By Kelly:
Big changes to the 2014 Bowman Draft Picks and Prospects. First of all they changed the name to just Bowman Draft. Another one of the big changes is that there are no more rookie cards in the set. It now focuses more on the latest draft picks just beginning their journey to a MLB career.
It past years I usually buy a Hobby box but this year I sprung for the Jumbo box and I was much happier with it then the past few years. Jumbo boxes have three autographs in them and I got lucky because I pulled four. The one I really like is the Tyler Kolek AFLAC/Perfect Game/Under Armour All-American 173/199 autograph. He was the 2nd overall pick in the 2014 MLB Draft. In the Jumbo boxes you get 24 refractors and that’s how many I pulled. I also pulled seven serial numbered cards, including a Purple Ice #/99.
Last year the cards didn’t have the 1st Bowman stamp. This year is it back which I am happy about. All the 1st Bowman Draft Pick cards are numbered from DP1 to DP 132, some of the bigger names are Alex Jackson, Kyle Schwarber, Nick Gordon, Michael Conforto, Tyler Kolek and Trea Turner, who was recently traded from the Padres to the Nationals. All the Top Prospect cards are numbered TP-1 to TP-90, some of the bigger names are Kris Bryant, Carlos Correa, Corey Seager, Mark Appel and Clint Frazier.
A lot of the same insert sets are back; Future of the Franchise Mini Chrome, Dual Draftees and Bowman Scouts Breakouts. New to this year’s inserts are Draft Night which uses pictures from the 2014 MLB Draft and Initiation which are intended to welcome new players to the Bowman family, these cards are #/99.
A few of my favorite cards are the Alex Jackson (Mariners 1st round pick in 2014 MLB Draft) I pulled and hope to get signed at this year’s Mariners Fan Fest. One of the autographs I pulled was a Gold Refractor 1/50. I don’t think I have ever pulled a 1/?? something before. I my last favorite is the Jorge Alfaro Future of the Franchise Mini. I got to see him at the AFL in 2013 and was not only a great player but awesome with the fans. I root for him to make the MLB sometime soon.
Bowman Draft is not sold in retail so you will have to find a local card store to buy them or buy them online. I’m not lucky enough to have a local card store so I found a good deal on Ebay. I will probably be spending some of the Christmas money buying another Jumbo Box. Good luck to all you who buy a pack or box and I hope you get a big hit.