MLB Prospect Cards about to Pop on Secondary Markets
Collectors and speculators in the sports card hobby are about to get a return on their investment. Prospects are brought up as needed throughout the 162-game schedule, but the late-season addition to the roster is a rite of passage in the big leagues. Some teams got a jumpstart on the Sept. 1 expanded roster by getting key players with the club, raising values within the hobby.
The life of a prospect and their card goes from being drafted, card produced for high draft picks, working through the minor league system, earning a top prospect label (if lucky), and then being added to a Major League roster.
Depending on the number of games played in a given year, said player either stays a prospect, hoping to be on the 40-man spring training roster with a shot of making the club next summer, or begins their rookie season.
In the card collecting world, Topps, via Bowman, has cornered the market on producing top prospect cards. As an example, the 2025 Bowman Chrome line provides chases opportunities for autographs of rising stars in Chrome Prospect and Chrome Rookie Autographs.
Inserts like Etched In Glass, Rookie Color Run, Adios, Spotlights, Ascensions, Max Volume, Melt Mashers, It Came To The League, and Meteoric Rise heighten the thrill of ripping packs and buying singles.
Back in the Show, top minor-league prospects like Nolan McLean are making late-season noise. The New York Mets put their 2023 third-round pick on the mound against the Seattle Mariners on Aug. 16, getting a two-hit, eight-strikeout gem in 5.1 innings pitched.
The Chicago Cubs brought 23-year-old right fielder Owen Caissie up on Aug. 14. Caissie spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons at Triple-A Iowa. earning a top prospect label. In his MLB debut against the Toronto Blue Jays, the Canadian batted fifth filling in as a DH.
With the Cubs leading for a Wild Card berth, seven games behind NL Central leader Milwaukee, and with a crowded Chicago outfield, Caissie may not get a lot of opportunities to shine, but collector enthusiasm will still be there.
Another exciting player to watch getting a recent call is Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo. Four days after turning 21, Basallo made the move from Triple-A Norfolk to the Show, getting his first MLB hit against the Houston Astros on Aug. 17.
If the Triple-A numbers are what to expect, Jhostynxon Garcia cards will be a hot commodity. At Worcester, the centerfielder popped at .303 in 66 games with 56 RBI. The longball capabilities coupled with his speed to the gaps racks up the extra bases. Garcia mashed 17 HRs, 12 doubles, and three triples at Triple-A (unbelievable stats in 66 games triple checked!). The Red Sox brought Garcia up on Thursday ahead of the Yankees’ four-game series.
Some other prospects expected to be called up in the coming days include Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Carson Williams. In the case of Williams, the Rays have struggled at shortstop in both production at the plate and on the field. The Rays are seven games back in the Wild Card race – Williams could get some meaningful time on the field, helping his card values rise.
The Pirates may have another future ace to pair with Paul Skenes in Bubba Chandler. Drafted in 2021, Chandler is still just two years removed from giving up on being a shortstop to focus on pitching. Like most young pitchers, Chandler has an excellent fastball that ranges from 96 to 99 mph. Mixed with the heater, Chandler has above the line curve, slider, and changeup.
Like with Skenes, it is hard to know how good, or great, Chandler is based solely on stats with the talent around him. At Triple-A this season, Chandler is 5-6 with a 4.05 ERA. But he’s struck out 121 in 100 innings. The 1.48 WHIP may mean a little more seasoning is needed.
Possible to contact Ryan about my baseball collection?