In a world where nostalgia reigns supreme, attempting to breathe fresh life into a pastime as time-honored as baseball card collecting often feels akin to trying to electrify a museum exhibit. Yet, credit is due where credit’s due, and Fanatics has been tackling this monumental task with commendable enthusiasm. By shaking up the game with some truly contemporary twists—like the MLB Debut Patch and the Social Media Followback redemption—the company is bringing baseball card collecting cruising into the 21st century.
Enter Fanatics’ latest gambit: the Bowman Red Rookie card—a dazzling new entry poised to capture the attention of collectors nationwide. What makes these cards stand out? Well, in the 2025 Bowman lineup, certain rookies will be graced with a gleaming red RC logo. Starting in November, having one of these cards unlocks the possibility of snagging some enviable prizes, assuming the player depicted achieves certain lofty heights such as winning Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, MVP honors, or ultimately gaining enshrinement in baseball’s most hallowed halls: Cooperstown.
Of course, clinging to one of these prized red cards until it’s time for a Hall of Fame induction might render you the mythical “CEO of Fanatics” as one exuberant user on X jokingly speculated. Realistically speaking, however, the Rookie of the Year prize is the carrot dangling most temptingly within reach.
Among the promising names tangled in this bold initiative is Roki Sasaki, whose potential packs the requisite punch to justify his hype. But the burning question now, as the set drops next week, is which 2025 Bowman Red Rookies truly deserve a place in your collection?
Thankfully, our sleuthing duties were made simpler thanks to Max Arterburn of Prospects Live. He took on the Herculean task of dissecting a 30-player Red Rookie checklist and executing a shrewd process-of-elimination to distill the list down to its sparkling essence.
Initially, eight players evaporated from contention for the 2025 Rookie of the Year award—they had already surpassed rookie eligibility thresholds the previous year, with numbers in at-bats, innings, or active roster days soaring just too high. This roster of ruled-out names includes Connor Norby, Spencer Schwellenbach, Drew Thorpe, Jhonkensy Noel, David Festa, Ben Rice, James Wood, and Brooks Lee.
That subtraction leaves us with a lean 22 aspirants. But beware—the specter of injuries lurks ominously, swiftly silencing Rhett Lowder, Kumar Rocker, and River Ryan for the time being. Even if Lowder and Rocker manage an improbable comeback, the likelihood they’d need to pitch with performance-enhanced prowess rivaling a fictional superhero remains daunting. River Ryan might garner additional opportunities in the forthcoming season, but his immediate prospects seem shrouded in a fog of uncertainty.
With crossed-out names growing, we discount an additional group of twelve prospects, whose impact at the major league level remains muted at best—they’re either still budding in the minor leagues or have yet to make a splash significant enough to capture our fervent interest. This wave of discounted rookies encompasses Adrian Del Castillo, Shay Whitcomb, Thomas Saggese, Hyesong Kim, Adael Amador, Hurston Waldrep, Tyler Locklear, Coby Mayo, Caden Dana, Kevin Alcantara, Orelvis Martinez, and Nick Yorke.
Simultaneously thrilling and sobering, we’re now facing the magnificent seven hopefuls in our quest. Yet even within this select pack, some dampened enthusiasm remains. Luisangel Acuña is striving yet to cement his place, his offensive power underwhelming thus far. Jace Jung holds promise bubbling beneath the surface, though his headline-grabbing performances remain sparse. Tomoyuki Sugano could certainly benefit from a strikeout rate akin to a fiery rocket launch.
So, through the alchemy of elimination and perhaps a garnish of common sense, we unveil the fortunate quartet of Red Rookies you should consider chasing: Jackson Jobe, Jacob Wilson, Roki Sasaki, and Dylan Crews.
If you’re eyeballing that $100 Fanatics prize—and let’s face it, even the most casual collector wouldn’t discount it—these gentlemen possess the potential to manifest your payday dreams. Some of them might one day find their bronze-casted visages in Cooperstown, but if this Red Rookie chase is your ticket to instant fortune, fair warning: a little patience could serve you well. A collector’s game is, after all, not merely one of acquisitions but one where anticipation swirls amidst the thrill of the chase.