Breathing new life into a cherished pastime that has been marinated in nostalgia, grassroots cheers, and the aroma of street vendor hot dogs, is as challenging as hitting a Clayton Kershaw curveball. Yet, giving credit where it’s due, Fanatics has decided to dig deep and try its hand at playing the modern game. They’ve stepped up to the plate and swung for the fences with innovations such as the MLB Debut Patch and, for the digitally-inclined amongst us, the Social Media Followback redemption. It’s a fresh, savvy nod to the digital savviness of the 21st century, even for those whose baseball card collections have been lovingly stored since the days before online shopping was a thing.
The spotlight is now on the latest trendsetter of baseball memorabilia: the Bowman Red Rookie. You might be asking, “What sorcery is this?” Here’s the low-down: certain rookies in Bowman’s much-anticipated 2025 lineup will sport a flamboyant red RC logo. Starting from November, these cards transform not merely the player’s potential but also the cardholder’s chances at some rather eye-catching prizes. The catch? The players need to clinch awards like Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, MVP, or eventually, prove their mettle by being enshrined in the hallowed halls of Cooperstown.
Holding onto one of these treasured tokens until a Hall of Fame induction could render you a modern-day oracle — at least according to one overly enthusiastic X user. Realistically, though, gunning for that Rookie of the Year award is the practical pot of gold lying under your cardboard rainbow.
A name that has collectors abuzz is Roki Sasaki. The buzz surrounding him is electrifying, and with good reason, but before you dive headfirst into the sea of rookie cards, which of the 2025 Bowman Red Rookies are truly worth the chase next week?
Fortunately, Max Arterburn from Prospects Live has crunched the numbers and separated the wheat from the chaff. He began with a daunting Red Rookie checklist of 30 hopefuls, gradually trimming the list with a methodical process-of-elimination akin to baseball arithmetic.
First off the list are eight rookies who might as well book a trip to Aruba come November — they’ve exhausted their rookie eligibility by clocking too many at-bats, innings, or days on the roster in the prior season. Hence, cross out Connor Norby, Spencer Schwellenbach, Drew Thorpe, Jhonkensy Noel, David Festa, Ben Rice, James Wood, and Brooks Lee from your hunt.
We are then left with 22 – yet the injury bug is perpetually lurking in the shadows. Rhett Lowder, Kumar Rocker, and River Ryan are currently on the mend. Even if Lowder and Rocker make their returns like triumphant phoenixes, they’d need to pitch with the intensity and dominance of a turbo-charged Paul Skenes to ensure their return to Rookie of the Year contention. As for River Ryan, though hope springs eternal for next season, expecting miracles from the baseball deities might be overly ambitious.
Next, knock out another dozen names due to their invisibility on the major league radar. They’re either seasoning in the minors longer than a Thanksgiving turkey brine, or they simply haven’t made substantial headway when stepping up to the plate. Goodbye to Adrian Del Castillo, Shay Whitcomb, Thomas Saggese, Hyesong Kim, Adael Amador, Hurston Waldrep, Tyler Locklear, Coby Mayo, Caden Dana, Kevin Alcantara, Orelvis Martinez, and Nick Yorke.
Down to seven hopefuls, but the clouds of doubt swirl above a few heads. Luisangel Acuña is yet to cement his place and has left his power-hitting prowess largely untapped. Jace Jung, while sprinkled with potential, hasn’t lit up the league in breathtaking fashion. On the mound, Tomoyuki Sugano’s strikeout capabilities might not yet strike awe.
Through this rigorous trial process (and a sprinkle of common sense), we arrive at the glorious final four Bowman Red Rookies that should command your attention: Jackson Jobe, Jacob Wilson, Roki Sasaki, and Dylan Crews.
If the $100 Fanatics prize is your holy grail — and honestly, who’s turning that down? — these are the athletes potentially waving to the stands in triumph. Some might see their stars rise high enough to dazzle the halls of Cooperstown someday, but if you’re targeting a Red Rookie payday, well, patience is a virtue – and who knows, it might just pay dividends.
