Visual Guide to the 2018 Bowman Baseball Rainbow
A big part of the appeal of the modern Bowman brand are the parallels. They’re home to lots of color on several levels. The 2018 Bowman Baseball parallel rainbow is definitely no different — especially if you’re chasing prospects.
2018 Bowman combines both regular Bowman and Bowman Chrome elements for the Prospects (veterans are Bowman-only in the main part of the set). Both have their own sets of colors.
And then there are the Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs (and Rookie Autographs), which are cornerstones to the set. These have another bunch of colors.
If you put them all together for Prospect that have autographs, that can mean more than 50 different cards and parallels to chase if you take everything into account including Printing Plates.
While it sounds daunting, it’s really not. Especially when you’ve got this handy visual guide that breaks it all down.
Below is a full gallery that showcases all of the Bowman, Bowman Chrome Prospect and Bowman Chrome Prospect parallels as well as details on where you’ll find them, whether they’re exclusives and full odds for various types of packs that are out there.
2018 Bowman Parallels
Unless noted, covers Bowman base set and Bowman Prospects.
Base
Blue
Print Run: /150
Odds:
Hobby: Base – 1:313, Prospect – 1:209
Hobby Jumbo: Base – 1:98, Prospect – 1:66
Retail: Base – 1:303, Prospect – 1:209
Retail Blaster: Base – 1:303, Prospect – 1:209
Retail Jumbo: Base – 1:143, Prospect – 1:95
Camo
Print Run: not announced
Prospects only.
Exclusive to Retail Value Packs
Odds:
3 per Retail Value Pack
Gold
Print Run: /50
Odds:
Hobby: Base – 1:939, Prospect – 1:626
Hobby Jumbo: Base – 1:294, Prospect – 1:195
Retail: Base – 1:940, Prospect – 1:627
Retail Blaster: Base – 1:940, Prospect – 1:627
Retail Jumbo: Base – 1:428, Prospect – 1:285
Green
Print Run: /99
Exclusive to Retail.
Odds:
Retail: Base – 1:225, Prospect – 1:150
Retail Blaster: Base – 1:225, Prospect – 1:150
Retail Jumbo: Base – 1:103, Prospect – 1:69
Orange
Print Run: /25
Exclusive to hobby.
Odds:
Hobby: Base – 1:438, Prospect – 1:292
Platinum
Print Run: 1/1
Odds:
Hobby: Base – 1:47,561, Prospect – 1:31,708
Hobby Jumbo: Base – 1:14,620, Prospect – 1:9,747
Retail: Base – 1:48,458, Prospect – 1:33,336
Retail Blaster: Base – 1:48,458, Prospect – 1:33,336
Retail Jumbo: Base – 1:27,648, Prospect – 1:18,432
Printing Plates
Print Run: 1/1
Each card has a Black, Cyan, Magenta and Yellow version.
Odds:
Hobby: Base – 1:?, Prospect – 1:7,838
Hobby Jumbo: Base – 1:3,655, Prospect – 1:2,437
Retail: Base – 1:11,766, Prospect – 1:7,844
Retail Blaster: Base – 1:11,766, Prospect – 1:7,844
Retail Jumbo: Base – 1:5,530, Prospect – 1:3,705
Purple
Print Run: /250
Odds:
Hobby: Base – 1:188, Prospect – 1:126
Hobby Jumbo: Base – 1:59, Prospect – 1:40
Retail: Base – 1:188, Prospect – 1:126
Retail Blaster: Base – 1:188, Prospect – 1:126
Retail Jumbo: Base – 1:86, Prospect – 1:57
Red
Print Run: /5
Odds:
Hobby: Base – 1:9,427, Prospect – 1:6,285
Hobby Jumbo: Base – 1:2,945, Prospect – 1:1,964
Retail: Base – 1:9,456, Prospect – 1:6,228
Retail Blaster: Base – 1:9,456, Prospect – 1:6,228
Retail Jumbo: Base – 1:4,367, Prospect – 1:3,072
Sky Blue
Print Run: /499
Odds:
Hobby: Base – 1:95, Prospect – 1:63
Hobby Jumbo: Base – 1:30, Prospect – 1:20
Retail: Base – 1:95, Prospect – 1:63
Retail Blaster: Base – 1:95, Prospect – 1:63
Retail Jumbo: Base – 1:43, Prospect – 1:29
2018 Bowman Chrome Prospect Parallels
Base
Refractors
Print Run: /499
Odds:
Hobby: 1:?
Hobby Jumbo: 1:20
Retail: 1:63
Retail Blaster: 1:63
Retail Jumbo: 1:29
Aqua Refractors
Print Run: /125
Exclusive to hobby and hobby jumbo.
Odds:
Hobby: 1:132
Hobby Jumbo: 1:132
Aqua Shimmer Refractors
Print Run: /125
Exclusive to hobby and hobby jumbo.
Odds:
Hobby: 1:132
Hobby Jumbo: 1:132
Atomic Refractors
1 per hobby box.
Exclusive to hobby boxes.
Odds:
Hobby: 1:24
Blue Refractors
Print Run: /150
Odds:
Hobby: 1:209
Hobby Jumbo: 1:66
Retail: 1:209
Retail Blaster: 1:209
Retail Jumbo: 1:95
Blue Shimmer Refractors
Print Run: /150
Odds:
Hobby: 1:209
Hobby Jumbo: 1:66
Retail: 1:209
Retail Blaster: 1:209
Retail Jumbo: 1:95
Canary Yellow Refractors
Print Run: /75
Odds:
Hobby: 1:417
Hobby Jumbo: 1:131
Retail: 1:417
Retail Blaster: 1:417
Retail Jumbo: 1:191
Gold Refractors
Print Run: /50
Odds:
Hobby: 1:626
Hobby Jumbo: 1:196
Retail: 1:627
Retail Blaster: 1:627
Retail Jumbo: 1:285
Gold Shimmer Refractors
Print Run: /50
Odds:
Hobby: 1:626
Hobby Jumbo: 1:196
Retail: 1:627
Retail Blaster: 1:627
Retail Jumbo: 1:285
Green Refractors
Print Run: /99
Exclusive to retail.
Odds:
Retail: 1:150
Retail Blaster: 1:150
Retail Jumbo: 1:69
Green Shimmer Refractors
Print Run: /99
Exclusive to retail.
Odds:
Retail: 1:150
Retail Blaster: 1:150
Retail Jumbo: 1:69
Orange Refractors
Print Run: /25
Exclusive to hobby.
Odds:
Hobby: 1:292
Orange Shimmer Refractors
Print Run: /25
Exclusive to hobby.
Odds:
Hobby: 1:292
Printing Plates
Print Run: 1/1
Each has a Black, Cyan, Magenta and Yellow version.
Odds:
Hobby: 1:7,838
Hobby Jumbo: 1:5,149
Retail: 1:7,844
Retail Blaster: 1:7,844
Retail Jumbo: 1:3,705
Purple Refractors
Print Run: /250
Odds:
Hobby: 1:?
Hobby Jumbo: 1:40
Retail: 1:126
Retail Blaster: 1:126
Retail Jumbo: 1:57
Red Refractors
Print Run: /5
Odds:
Hobby: 1:6,285
Hobby Jumbo: 1:1,964
Retail: 1:6,228
Retail Blaster: 1:6,228
Retail Jumbo: 1:3,072
Red Shimmer Refractors
Print Run: /5
Odds:
Hobby: 1:6,285
Hobby Jumbo: 1:1,964
Retail: 1:6,228
Retail Blaster: 1:6,228
Retail Jumbo: 1:3,072
Superfractors
Print Run: 1/1
Exclusive to hobby and hobby jumbo packs.
Odds:
Hobby: 1:16,609
Hobby Jumbo: 1: 2,437
2018 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autograph Parallels
Base
Refractors
Print Run: /499
Exclusive to hobby and hobby jumbo.
Odds:
Hobby: 1:?
Hobby Jumbo: 1:27
Atomic Refractors
Print Run: /100
Exclusive to hobby and hobby jumbo.
Odds:
Hobby: 1:733
Hobby Jumbo: 1:123
Blue Refractors
Print Run: /150
Exclusive to hobby and hobby jumbo.
Odds:
Hobby: 1:?
Hobby Jumbo: 1:84
Gold Refractors
Print Run: /50
Exclusive to hobby and hobby jumbo.
Odds:
Hobby: 1:1,438
Hobby Jumbo: 1:240
Gold Shimmer Refractors
Print Run: /50
Exclusive to hobby and hobby jumbo.
Odds:
Hobby: 1:1,438
Hobby Jumbo: 1:240
Green Refractors
Print Run: /99
Retail only.
Odds:
Retail: 1:397
Retail Blaster: 1:397
Retail Jumbo: 1:199
Green Shimmer Refractors
Print Run: /99
Retail only.
Odds:
Retail: 1:397
Retail Blaster: 1:397
Retail Jumbo: 1:199
Orange Refractors
Print Run: /25
Exclusive to hobby.
Odds:
Hobby: 1:858
Orange Shimmer Refractors
Print Run: /25
Exclusive to hobby.
Odds:
Hobby: 1:858
Printing Plates
Print Run: 1/1
Each has a Black, Cyan, Magenta and Yellow version.
Exclusive to hobby and hobby jumbo.
Odds:
Hobby: 1:18,041
Hobby Jumbo: 1:3,010
Purple Refractors
Print Run: /250
Exclusive to hobby and hobby jumbo.
Odds:
Hobby: 1:?
Hobby Jumbo: 1:53
Red Refractors
Print Run: /5
Exclusive to hobby and hobby jumbo.
Odds:
Hobby: 1:14,344
Hobby Jumbo: 1:2,408
Red Shimmer Refractors
Print Run: /5
Exclusive to hobby and hobby jumbo.
Odds:
Hobby: 1:14,344
Hobby Jumbo: 1:2,408
Superfractors
Print Run: 1/1
Exclusive to hobby and hobby jumbo.
Odds:
Hobby: 1:69,757
Hobby Jumbo: 1:12,040
Comments? Questions? Contact Ryan Cracknell on Twitter @tradercracks or by email.
Enough is enough.
Great article, Ryan. Thanks.
I will take exception to this, however:
“If you put them all together for Prospect that have autographs, that can mean more than 50 different cards and parallels to chase if you take everything into account including Printing Plates.
While it sounds daunting, it’s really not.”
Not only is this daunting, it is ridiculous. I thought Panini was absurd with their insane number of parallels, but this takes the proverbial cake. Green and Green Shimmer??? LOL So ridiculous. I am not buying any more boxes of this stuff so that I can chase cards that probably do not even exist. I don’t get it…
@Tommy — Looking at it, my intention probably wasn’t as clear there. I was talking more about the idea of wrapping one’s head around the parallels, not the actual chase. In my mind (and collection), anytime there are cards to chase with less than 25 copies or so, there is indeed a level of daunting. Shimmer cards, and different variations on it like Wave and Ice, have been used in Bowman for years. I haven’t run the math (yet) but I think 2018 is similar to the less 5 years for the line.
Why on earth would you put those in alphabetical order? How about by rarity, you know, the order collectors think of them in?
@Doc – Data can be ordered in lots of different ways. The rarity for each card is pretty clear. The main set checklist on the site also has them arranged by rarity. As a collector, I was thinking about offering some order and in a way that made sense.
Everyone is chasing the Ohtani autographs, and retail has been selling out like crazy. What’s amazing is that I don’t think most people realize that the green autographs are the only rookie autos in retail. So while there are Ohtani autos, the green ones are the only ones in retail. Thus no chance at hitting any super low numbered Ohtani autos in retail.
Love that lots of folks are enjoying the hobby and chasing Ohtani. I on the other hand temper my expectations of an Ohtani of any value and have pulled multiple base and still enjoyed pulling a Green Hoskins auto! I love the thrill of a nice $200-$300 hit from a $20 blaster.
Can tou pull ohtani numbered cards from retail? Not autos but numbered
@Mike – The regular Bowman “paper” parallels are in retail and hobby.
@david— mmm, I pulled a platinum auto from retail
You may have missed one – speckle refractors…I can’t seem to find any info on these, although I have seen them on eBay on very rare occasion
@Mark – Speckle Refractors are in 2019, not 2018. 2018 Draft has Sparkle Refractors, which may be similar, but this article covers cards found in 2018 Bowman.