Rangers 3B - Pass. Too old.

Ethan Small - Milwaukee Brewers P - Pass.

Gunnar Henderson - Baltimore Orioles SS - Watch. Young with small sample size.

Greg Jones - Tampa Bay Rays SS - Pass.

George Kirby - Seattle Mariners P - Pass.

Grant McCray - San Francisco Giants - Watch. Can he develop power?

Hunter Bishop - San Francisco Giants OF- Love him. Another top pick that will be high priced. Its the new normal now with cards.

Isaiah Campbell - Seattle Mariners P - Pass.

Jamari Baylor - Philadelphia Phillies SS - High upside with no stats but I am interested.

John Doxakis - Tampa Bay Rays P - Pass.

Josh Jung - Texas Rangers 3B - Pass for me. Older and I am not sure he will move quickly.

J.J. Bleday - Miami Marlins OF - Great addition to an improved system but I will pass. Older and will be high priced. 

JJ Goss - Tampa Bay Rays P - Pass.

Jack Kochanowicz - Los Angeles Angels P - Pass.

Jimmy Lewis - Los Angeles Dodgers - Pass.

Joshua Mears - San Diego Padres OF - Watch. I want to see how he plays in a full season.

Josh Smith - New York Yankees SS - If you think he can move fast by all means go for it. 

Jake Sanford - New York Yankees OF - Pass. Too old and too many strikeouts.

Jared Triolo - Pittsburgh Pirates 3B/SS - Almost a pass but I have decided to watch. I wonder what the price will be.

Josh Wolf - New York Mets P - Pass.

Keoni Cavaco - Minnesota Twins SS - Watch. Very small sample size.

Kody Hoese - Los Angeles Dodgers SS - Pass. Too old.

Kameron Misner - Miami Marlins OF - Pass.

Kyren Paris - Los Angeles Angels SS - Pass.

Kyle Stowers - Baltimore Orioles OF - Pass.

Kendall Williams - Toronto Blue Jays P - Pass.

Logan Davidson - Oakland Athletics SS - Pass.

Logan Driscoll - San Diego Padres OF - Pass.

Logan Wyatt - San Francisco Giants 1B - Pass.

Michael Busch - Los Angeles Dodgers 2B - Pass.

Matt Canterino - Minnesota Twins P - Pass.

Matt Gorski - Pittsburgh Pirates OF - Pass.

Matthew Lugo - Boston Red Sox SS - Looks to have no power but is young. Still a pass for me.

Michael Toglia - Colorado Rockies P - Pass.

Matthew Thompson Chicago White Sox P - Pass.

Matt Wallner - Minnesota Twins OF - Pass.

Nick Lodolo - Cincinnati Reds P - Wow a pitcher that I will not pass on. I only say that because Derek Johnson works for the Reds now. Hopefully prices are reasonable.

Nasim Nunez - Miami Marlins SS - Pass. Seems to have no power.

Nick Quintana - Detroit Tigers - Pass.

Noah Song - Boston Red Sox P - Pass.

Peyton Burdick - Miami Marlins OF - Monster numbers for an older prospect. Not sure anyone will care. Pass.

Quinn Priester - Pittsburgh Pirates P - Hmmm. Watch. Seems to have good stuff.

Riley Greene - Detroit Tigers OF - Watch. Cost will be high due to being selected 5th overall but is being pushed aggressively by management.

Ryan Garcia - Texas Rangers P - Pass.

Rece Hinds - Cincinnati Reds 3B - No sample size but has insane power. I am interested.

Ryan Jensen - Chicago Cubs P - Pass.

Ryne Nelson - Arizona Diamondbacks P - Pass.

Ryan Zeferjahn - Boston Red Sox P - Pass.

Seth Johnson - Tampa Bay Rays P - Pass.

Shea Langeliers - Atlanta Braves C - Not a bad prospect but I will pass.

Sammy Siani - Pittsburgh Pirates OF - I will keep an eye on him. Watch.

Spencer Steer - Minnesota Twins Utility - Pass.

Tyler Baum - Oakland Athletics P - Pass.

Tyler Callihan - Cincinnati Reds OF - I am interested. Reds seem to be a strong team break candidate.

Tommy Henry - Arizona Diamondbacks P - Pass.

T.J. Sikkema - New York Yankees P - Pass.

Will Wilson - Los Angeles Angels OF - Pass.

Zack Thompson - St. Louis Cardinals P - Pass.

2019 Bowman Chrome Baseball - Complete Prospect Analysis

2019 Bowman Chrome is scheduled to be released on September 18, 2019. After review, the checklist is not very strong but there are some prospects that I like. Please see my thoughts below. If a player on the checklist was not mentioned it means I will not be buying due to the reasons listed below. In addition, keep in mind a ton of these players are very young so you are really buying potential. It might be worth it to watch how they develop and then buy later. Contact me on Twitter with any questions, disagreements or concerns.

Too old (over age 23)
Too many strikeouts (K% over 25%)
A pitcher with a bad K/9 rate
A pitcher with a bad BB/9 rate

Link to Full Checklist (Click on Set Checklist)

Seth Beer - Arizona Diamondbacks OF - Nice player. A little older but I suspect his price will be high as he was a first round pick.

Shervyen Newton - New York Mets SS - Way too many strikeouts but maybe is worth an investment for the right price. You would be buying upside.

Terrin Vavra - Colorado Rockies 2B - Not bad but I still stay away from Rockies prospects.

Owen Miller - San Diego Padres 2B - Buy. Impressive.

Mike Siani - Cincinnati Reds OF - No power right now but I see potential. Would buy if under $10. 

Deivi Garcia -New York Yankees P - Only mentioning him as he will be a high end card. Not a buy for me. The Yankees develop pitchers well though.

Alejandro Kirk - Toronto Blue Jays C - Not bad for a catcher. Worth a bargain bin purchase only.

The prospects below are very young and are long term hold. I would be shocked if a number of these are high end but we shall see.

Noelvi Marte - Seattle Mariners SS -  Rookie ball stats are great. Worth a buy and hold.

Orelvis Martinez - Toronto Blue Jays 3B/SS - Rookie ball stats are great. Worth a buy and hold. 

Brayan Rocchio - Cleveland Indians SS - Need more pop. Only 18.

Alexander Canario - San Francisco Giants - I feel this prospect will be high end. Only 19 and has great numbers.

Jonathan Ornelas - Texas Rangers SS - Only 19. I need to see more power.

Wenceel Perez - Detroit Tigers SS -  Only 19. I need to see more power.

Leonardo Jimenez - Toronto Blue Jays 2B -  Only 19. I need to see more power.

Jose Dever - Miami Marlins SS -   Only 19. I need to see more power.

Israel Pineda - Washington Nationals C -  Only 19. I need to see more power.

Freudis Nova - Houston Astros SS - Only 19. I need to see more power.

Danny Diaz - Boston Red Sox 3B - Only 18. I need to see more power.

Miguel Hiraldo - Toronto Blue Jays SS - Rookie ball stats are great. Worth a buy and hold.  

Stats Don't Lie - August 2019 MLB Prospect Report

The month of August is here are I have listed some important stats to take note of. For this report I wanted to talk about the lesser know prospects that are playing well.

Bo Naylor - Cleveland Indians - Very impressive stat line. Shows power and speed and is only 19. K rate is 23.20% which is OK for now. For sure a buy. 

Canaan Smith- New York Yankees - Smith is having a great season at the A ball level. A buy once he signs a Bowman Chrome Auto. 37 XBH.

Mark Vientos - New York Mets - Very good numbers and showing good power with a 0.157 ISO. For him to be 19 his auto price is undervalued. Ronny Maurico's are overvalued in my opinion.

Miguel Yajure - New York Yankees - A pitcher that does not have an auto but is putting up good numbers this year across the board.

Other pitchers to note are Sixto Sanchez, Blayne Enlow and Simon Woods Richardson. All are having good seasons.

XBH - Extra Base Hits
ISO - Isolated Power

Recap of the National Sports Collectors Convention

I was able to attend the National Sports Collectors Convention on Saturday and I found some interesting things as I looked at all the tables. If you have not been to the show before I recommend going. Its a cool event and the whole industry is in the building. Here are some key takeaways. 

1. The prospects I saw the most across the tables were: 

Wander Franco (Saw Tons) 

Alec Bohm

Nolan Gorman

Marco Luciano 

Bo Bichette 

Kristian Robinson

Tons of Christian Yelich and Ronald Acuna. Not a ton of Gavin Lux, Alek Thomas etc. Only pitcher I saw was Casey Mize. 

Takeaway: People are starting hold prospects instead of sell them after breaks. The old days are over. An argument against this statement may be because the main goal of the show is to make money but I thought it was interesting. Making money on current MLB stars seems to be a new trend as well. I saw a few people buying a ton of Acuna. 

2. PSA vs BGS. The tide has turned. I saw way more PSA graded prospects than BGS graded prospects. PSA seems to be hotter now and sells for a little more than BGS graded cards. BGS graded cards are still good but PSA is the hotter slab right now despite all the issues with PWCC. 

Takeaway: PSA graded cards are the hot ticket but only buy PSA 10 for a prospect. 

3. Mike Trout is the new long term investment. I saw a few tables with his Topps Update PSA 10. These cards were selling for 1K easy. He is easily the safest investment right now. 

Takeaway: If you can afford it. I would buy one and lock it up. Maybe look into his Bowman Sterling Rookie. The print run is lower.

Hope this helps. The market has changed for sure. Be smart. 

Prepare Now for 2019 Bowman Draft

I want to share with the readers the importance of preparing for the release of 2019 Bowman Draft. My guess is Adley Rutschman will be in the product and Bobby Witt Jr will be in 2020 Bowman. Overall as prices rise it might be a good time to put some dollars away as we get closer to the release date. I am aware that Bowman Chrome comes out in September prior to Bowman Draft but I think this draft class will produce a hotter product to invest in.

Stats Don't Lie - June 2019 MLB Prospect Report

The month of June is coming to an end and here are some important stats to take note of. One thing I noticed is most of these prospects are selling for big money. It might be time to invest in non auto's if the prices are out of reach.

Wander Franco - 7% Strikeout Rate - He's number one for a reason.

Jo Adell - 1.046 OPS - Only 100 or so plate appearances but he has insane talent.

Jeter Downs - 0.210 ISO - Underrated prospect in the Dodgers system. Also still affordable.

Mickey Moniak - 31 XBH - He's only 21 and is hitting for more power. Don't give up on him yet.

Conner Capel - 0.189 ISO - Conner was drafted by the Indians but is now with the Cardinals. He is showing some power and sells for around $10.

XBH - Extra Base Hits
ISO - Isolated Power
OPS - On-Base Plus Slugging

Los Angeles Dodgers RHP Josiah Gray - Invest Now

One affordable pitching prospect that is a good deal right now is Josiah Gray. He was originally drafted by the Reds and was traded to the Dodgers last season in the Yasiel Puig trade. His auto's are around $10-15. I think the current price is a huge bargain considering the way prices for prospects have exploded over the past few months. The Dodgers are so good developing talent and I think its a good entry point for a pitcher.

New York Mets Superstar Pete Alonso - 2016 Bowman Chrome Rewind

In 2016 when I reviewed 2016 Bowman I recommended you buy Pete Alonso. The price was around $10-15 at the time. You can say this is a humble brag but please spread the word on what this site is about. It's free to look!

Scouting MLB Prospects in Triple A

The major league baseball being juiced may not be breaking news for most fans but the change has made the ability to scout prospects difficult. Triple A teams have starting using the ball this season and now home run totals have spiked. With these changes I suggest taking Double A stats more seriously when it comes to measuring power potential as home runs in the majors and Triple A have been devalued.

Chicago White Sox 2B Nick Madrigal - Spray Chart Analysis

Nick Madrigal was recently promoted to Double AA Birmingham and it seems he has bounced back from the wrist injury he suffered his last year in college. Nick did not hit for much power in his pro debut and I think this was due to the injury. As you can see he was not able to pull the ball to left field his first year. In 2019 he has done what the White Sox have asked and is pulling the ball to left field. We all know that Nick is an excellent contact hitter. His ISO this year is only .105 but for some reason I think he will add some power to his game as he regains strength in his wrist. 

*Spray charts were used from Baseball Savant.

Nick Madrigal's 2018 Spray Chart 

Madrigal showed little to no power in his first season and only hit to the opposite field.

  

Nick Madrigal's 2019 Spray Chart

Madrigal is finally pulling the ball to left field and showing a little more extra base hit power.

Adapt or Die - MLB Prospecting Tactics

At Prospects for Cash, it is always a good thing to look at the state of prospecting and the overall health of the market. Tactics change all the time and philosophies evolve. It is clear that the market is trending up. I explain this in my previous article.

Due to the changes, here are a few thoughts on how I feel about prospecting as we move forward in 2019.

1.Group Breaks and Case Breaks - It may be a good time to consider participating in these breaks as buying a slot on the front end for a prospect could mean big money on the back end as prices rise.  

2. Timing - I am still sticking to the 20% rule. If I can make a profit I am OK moving on. Timing is everything now. Your choice will all depend on your investment. You can still make money on a player before they make the Majors.

3. Player Positions - Positions still matter but not as much anymore. We know the risks with pitchers but I used to avoid buying catchers or second baseman. Catchers do take time to develop but lately there have been good ones to invest in. If a player can play the price will show it.

4. Age - Age still matters. A 19 yr old prospect still has the room for potential while a 24 year old prospect has reached his ceiling.

5. Power and Contact - It seems with the new baseballs flying out the park the power numbers are tricky to analyze. Contact is still king. Walk rates matter. 

6. State of the Hobby - Overall the hobby is heating up and prospecting will continue to pick up steam. Keep an eye on the trends. Or just follow me for the best info on the web. Could supply increase? Is a correction in play down the line. Stay tuned.

7. Buying Retail over Hobby - Another emerging subject. Buying retail blaster boxes of Bowman is a good play. I am still surprised boxes sell for $20.You could easily resale for double the price! The tough part is that you have to really know when they hit your local stores. People know the vendors so sometimes the boxes never hit the shelves.

Los Angeles Angels OF Jordyn Adams - MLB Prospect Breakdown

One prospect on my radar and selling for a good price is Jordyn Adams. As of the writing of this article, I have seen prices as low as $20 for a base autograph. My guess is this is due to his slow start. In my opinion, I would not worry about the numbers right now. Investing in his Bowman Chrome auto will be a long term hold. Two sport athletes out of high school take time to adjust to pro ball. He is walking 10.6% of the time and his K rate is around 26.7%. The kid is talented with upside.

Stats's Don't Lie - May 2019 MLB Prospect Report

Two months of the season is almost complete and I think its a good opportunity to look at some of the numbers. Who is performing at an elite level? Who's not? Check out some of the numbers below. Please note these numbers were recorded through the games played as of May 19th and were taken from Fangraphs.

Hitters

Tyler Freeman - Cleveland Indians - 0.197 ISO - One of my favorite hitters. The question is can he hit more home runs.

LoLo Sanchez - Pittsburgh Pirates - 12.20% K rate. He also has 16 extra base hits but is repeating a level so this is not a big surprise.

Pavin Smith - Arizona Diamondbacks - 13.50% walk rate. Smith already has 4 home runs on the year. Maybe he is tapping into his power finally. I also love the on base percentage (.333) despite the batting average.

Alec Bohm - Philadelphia Phillies - 21 extra base hits. He is finally getting it going.

Nick Allen - Oakland Athletics - 0.186 ISO. Nick has 14 doubles and 3 triples but I am not sure if that is sustainable but his auto sells for a bargain.

Pitchers

Casey Mize - Detroit Tigers - 0.89 BB/9 and 2.39 FIP. Casey is the real deal.

Brady Singer - Kansas City Royals - 8.86 K/9. Not a bad start and still an affordable buy.

Grayson Rodriguez - Baltimore Orioles - 13.65 K/9. His cards are heating up but you may still find bargains at the card shows.

Hitters I'm Worried About

Austin Beck - Oakland Athletics - 39.20% K rate. Not good.

Khalil Lee - Kansas City Royals - 0.115 ISO. I would like to see more power. The walk rate is good so I am not too worried.

Brandon Marsh - Los Angeles Angles - 29.90% K rate. The swing and miss issues have to improve.

Ronny Mauricio - New York Mets  - 1 Home Run. He is only 18 but I wonder if he can develop power in the future. Still early.

2019 Bowman Baseball - Price Trend Analysis

2019 Bowman Baseball has been out for a week. Overall the prices are insane. Even prospects with a small sample size or none at all are selling for big amounts. Check out the recap below. I doubt prices will come down but another review will be done in a few weeks. Please note my review is based on base auto prices sold on Ebay via auction.

Andrew Knizner - St. Louis Cardinals C - Selling for about $10-15. Worth a buy.

Blaze Alexander - Arizona Diamondbacks 2b - Selling for around $25. Too high at the moment for me.

Brewer Hicklen - Kansas City Royals OF - Selling between $5-10. Worth a buy and is a bargain.

Cal Mitchell - Pittsburgh Pirates OF - Short printed? Prices are around $30. I will monitor.

Chad Spanberger - Toronto Blue Jays 1b - Selling for around $5-15. I would say a bargain bin purchase is in play.

Cristian Santana - Los Angeles Dodgers 1b/3b - Selling for around $25-$30. As expected.

Diego Cartaya - Los Angeles Dodgers C - Selling for around $50. Not bad for someone who has not played yet.

Dom Thompson-Williams - New York Yankees OF - Selling for $5-$10. Dom is in the Seattle farm system so his card is worth a buy if selling for single digits.

Elehuris Montero - St. Louis Cardinals 3b - Selling for around $40. I am surprised it is not selling for more.

Esteury Ruiz - San Diego Padres 2b - Selling for around $20. Not a bad price.

Gabriel Cancel - Kansas City Royals 2b - Selling for around $10. I would try to buy at around $5.

Julio Rodriguez - Seattle Mariners OF - Selling for $140. I'm out.

Miguel Amaya - Chicago Cubs C - Selling for around $40. Not a big surprise here.

Mateo Gil - St. Louis Cardinals SS - Selling for $5 to $15 but has not played much. Upside buy for me.

Marco Luciano - San Francisco Giants -Selling for $150. I'm out.

Matt Vierling - Philadelphia Phillies OF - Selling for around $15. I need the price to come down.

Nate Lowe - Tampa Bay Rays 1b - Selling for around $20 but he is playing well so the price is legit.

Ronny Mauricio - New York Mets SS -  Selling for over $100. I'm out

Telmito Agustin - Washington Nationals OF - Bargain bin price but is 22 and not much upside is left. Maybe buy one.

Tirso Ornelas - San Diego Padres OF - Selling for $40. Good prospect. Not surprised.

Victor Mesa Jr. - Miami Marlins OF - See below.

Victor Victor Mesa - Miami Marlins OF - Both are selling for close to $100. I'll pass.

Are We In A Baseball Card Bull Market?

The mission of this site is to give readers the best analysis on baseball prospects and the Bowman baseball card market. Occasionally the Majors are discussed but I prefer to keep my focus on the future of the game. It is also my job to inform readers of potential trends and pitfalls. Bowman baseball autograph card prices have spiked since the release of 2018 Bowman Draft. Prospects who have not taken a swing in the minors or past rookie ball are selling for big profits. I have seen this trend emerge not just in baseball but in the entire card market. A bull market is forming (or has already started) and the potential of a bubble forming should be noted. My concern is due to the spike in demand the chance of supply increasing becomes more likely. One positive is the Bowman autograph is held in high regard due to having an on-card signatures and history. Maybe buying more color will be a good hedge if supply increases but that has yet to be determined. In the future months and possibly years, timing will be key as you are prospecting. I wanted to give readers a heads up as the market seems to be changing. In addition, I have also provided some links with good information. Thanks for reading and a special thanks to Brandon for motivating me to write about this.
 
Bull Market Definition via Investopedia

Gary Vaynerchuck Predicts the Sports Card Bull Market

Starts at the 1:30 min mark and ends around to about the 6 minute mark. I also read he will be attending the National Convention which will only increase demand as he has a ton of followers.

Recommended Reading

The Great Baseball Card Bubble - Slate Magazine
Why Your Sports Cards from the Early 90s Are Worthless - Cardboard Connection

Will history repeat itself? If you agree or disagree, I want to hear from you. Feel free to email or contact me on Twitter.

2019 Bowman Baseball - Complete Analysis of Every Prospect

2019 Bowman Baseball's release is right around the corner and I have taken a look at the list. Overall there were not many pitchers I liked and there were a few position players that are very good buys. If you have any questions leave a comment and I will answer. Thanks for reading!
 
Andrew Bechtold - Minnesota Twins 3B - K rate is above 25%. Pass.

Aaron Civale - Cleveland Indians P - Pass. K/9 too low.

Andrew Knizner - St. Louis Cardinals C - Older player with a little pop. Will be worth the buy if in the $5-10 range.

Blaze Alexander - Arizona Diamondbacks 2B - Cool name and has a little pop. Worth a buy if the price is not too crazy.

Brock Burke - Tampa Bay Ray P - Nice K/9 rate but I will pass.

Brock Deatherage - Detroit Tigers OF - Pass. Too many strikeouts.

Brewer Hicklen - Kansas City Royals OF - Not a bad player. Need to see the Ks come down. A buy for me.

Brady Singer - Kansas City Royals P - Pass. Not enough date to evaluate.

Conner Capel - Cleveland Indians OF - Pass

Casey Golden - Colorado Rockies OF- Pass too many K's.

Casey Mize - Detroit Tigers P - Pass. Too risky and the cost will be too high.

Cal Mitchell - Pittsburgh Pirates OF - Nice player. A buy for me but I need to see more power.

Chad Spanberger - Toronto Blue Jays 1B - Great power bat. Would buy if a bargain.

Cristian Santana - Los Angeles Dodgers 1B/3B - Buy. Look at the stats and see for yourself.

Derian Cruz - Atlanta Braves 2B - Pass. No pop.

Diego Cartaya - Los Angeles Dodgers C - No stats on file. Pass for now.

Dean Kremer - Baltimore Orioles P - Pass. Back end starter.

Dom Thompson-Williams - New York Yankees OF - In Seattle now but would buy if a bargain.

Edward Cabrera - Miami Marlins P - Pass

Eloy Jimenez - Chicago White Sox - Pass. Second Auto.

Elehuris Montero - St. Louis Cardinals 3B - Buy. Nice player.

Eli Morgan - Cleveland Indians P - Pass

Esteury Ruiz - San Diego Padres 2B - Buy. Nice pop.

Gabriel Cancel - Kansas City Royals 2B - Buy if a bargain.

Genesis Cabrera - St. Louis Cardinals P - Pass

Isranel Wilson - Atlanta Braves OF - Pass

Joey Bart - San Francisco Giants C - Love him but the cost will be too high for me.

Jonathan Hernandez - Texas Rangers P - Pass. Too many walks.

Julio Pablo Martinez - Texas Rangers - Pass

Julio Rodriguez - Seattle Mariners OF - Buy. Young but has big time talent.

Jose Suarez - Los Angeles Angels P - Someone to watch. Pass for now.

Keegan Thompson - Chicago Cubs P - Pass

Lyon Richardson - Cincinnati Reds P - Pass for now. Only 19.

Logan Webb - San Francisco Giants P - Pass

Miguel Amaya - Chicago Cubs C - Not bad. All depends on the cost for me.

Mateo Gil - St. Louis Cardinals SS - Pass for now. 18 and has not played much.

Marco Luciano - San Francisco Giants - No stats on file.

Matt Mercer - Arizona Diamondbacks P - Pass.

Mason Martin - Pittsburgh Pirates 1B - Pass. Too many Ks with no power.

Matt Vierling - Philadelphia Phillies OF - Decent numbers. I will keep my eye on him.

Nate Lowe - Tampa Bay Rays 1B - Not a bad 1b but I will pass.

Nick Madrigal - Chicago White Sox - Pass. Second auto.

Rylan Bannon - Baltimore Orioles 2B - Pass.

Ryan Costello - Minnesota Twins 1B - Pass.

Ronaldo Hernandez - Tampa Bay Rays C - Not bad but Rays players are a tough sell.

Reggie Lawson - San Diego Padres P - Pass

Ronny Mauricio - New York Mets SS - A very close watch for me but I need to see more. I wonder what he will sell for.

Ryan McKenna - Baltimore Orioles OF - Pass

Roberto Ramos - Colorado Rockies 1B - Pass

Seuly Matias - Kansas City Royals OF - Nope. Way too many strikeouts.

Steele Walker - Chicago White Sox OF - Cool name but I'll pass.

Telmito Agustin - Washington Nationals OF - Not bad but would only buy if in the $5-10 range.

Tirso Ornelas - San Diego Padres OF - Another good, young prospect in San Diego. Buy.

Tommy Romero - Tampa Bay Rays P - Pass

Taylor Widener - Arizona Diamondbacks P - Pass

Vince Fernandez - Colorado Rockies P - Pass

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - Toronto Blue Jays 3B - Pass. Second auto.

Victor Mesa Jr. - Miami Marlins OF - See below.

Victor Victor Mesa - Miami Marlins OF - Both Mesa brothers are a watch for me. I need to see a full season of results.

Wander Franco - Tampa Bay Rays OF - An obvious buy but the prices will be insane. Too rich for me.

Will Stewart - Philadelphia Phillies P - Pass.

Cleveland Indians 2B Tyler Freeman - Breakout Prospect Canidate

It is rare for me to talk about second baseman but the minors are loaded with talent at this position and Tyler Freeman is a kid I have my eye on. Freeman is a doubles machine and I am making the bet that he will hit for a little more power in 2019. Cleveland has always been good with developing hitters (See Daniel Johnson). The number one reason I have Freeman as a candidate is he always makes good contact and rarely strikes out. I will admit he is a gamble to buy because the power may not come but a player who hit 29 doubles, 4 triples and 2 homers in 2018 is worth the risk right?

Oakland Athletics OF Austin Beck - Breakout Prospect Canidate

As we approach the start of the minor league season, I will begin to name some prospects I feel will have a breakout season. The first on the list is Austin Beck. Austin had a decent 2018 season but did not hit for much power. Scouts seem to have mixed feelings on his development so far. For me I think he has made positive strides since his ACL injury in high school. I have read in various reports that he has been working on adding more loft in his swing and has added strength during the off-season. In addition, he will also be in the hitter friendly CAL league. My prediction is that his in game power will start to show and he will rise up many lists. Hopefully Austin performs well enough to make it to top 100 lists around the all star break.

Why Nick Madrigal Has Power Potential

Nick Madrigal was selected 4th overall by the Chicago White Sox in the 2018 MLB Draft out of Oregon State. Overall it seems scouts are in full agreement on his above average hitting ability but are concerned about his power potential. Although he did not strike out much during his pro debut, he did not hit for any power. The more alarming statistic is he only hit 7 doubles in 155 at bats. Back in March 2018, Nick broke his wrist sliding into home plate. He was out for 6 weeks and came back to close out the season. In my opinion, the injury is why the power was not there during his pro debut. Even though he came back from the injury I would expect extra time is needed for his wrist to get back to 100%. My prediction is Nick will show amore pop in his first full season after resting and getting his strength back in his hands. I will be watching his extra base hit production very closely. Base autographs are selling for $30-40. I am willing to buy one to hold.

The Number One Resource for Every Baseball Prospector

Every year I make an effort to purchase the Baseball America Handbook. The team does a great job with analyzing the top 30 prospects for every MLB team. Scouting reports, tool grades and stats are included for multiple players. I would highly suggest you add it to your list of resources. It has helped me make better investments over the years.

Purchase the 2019 Baseball America Handbook via Ebay

Taking a Chance on Philadelphia Phillies OF Mickey Moniak

When Mickey Moniak was drafted number one overall back in 2016, the industry and insiders loved the pick. Since then, Moniak has struggled and scouts have hopped off the bandwagon. Some reports I have read only see him as a fourth outfielder now. In my opinion, this is a great buying opportunity. Moniak will be only 21 once the 2019 season starts and he finished the 2018 season strong. He also has been working on getting stronger and has a good makeup. The adjustment to pro ball can be tough even if you are considered to be a top talent. As of today, his base auto is selling for around $15. I believe Mickey will breakout in 2019. 

Note - Remember to only focus on the 2016 draft auto.