2019 Bowman Draft Baseball - Feburary Pricing Trends Update

Listed below is an update on some of the pricing trends for 2019 Bowman Draft. Overall there has not been a ton of price movement. Its a good time to buy before the season starts. Please note I only reviewed base auto prices via Ebay. Thanks for reading.
 
Andre Lipcius - Detroit Tigers 2B/3B - Around $5-$10 bucks. No big changes.

Adley Rutschman - Baltimore Orioles C - Prices are up to $275.

Andrew Vaughn - Chicago White Sox 1B - Prices are high. Around $160 for base. I have seen as low as $125. 

Brett Baty - New York Mets 3B - No changes. Still around $75.

Brennan Malone - Arizona Diamondbacks P - Selling for around $10 bucks. Now a Pirate.

Corbin Carroll - Arizona Diamondbacks OF - Price is up to around $50.

Gunnar Henderson - Baltimore Orioles SS - Selling for around $15 bucks still but climbing slowly to $20. 

Keoni Cavaco - Minnesota Twins SS - Still selling for around $40.

Rece Hinds - Cincinnati Reds 3B - Selling for around $20. No bump in price yet.

Tyler Callihan - Cincinnati Reds OF - Selling for around $10-$20. No changes.

Jo Adell Scouting Report (Los Angeles Angels, OF)

Birthdate: 04/08/1999
Bats/Throws: R/R
Height/Weight: 6-3/215
Position: OF
Team: Los Angeles Angels
Drafted: 2017 June Amateur Draft - Round: 1, Pick: 10 

Recent Pricing:
Card: 2017 Bowman Chrome Draft
Base Auto: $700-$900 Base Auto 9.5: $800-$1000

2019 Stats: .289 AVG/.359 OBP/.834 OPS, 10 HR, 27 Doubles

The LA Angels have a history of not producing much talent from their farm system but over the past few years there have been improvements in this area. The Angels have focused on high upside prospects who are athletic. Jo Adell is a world class athlete with the tools and makeup to be the next big thing. His power is 70 grade and he has speed to easily steal double digit bases annually. There are some concerns about his contact skills as the strikeout rates are high but overall Adell is improving in this area. I expect to see Adell in the majors this year and benefit from the media coverage around Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon.

Conclusion: Mike Trout's help is on the way. I would focus on base non-autos and paper non-autos. His auto is short printed so the price may be too high for most. I think Adell is going to be a star. You can live with the strikeouts as the five tool ability is insane.

Review Jo Adell's Stats via Fangraphs

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. 

2018 Bowman Draft Baseball - Early Pricing Trends

2018 Bowman Draft has been out for two weeks and the pricing trends are very interesting. So far there are no big surprises. It seems the consumer has gotten smarter on who to buy. I wonder why. Please note my analysis is from the review of base auto prices on eBay. 

Alec Bohm - Philadelphia Phillies 3B - Selling for around $50-60. Too high for me right now.

Alek Thomas - Arizona Diamondbacks OF - Selling for $15-20.

Carlos Cortes - New York Mets 2B - Selling for under $10. A good bargain price.

Cole Roederer - Chicago Cubs OF - Selling for $15-25. Not bad.

Greyson Jenista - Atlanta Braves OF - Selling for $15. Waiting for a drop in cost.

Jordyn Adams - Los Angeles Angels OF - Selling for $30-40. Prices are way too high for me.

Josh Breaux - New York Yankees C - Selling for $5-15.

Jeremy Eierman - Oakland Athletics 2B - Selling for $5-10. Good cost. 

Jordan Groshans - Toronto Blue Jays SS - Selling for $30-40. Not surprised.

Jonathan India - Cincinnati Reds 3B - Selling for around $50. I am a little surprised.

Jeremiah Jackson - Los Angeles Angels SS - Selling for $25-30. Would like to see the price drop to around $15.

Jarred Kelenic - New York Mets OF (Traded to Seattle) - Selling for $40 -60. A little too high for me.

Jake McCarthy - Arizona Diamondbacks OF - Selling for $5-10. Good cost.

Kody Clemens - Detroit Tigers 2B - Selling for $15-20. Would like to see the price come down to about $10.

Luken Baker - St. Louis Cardinals 1B - Selling for $15-20. A little high in my opinion.

Nolan Gorman - St. Louis Cardinals 3B - Selling for over $100. Nope.

Nico Hoerner - Chicago Cubs 2B - Selling for $40-50. Nailed it.

Nick Madrigal - Chicago White Sox 2B - Selling for $50-60. For some reason I expect the price to drop.

Noah Naylor - Cleveland Indians C - Selling for $15-20. Not surprised.

Triston Casas - Boston Red Sox 3B - Selling for $40-50. Not surprised.

Tyler Frank - Tampa Bay Rays 2B - Bargain Bin

Trevor Larnach - Minnesota Twins OF - Selling for $25-35. Not surprised.

Tristan Pompey - Miami Marlins OF - Selling for $15. I expect this price to come down.

Travis Swaggerty - Pittsburgh Pirates OF - Selling for $15-25. I expect the price to stay closer to $15.

2018 Bowman Draft Checklist - Full MLB Prospect Review

2018 Bowman Draft is scheduled for release on December 14 and the draft class is strong this year. Bowman Draft is an interesting product because there is data to review but players just getting their first taste of pro ball. So many things could change after the season starts so it's always good to keep an eye on a players development. If you have any questions feel free to send me an email or message me on Twitter @prospects4cash. Thanks for reading.

Alec Bohm - Philadelphia Phillies 3B - I wrote in an earlier post that college 3B are pretty safe prospects. Even though Alec did not have the best debut I love his makeup and rate him as a buy.

Anthony Seigler - New York Yankees C - Nice catching prospect that will take time to develop. Not sure how good the bat is yet. I would wait to buy.

Alek Thomas - Arizona Diamondbacks OF - Strong rookie debut but I am not sure if the pop is there. Another prospect I would watch. If you bought in I would understand.

Braxton Ashcraft - Pittsburgh Pirates P - Only pitched 17 innings. Another person to keep an eye on.

Brady Singer - Kansas City Royals P - Did not pitch. If you buy now you are only relying on the scouting reports. I need more data.

Brice Turang - Milwaukee Brewers SS - I love the talent but no pop. Pass.

Carlos Cortes - New York Mets 2B - Nice college bat with decent pop. I would rate as a buy. The price has to be around $10-15 for me.

Cadyn Grenier - Baltimore Orioles SS - Pass for now. Strikeouts are up there.

Casey Mize - Detroit Tigers P - The top pick of the draft. He did not pitch much but I would never pay high prices for a pitcher anyways. Pass for me.

Connor Scott - Miami Marlins OF - Did not play. See Brady Singer. The same approach applies.

Cole Winn - Texas Rangers P - See above.

Cole Roederer - Chicago Cubs OF - Strong buy. Nice power and contact player. Prices may be expensive due to being a Cub.

Daniel Lynch - Kansas City Royals P - Nice stats but a pass for me. Not a 1 or 2 starter.

Ethan Hankins - Cleveland Indians P - Pass. I need more data to make a good evaluation.

Griffin Conine - Toronto Blue Jays OF - Good power numbers with a high strikeout rate. Conine was suspended 50 games but I am passing even if that event did not happen.

Greyson Jenista - Atlanta Braves OF - I'm am going to rate Greyson as a buy. He's 22 years old but I like his makeup.

Grant Lavigne - Colorado Rockies 1B- Great numbers in rookie ball. I still am following my rule on Rockies prospects. Would be a strong buy in any other market but I will pass.

Grayson Rodriguez - Baltimore Orioles P - Pass. I need more data to make a good evaluation.

Griffin Roberts - St. Louis Cardinals P - Pass. I need more data to make a good evaluation.

Jordyn Adams - Los Angeles Angels OF - Adams is a buy for me but with a warning. I am not sure if the power will be huge. He is a project but the payoff could be huge if everything hits. A small position would be a good approach in my opinion.

Josh Breaux - New York Yankees C - See Anthony Seigler.

Jeremy Eierman - Oakland Athletics 2B - Nice prospect. The strikeouts need to come down but the hit tool seems very good. I rate as a buy.

Jordan Groshans - Toronto Blue Jays SS - A buy for me. I think he has a better bat the Conine and can hit 20 homers.

Joe Gray - Milwaukee Brewers OF - Impressive athlete that is a project. Pass for now.

Jonathan India - Cincinnati Reds 3B - Buy for me. My reasons are the same as Alec Bohm. Good power potential and the strikeouts won't be too bad.

Jeremiah Jackson - Los Angeles Angels SS - I am taking the same approach with Adams and applying it here. The difference is Jackson's bat is better and he could hit for more power. If I had a choice of one it would be Jackson.

Jarred Kelenic - New York Mets OF (Traded to Seattle) - Pass. If he was a Met I would recommend a strong buy. Not sure if superstar potential is there but he is good. He has to be a superstar to sell in Seattle.

Jackson Kowar - Kansas City Royals P - Pass. I need more data to make a good evaluation.

Jake McCarthy - Arizona Diamondbacks OF - Buy. Nice debut with decent power.

Josiah Gray - Cincinnati Reds P - I like the stats but he is a 4th starter at best. Pass.

Josh Stowers - Seattle Mariners OF - Good numbers but I will pass.

Jayson Schroeder - Houston Astros P - Pass. I need more data to make a good evaluation.

Jake Wong - San Francisco Giants P - Pass. I need more data to make a good evaluation.

Kris Bubic - Kansas City Royals P - Nice K/9 rate. I will watch.

Kody Clemens - Detroit Tigers 2B - College bat. Nice numbers. I would buy if bargain bin (Under $10).

Luken Baker - St. Louis Cardinals 1B - Baker is a buy for me. Seems to be a big time slugger. Needs to stay healthy though.

Logan Gilbert - Seattle Mariners P - Did not play. Pass for now.

Lenny Torres - Cleveland Indians P - Pass. I need more data to make a good evaluation.

Mason Denaburg - Washington Nationals P - Pass. I need more data to make a good evaluation.

Matthew Liberatore - Tampa Bay Rays P - A nice player but my statement about Casey Mize applies here. I will pass.

Nolan Gorman - St. Louis Cardinals 3B - Gorman ripped up rookie ball but came back down to earth after being promoted. Still a buy but will be on the high end due to the inflated rookie ball stats.

Nico Hoerner - Chicago Cubs 2B - A nice player who has played well this year. He is a buy for sure but will be high end.

Nick Madrigal - Chicago White Sox 2B - Another prospect who will be high end but I am not sold. Scouts are very worried that power will not develop. I will do a separate post on him.

Noah Naylor - Cleveland Indians C - Another interesting catching prospect. I am watching because Cleveland is good at developing hitters.

Nick Schnell - Tampa Bay Rays OF - Pass for now. Not enough data.

Osiris Johnson - Miami Marlins SS - Watching closely. A project that will take a long time to develop.

Owen White - Texas Rangers P - Did not play. Pass for now.

Parker Meadows - Detroit Tigers OF - Pass for now. Too many Ks.

Ryder Green - New York Yankees OF - Pass for now. Too many Ks but watch closely.

Ryan Jeffers - Minnesota Twins C - Another solid catching prospect. I will watch for now.

Ryan Rolison - Colorado Rockies P - Pass for me.

Ryan Weathers - San Diego Padres P - Pass for me.

Shane McClanahan - Tampa Bay Rays P - Pass for now. Will follow.

Simeon Woods-Richardson - New York Mets P - Pass for now. Will follow.

Triston Casas - Boston Red Sox 3B - Did not play much but the power is serious. I am rating this as a buy even though he got hurt. He could shoot up lists but be aware that Ks may be an issue.

Tim Cate - Washington Nationals P - Pass for me.

Tanner Dodson - Tampa Bay Rays P - Pass for me.

Tyler Frank - Tampa Bay Rays 2B - Very good prospect. Rays prospects are tough to sell sometimes but I would rate as a buy but I will take a small position.

Trevor Larnach - Minnesota Twins OF - Buy for me. Good prospect that should move fast.

Tristan Pompey - Miami Marlins OF - Nice prospect. Almost a pass for me but I would buy. Good player.

Travis Swaggerty - Pittsburgh Pirates OF - A buy but this season will be huge for him. I need to see a cutdown in strikeouts. The talent is there.

Will Banfield - Miami Marlins C - Pass for me. 

2018 Bowman Draft Warning - Jarred Kelenic Traded to The Seattle Mariners

Multiple reports have surfaced today confirming the Mets and Mariners are completing a trade to send Robinson Cano to New York for multiple prospects. 2018 first round draft pick Jarred Kelenic is included in the deal. My initial reaction is that I am officially taking a very small position on Kelenic's cards due to this trade. If you are a Mariners fan you are excited about reloading your farm but Seattle prospects have never sold for big money. I love Jarred as a prospect but he has to be a superstar to sell in the Seattle market. It will be interesting to see his prices upon release.

Early 2018 Bowman Draft Checklist Reaction

Bowman Draft is scheduled for release in the near future and while the entire checklist is not out some names have been announced. Overall I really like this draft and I'm looking forward to breaking all these names down. Checkout some of the names below and lookout for more posts from PFC.

Jordyn Adams (Angels) - Project but gifted.
Josh Stowers (Mariners) - Love it but he is a Mariner.
Triston Casas (Red Sox) - Did not play. Will he be a bargain?
Jonathan India (Reds) - Love it.
Jake Wong (Giants) - Analysis is pending.
Will Banfield (Marlins) - Analysis is pending.
Anthony Seigler (Yankees) - Analysis is pending.
Nolan Gorman (Cardinals) - Will his cards be expensive?
Ryan Weathers (Padres)- Analysis is pending.
Alec Bohm (Phillies) - Love it. 
Brady Singer (Royals) - Did not play. Bargain bin potential?
Nick Madrigal (White Sox) - An enigma in my opinion.

2018 Bowman Chrome Baseball - Early Pricing Trends

2018 Bowman Chrome Baseball has been out for a few days and I wanted to provide some pricing updates for some of my buy recommendations. Please note that I only looked at completed auctions for base autograph cards on eBay for the price estimates . I expect prices to change as supply increases. 

Carlos Rincon - Los Angeles Dodgers OF - Currently around $30. I hope the price comes down to around $20.

James Nelson - Miami Marlins 3B - His auto is selling for about $10. I would not pay above that price.

Michel Baez - San Diego Padres P  - Under $10. A good price for a nice talent. Still has some things to work on but I like the potential.

Seth Romero - Washington Nationals P - Not a lot of sales online. I don't think he is short printed. Keep an eye on the sales.

Yordan Alvarez - Houston Astros OF - As expected his prices are on the high end. 

Akil Baddoo - Minnesota Twins OF - His auto is selling for $15-$20. I would prefer to buy at $15. $25 would be too much.

Antoni Flores - Boston Red Sox SS - Prices are around $20-$25. Seems that people are buying the potential. Him being with the Red Sox helps. 

Brandon Marsh - Los Angeles Angels OF - Auto is selling for around $35-$40. Way too much for my taste. I will wait until the winter to buy. 

Carter Kieboom - Washington Nationals SS - As expected his prices are on the high end. 

Daulton Varsho - Arizona Diamondbacks C - I was surprised to see his auto selling for $20. In my opinion this is a great price. If he performs well in the Fall League the price will go up to around $30 possibly. 

Eduardo Diaz - Arizona Diamondbacks OF - Auto is selling for around $10. I am waiting to see if the price drops. 

Kristian Robinson - Arizona Diamondbacks OF - Robinson's prices are odd to me. I thought they would be around $10 or less but I have not seen any prices under $50 so far. Due to the price I am going to wait to see if the price drops.

Luis Garcia - Washington Nationals 2B 50-60 - I'm surprised that Garcia's auto is on the high end. His auto is selling for $50-60. 

LoLo Sanchez - Pittsburgh Pirates OF - Sanchez auto is selling for $15-$25. Not really surprised at the price.

Luis Urias - San Diego Padres 2B - As expected his prices are on the high end. 

Tyler Freeman - Cleveland Indians 2B - Auto is selling for $10-$15. Not surprised at the price. It seems people are afraid that he only has doubles power. I am willing to take a risk that he will hit for more power. 

William Contreras - Atlanta Braves C - His auto is selling for $40-$60. Way too high for me. 

Yasel Antuna - Washington Nationals 2B - Not too many sales out there. I will watch. 

2018 Bowman Chrome Baseball - Prospect Checklist Review

2018 Bowman Chrome Baseball releases this week and I wanted to provide my thoughts before the release. Please review the breakdown below. I will write a follow up after prices settle. The recommendations below are all based off performance and not card prices. If you have any questions please email me at prospectsforprofit@gmail.com or on Twitter @prospectsforcash. Overall I think the checklist is a C+ due to a number of older prospects being included.

Brett Cumberland - Atlanta Braves C - A little older prospect but the K rate is 25%. I want to see an improvement before purchasing.

Brayan Hernandez - Miami Marlins OF  - Pass. I don't see huge power potential here.

Chris DeVito - Kansas City Royals 1B - Pass. No pop.

Carlos Rincon - Los Angeles Dodgers OF - Buy. Love the power numbers and I am making the bet that the K rate drops. He need to keep it under 25%.

Daniel Gonzalez - Boston Red Sox P - Decent numbers but not enough for me to purchase.

Estevan Florial - New York Yankees OF - Love his talent but he will be overpriced due to being a Yankee prospect. Too high of a price to pay and too many strikeouts for me to recommend. I wonder what his auto cost would be if he was not a Yankee.

Gavin LaValley - Cincinnati Reds 1B - Another decent prospect but nothing really blows me away here.

Heath Fillmyer - Oakland Athletics P - Too old and the K/9 rate is not the best.

Jaime Barria - Los Angeles Angels P - Pass. Stats look very average to me.

Jose Gomez - Philadelphia Phillies 2B - Pass. No pop.

James Nelson - Miami Marlins 3B - Nelson is a buy for me. He had injuries during the 2018 season but I like the power numbers and I think he can improve on the strikeouts. I will take a small position.

Jake Ring - Baltimore Orioles OF - Pass. 24 and has not touched AA.

Jake Rogers - Detroit Tigers C - I like the profile but I think he has too much swing and miss.

Kyle Cody - Texas Rangers P - Pass. 24 and has not played in AA.

Kyle Young - Philadelphia Phillies P - Decent numbers but nothing blows me away. Pass.

Michel Baez - San Diego Padres P - A buy for me. The numbers jump out. Potential #2 starter.

Matthias Dietz - Baltimore Orioles P - Pass. Nothing really moves the needle to me.

Matt Hall - Detroit Tigers P - Pass. 25 years of age.

Nick Fanti - Philadelphia Phillies P - Pass. Not enough innings in 2018 for me.

Ryan Helsley - St. Louis Cardinals P - I love the numbers but the reports say he may be a bullpen guy. Pass.

Ranger Suarez - Philadelphia Phillies P - Pass. K/9 rate is too low.

Shao-Ching Chiang - Cleveland Indians P - Pass. K/9 rate is too low.

Seth Romero - Washington Nationals P - Romero is a buy for me . Not a lot of innings but this guy can pitch and will be a starter. I will take a small position depending on price.

Travis Lakins - Boston Red Sox P - Numbers are not bad at all but he is not a top end starter. Pass.

Willie Abreu - Colorado Rockies OF -  I really like the numbers but he is a Rockies prospect. If he gets traded I would buy.

Yordan Alvarez - Houston Astros OF - Very impressive prospect. I would buy but the price has to be right. He may be on the high end out of the gate.

Aramis Ademan - Chicago Cubs SS - Ademan will most likely be the Cubs top prospect going into 2019. He won't hit for a lot of power but I am curious to see what his auto will go for. I will watch for now.

Austin Allen - San Diego Padres C - 24 years of age but had good numbers in AA. Due to the age I would have to pass. Buying one auto would not hurt though for the right price.

Akil Baddoo - Minnesota Twins OF - I am recommending a buy here. Please be aware that he is a project and if you buy the hope is that the Twins and Akil will work on cutting down the K's. If he improves a 20-20 player is the ceiling. I need to see where prices settle at before writing more.

Antoni Flores - Boston Red Sox SS - Not a lot of data on this player. But that is not a bad thing. If you buy you are relying 100% on the scouting reports.

Alex Wells - Baltimore Orioles P - K/9 too low. Pass.

Brusdar Graterol - Minnesota Twins P - Love the numbers but he has already had injury issues. Pass.

Brendon Little - Chicago Cubs - Pass. K/9 not high enough for me.

Brandon Marsh - Los Angeles Angels - Marsh is a strong buy for me but is a gamble. I am aware of the high K rate but love his 5 tool potential. The bet I am making is that he will improve and hit for more power. He will be 21 during the 2019 season.  For other prospectors, I 100% understand why you would pass.

Charcer Burks - Chicago Cubs OF - Pass. No pop.

Conner Capel - Cleveland Indians OF - Capel is a watch for me. He just was traded to the Cardinals. I am interested in how he develops with them. Right now he is hitting for a little power.

Cole Freeman - Washington Nationals 2B - Pass. 23 years old in A ball. College bat who was just drafted in 2017. His extra base hits are not bad though.

Carter Kieboom - Washington Nationals SS - A high end prospect. Prices will be insane.

Chase Pinder - St. Louis Cardinals OF - Pass. Decent numbers but I don't see a lot of upside here.

Connor Seabold - Philadelphia Phillies P - Numbers are not bad. Worth a watch. I want to see more data before buying.

Chris Torres - Miami Marlins - Pass. Good player but the K's are too much of an issue. Not sure if he can improve those issues.

Darwinzon Hernandez - Boston Red Sox  P - Watch. Very solid numbers but needs the BB/9 rate to drop 50%.

Dustin May - Los Angeles Dodgers P - Another good Dodgers pitching prospect. Does not walk a lot of batters. Not a front line starter so I will have to pass.

Daulton Varsho - Arizona Diamondbacks - Strong buy for me. Will be 22 most of the 2019 season. He had a few injuries but the K rate is 20% and the walk rate is solid. He can also hit for power. Varsho is one of the few catching prospects that I would recommend. My hope is that prices are reasonable. In addition, he also stole 19 bases in 2018.

Eduardo Diaz - Arizona Diamondbacks OF - Watch. Played decent in A ball but struck out 31% of the time. Seems to be a project.

Enyel De Los Santos - Philadelphia Phillies P - Pass.

Edwin Rios - Los Angeles Dodgers 1B - 24 years of age. Seems to be stuck in AAA. Pass.

Evan Steele - Kansas City Royals P - Pass. Not much out there. I think he may have gotten injured.

Franklin Perez - Detroit Tigers P - Young but I need to see more data. Pass but I am watching.

Gregory Soto - Detroit Tigers P - Pass. Too many walks.

Jose Albertos - Chicago Cubs P - Watch. Stats are all over the place. I want to see if he can get back on track. Only 19 years old.

Joe Dunand - Miami Marlins SS - Worth a watch but I want to see how he does in a full season at AA. Decent pop. Seems like a 15hr guy.

Jorge Guzman - Miami Marlins P - Pass. Walk rate needs to improve.

Joey Lucchesi - San Diego Padres P - Pass. 25 years of age.

Jonathan Loaisiga - New York Yankees P - Yankees are the best at developing pitchers. Not sure if I would buy though. He may go to the bullpen.

Jairo Solis - Houston Astros P - Only 18 years of age. Walks are up there. A buy but you need to be aware that he is a project.

Kevin Maitan - Los Angeles Angels - Pass. Second auto.

Kristian Robinson - Arizona Diamondbacks - Buy. Please be warned this is a long term project buy. Robinson is only 17 years of age but is a 5 tool prospect. The swing and miss is there but he continues to make adjustments. I think he has the chance to be a really good power/speed prospect.

Luis Guillorme - New York Mets 2B - Not a bad talent but the power numbers are not there.

Luis Garcia - Washington Nationals -Only 18 and is a strong buy. I think there is power potential here. A lot of upside and will take time but is worth the risk.

Luis Medina - New York Yankees P - Only 19 but is a project. If you buy now you are trusting the Yankees to develop him.

Leonardo Rivas - Los Angeles Angels 2B - Pass. Low extra base hits numbers.

Logan Shore - Oakland Athletics P - Pass. Not a front end starter.

LoLo Sanchez - Pittsburgh Pirates - 19 years of age. 16.3% K rate 10% walk rate but I need more power. It is a chance it could happen. The price has to be right for me to buy.

Luis Urias - San Diego Padres 2B - I expect him to be on the high end. Good hitter that hit for power in AAA.

LaMonte Wade - Minnesota Twins OF - Pass. 24 years of age. Decent numbers but I see no upside.

Micker Adolfo - Chicago White Sox OF - Pass. Love the talent but has some elbow issues.

Mike Baumann - Baltimore Orioles P - Pass.

Nick Allen - Oakland Athletics - Only 19 years old but I see no power potential at all. Pass.

Nicky Lopez - Kansas City Royals SS - Nice hitter but wont hit for much power. Pass for me but I would love to debate.

Riley Adams - Toronto Blue Jays C - Nice catching prospect but rather spend money on Varsho. I would not be mad at a prospector who bought a few.

Rogelio Armenteros - Houston Astros - 24 years of age. Pass but the numbers are insane. Too old for me but I understand if you would buy.

Russell Wilson - New York Yankees - No comment.

Shane Bieber - Cleveland Indians P - Nice bullpen arm but not a player I would buy.

Sheldon Neuse - Oakland Athletics 3B - Pass. K rate over 30%.

Tyler Freeman - Cleveland Indians - STRONG BUY - Line drive hitter.Scouts say he will not hit for game power. I am making the bet that he does. He is only 19 and is already an advanced hitter. 29 doubles, 4 triples and 2 home runs.

Trevor Oaks - Kansas City Royals P - Pass.

Trevor Stephan - New York Yankees P - Decent number but walks need to be cut down. Possibly a reliever. Pass.

William Contreras - Atlanta Braves C - Wow. Another catcher that I like. Brother of Wilson Contreras of the Cubs. Worth a buy but I am focused on Varsho.

Yasel Antuna - Washington Nationals 2B - 18 years of age. 14 doubles, 2 triples, and six home runs in 2018. The gamble will be the power potential. I think it is there and I will buy.

The Most Important Arizona Fall League Players To Watch

Arizona Fall League rosters have been released and did not disappoint. The Fall League is a great time for teams to test the overall skills of a prospect. Positive performance is a great sign of future success in the Major Leagues. I have listed a few players below that I will be watching.

Peoria Javelinas

Keston Hiura - I am interested to see how well he hits and defends. AFL MVP is not impossible.

Cristian Pache - Keep a close eye on his extra base hits and home runs.

Buddy Reed - I am looking for an overall good performance. He continues to improve.

Scottsdale Scorpions

Sixto Sanchez - I am worried about Sixto's health. If he is healthy and performs well, he will be a top 15 prospect in 2019.

Ronnie Dawson - Watching for an improvement in the strikeout rate.

Suprise Saquaros

Khalil Lee - Watching for an improvement in the strikeout rate.

Bryan Reynolds - Nice prospect. A good performance will boost his stock.

Salt River Rafters

Daulton Varsho - A rare catching prospect that I love. He should play well. Still needs a Bowman Chrome auto.

Pavin Smith - Smith is the most important player to keep an eye on during this Fall League season. I will be monitoring a few things. The most important will be power numbers and batting average.

Mesa Solar Sox

Bobby Dalbec - The K rate has to come down.

Jahmai Jones - Trout needs help. Jones must have a good showing.

Josh Ockimey - Josh is under the radar. He won't be after if he performs well.

Glendale Desert Dogs 

Yu Chang - I love Cleveland hitters and will be looking for a good performance with a decrease in his K rate. 

Arizona Fall League Full Rosters

MLB Prospect Statistical Analysis (Stats Don't Lie) - Good Hitters

In this edition of Stats Don't Lie, I wanted to see who were the best hitters this season. When I run this report, batting average is not really a factor. The goal is to looks for hitters with high walk rates, good strikeout rates and power potential. Check out the list below.

Name              2B              3B               HR          BB%          K%            ISO         BB/K Royce Lewis 29 0 10 8.50% 15.10% 0.161 0.56 Isaac Paredes 20 2 13 10.10% 15.10% 0.185 0.67 Jeter Downs 22 2 11 9.60% 19.70% 0.154 0.49 Gavin Lux 23 7 12 10.40% 16.90% 0.199 0.61 Carter Kieboom 24 0 13 10.30% 19.60% 0.162 0.52 Jahmai Jones 14 7 9 12.80% 19.80% 0.141 0.64 Seth Beer 11 0 7 10.80% 15.40% 0.194 0.70 Daulton Varsho 10 4 9 9.60% 18.50% 0.196 0.52 Kyle Tucker 24 2 14 9.70% 19.20% 0.208 0.51 Ke'Bryan Hayes 27 6 6 10.90% 15.70% 0.167 0.69 Bryan Reynolds 15 1 5 12.10% 19.40% 0.152 0.63

* Min of 175 Plate Appearances

* Age range was 23 or younger

Takeaways

Ke'Bryan Hayes - Still a bargain bin buy. Scouts are skeptical that he can develop power.

Issac Paredes, Daulton Varsho & Carter Kieboom - All need a Chrome auto.

Jeter Downs - Still affordable and a strong buy.

Gavin Lux - Great bounceback season.

Jahmai Jones - Still a strong buy for me.

Seth Beer - I hope he is in 2018 Bowman Draft.

Early 2018 Bowman Draft Prospects to Target

The release of 2018 Bowman Draft was just announced and while a full checklist will be released at a later date, I have already targeted a few players. Keep and eye on Jonathan India and Alec Bohm. Third base prospects who are selected high are safer than most players. Both are college bats so the path to the majors will be hopefully faster. It will be interesting to see how both perform in short season ball.

Contact In Baseball Is Still King and Strikeouts Do Matter

If you are a reader of the site and have read my previous recommendations I am sure you have noticed a trend. Contact matters when I am searching for prospects to invest in. Yes I know we are still in the moneyball era and I am well aware that strikeouts don't matter. Trust me strikeouts do matter. Especially in the minors and playoff baseball. A number of prospects have inflated prices due to huge home run totals but strikeout in 30% of their at bats. If there are cases where I think a player can cut down on the strikeouts I will be sure to let the readers know. Keep following for more updates as the season goes on.