Trading cards have had their ups and downs, evolving through eras like a seasoned ballplayer from baseball’s vintage days of flannel jerseys and tap-dancing mascots. Toss in some hot dogs and nostalgia, and you’ve got a sport that has animated collectors for generations. Giving the trading card business a shot in the arm is no small feat, yet Fanatics seems to have found a way to weave modern twists into this classic pastime. The folks behind the MLB Debut Patch and Social Media Followback redemption are back and ready to break more new ground, introducing the 2025 Bowman Red Rookie cards into the mix.
Imagine glancing at your collection to spot a rookie card marked with a slick, new-age red RC logo. What’s in it for you, you ask? Well, these cards offer more than just aesthetic allure. Hold one, and you unlock the possibility of scooping up delightful prizes – that is, if the player on your card becomes the next Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, MVP, or earns their place in Cooperstown.
Let’s admit, sitting on a card till it’s Hall of Fame material might have you thinking you doubled as a financial guru. But truly, the Rookie of the Year accolade is the low-hanging fruit worth aiming for.
Within this pomp and gallantry rides Roki Sasaki, one of the leading lights of the 2025 Bowman Red Rookie cavalcade. His potential shines brightly and has card collectors and baseball enthusiasts abuzz. But if the real dilemma is choosing, which of these coveted cards should you really snap up when they drop next week?
Count your blessings as Prospects Live’s Max Arterburn has done the fat trimming for us. He tackled the formidable list, initially boasting thirty Red Rookie hopefuls, and sawed down by channeling a time-tested process-of-elimination.
First to hit the chopping block are eight prospects with blown-out rookie eligibility. Last year, players like Connor Norby, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Drew Thorpe bumped into thresholds of too many at-bats or innings, leaving them, and five more, to the mercy of sanguine supporters instead of card collectors. Left twiddling their thumbs are also Jhonkensy Noel, David Festa, Ben Rice, James Wood, and Brooks Lee.
That pullback leaves us with not-too-shabby twenty-two prospects. But there’s always more lurking in the shadows—injuries, the dreaded foe of potential. Rhett Lowder, Kumar Rocker, and River Ryan have become benchwarmers thanks to infirmities. Even if Lowder and Rocker resurface, they’d need mythical levels of prowess to rise to the top. And while River Ryan might take another stab at glory next season, it’s a gamble akin to rolling a twenty-sided die.
Whittling it further, twelve other practitioners are yet to make a big splash in the major leagues. That weeds out names like Adrian Del Castillo, Shay Whitcomb, and Thomas Saggese, rounding out the list with those caught in the twilight between minor league development and major league impact. Included here are Hyesong Kim, Adael Amador, Hurston Waldrep, Tyler Locklear, Coby Mayo, Caden Dana, Kevin Alcantara, Orelvis Martinez, and Nick Yorke.
With hopeful anticipation now simpered to seven, more due diligence follows. Struggles abound even here. Luisangel Acuña has yet sealed his spot, and Jace Jung’s presence, while promising, hasn’t made rival team scouts lose much sleep. Meanwhile, Tomoyuki Sugano would benefit from a strikeout rate boost.
And thus, through relentless scope, refinement, and a hearty sprig of common sense, we hone in on four Red Rookies worth chasing: Jackson Jobe, Jacob Wilson, Roki Sasaki, and Dylan Crews.
For diehards looking to cinch that $100 Fanatics prize—it’s more inviting than a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth—these are the players standing tall. Maybe, just maybe, a couple of them might someday bag a plaque in Cooperstown, and if so, count your investment as a grand slam. Though if you’re banking on such illustriousness, let’s put our chips on patience as your steadfast pal.
These four represent not only the potential to capture Rookie of the Year honors but also to remind collectors and enthusiasts alike that the art and sport of card collecting can still be doused with youthful vigor and excitement. So whether you’re a hardened collector, an occasional dabbler, or a dreamy-eyed optimist, these Red Rookies might just be your ticket to both thrilling prizes, and a pay-off for staying ahead of the curve.