Some major prospects come into the Major Leagues and make good on their promise immediately. There are many others, though, that take some time before beginning to hit their peaks. And this fact means that you have some time to get in on their rookie cards before they explode. Below are key cards for some of the MLB’s best breakout candidates.
Harrison Bader 2016 Bowman Chrome Prospect Auto
Harrison Bader broke in with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2017 and has had a nice career to this point, most known for his speed and outstanding defense. The outfielder was traded to the Yankees in August of last year. Once the American League team made the playoffs, Bader exploded.
It looks like Bader may have unlocked the power potential he has shown at times in both the majors and minors. His profile will be bigger playing for the Yankees and he will have plenty of chances to hit homers, score runs and win games. You can still grab his 2016 Bowman Chrome Prospect Auto on the cheap.
Vinnie Pasquantino National Treasures Century Signatures
Image via eBay
With the team picking at the top of the draft for several years, the Kansas City Royals had several better-known prospects than Vinnie Pasquantino, selected in the 11th round of the 2019 draft. As the first baseman climbed through the minor league ranks his production became impossible to ignore. Pasquantino made it all the way to the bigs last year, appearing in 72 games and hitting .295 with 10 home runs.
Projection systems are believers in the first baseman’s hitting ability. He’s a poor defender, but that’s not all that important when it comes to collecting. Pasquantino also scores extra points for being a fun Twitter follow. His Century Signatures auto card currently sells for between $50-$110 online.
Riley Greene 2019 Bowman Chrome Draft
The Detroit Tigers selected Riley Greene 5th overall in the 2019 MLB Draft. The Florida-born outfielder rose quickly through the minor leagues, showing off an intriguing blend of power and speed. He rode those tools all the way to an everyday job in the big leagues during the 2022 season.
Like many 21 year-olds getting their first taste of MLB pitching, Greene had his struggles. The abilities that got him there are quite evident and the Tigers are going to give him all the time he needs to figure it out. You may want to grab his Bowman Chrome Draft issue before that happens.
Oneil Cruz 2022 Absolute Kaboom
In addition to being a prime breakout candidate, Oneil Cruz is also a joy to watch. Somehow he’s a good enough defender to stay at shortstop despite standing at 6-7. He hits the ball as hard as anyone in the majors and has been clocked throwing the ball to first base at 100 miles per hour.
The question is, when do all of the Pittsburgh Pirates jaw-dropping tools come together. When it does happen, it could mean a Gold Glove shortstop with 30 homers and 30 steals. His rookie cards, like this Kaboom card, represent a nice lottery ticket.
Vaughn Grissom 2020 Bowman Chrome Prospect Auto
The Atlanta Braves have become a factory for star young players lately. And the latest in line looks to be infielder Vaughn Grissom. The 11th Round Pick in the 2019 draft had a dramatic rise in 2022, starting in the High A and finishing with 41 very impressive games in the big leagues.
Now penciled in as a starter in the loaded Braves lineup, Grissom is likely to score a ton of runs to go along with nice power and speed numbers. Collectors should snap up a few copies of his rookie cards.
*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoGollect.
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Todd Neikirk
Todd Neikirk is a New Jersey-based politics and technology writer. His work has been featured in psfk.com, foxsports.com, and hillreporter.com. He enjoys sports, politics, comic books, and spending time at the shore with his family.
