Modern card collecting takes many forms. Some collectors keep what only what they open, others enjoy the thrill of breaks, many see it as an investment, and some prefer buying singles for their personal collections.

At HobbyMonitor, we cater to a variety of collector types (we obviously love both cards and prospects!).

For any Bowman release, we employ a mix of these strategies:

Purchase a few hobby boxes or participate in breaks with affordable random team spots
Target specific cheaper prospects through pick-your-player or team breaks
Acquire most cards (especially case hit inserts like Bowman Spotlights or GPK) as singles a few months after release

It’s worth sharing some rough rules we have for our collecting. This is somewhat data driven, and somewhat preference just to avoid spreading too thin:

Most base autos should be sold at release to maximize return. Use those funds for a True Blue /150 or a True Gold /50. If buying ungraded cards, ensure they'll likely grade well (use the HobbyMonitor scanner!), but understand you're taking on added risk. We sell all base autos we pull at release, grading clean versions of the top prospects only. In 2025 Bowman this list included Jesus Made, JJ Wetherholt (who we didn’t pull), and Kevin McGonigle
Working with a limited budget for just a prospect or two? Buy singles in the offseason. This stretches your budget furthest. While this strategy didn't work out for our biggest 2025 Bowman chase (JJ Wetherholt), such outcomes are rare—especially with Bowman releases compared to Bowman Draft or Bowman Chrome.
We can’t "catch 'em all." Both budgets and time have limits. We're content with keeping some prospects from our hobby boxes and random team breaks and only keeping numbered autos or low-numbered color (/150 or less). If our predictions miss, the offseason provides chances to adjust.
Pitchers typically peak in value at release, maybe reaching those highs again at debut but rarely exceeding. Skenes was truly generational, and Jacob Misiorowski seems to be another short-term anomaly following Skenes' breakout rookie season. Most pitchers won't deliver extra profit regardless of their performance. We rarely chase pitchers for their card upside specifically, the risk is not worth the reward. You’ll see below we bend the rule on one pitcher in the product.

We realize this is probably the WORST time to be stressing this last point. Nolan McLean, Bubba Chandler, Chase Burns - there’s a long list of productive young arms this year to counterpoint this and we agree. However, we still feel strongly this is best strategy in the long run if you are not already chasing that specific player.

Understanding the Product

Bowman Chrome primarily features international prospects. Most (52 of 86) 1st Bowman players in this release are 18 years old and under. Hobby boxes are already between $350-400 on the secondary market—a significant jump from last year's $280 price point. Each hobby box guarantees two autographs across 60 cards.

Many of these prospects will fade into obscurity, a few will rise as they mature, and most will end up as $1 box filler. This isn't the release to go all-in on—2025 Bowman Draft is much more likely to showcase top prospects who'll actually debut.

The 2025 release includes only one Top 100 prospect according to Baseball America—Rainiel Rodriguez of the Cardinals, who recently cracked the MLB Pipeline Top 100 at #99. This is notably fewer than the seven Top 100 prospects featured in 2025 Bowman, highlighting the international focus of Chrome.

The product will feature a variety of rookies and vets. New parallels this year include pulsar, fuchsia, blue wave, green wave, and black refractors. The sole Retrofractor is Tony Perez (a downgrade from last year's Lou Gehrig and Sandy Koufax), though his autographed versions should hold value.

There’s a larger insert checklist (more GPKs than previous releases), Spotlights, International Refractors are new this year and much more. That’s all to say, the cost is higher and so is the print run. While still a solid product in our opinion, especially versus recent releases Topps Chrome and Finest 2025, there’s more risk from a print run perspective than recent years.

Our Top Chases:

Elian Peña (17, SS, New York Mets)

The number 2 overall international prospect in this product, our model put Peña at the top by a decent margin.

Peña signed for $5 million with the Mets—the second-highest bonus in the 2025 international class behind only Roki Sasaki. The 17-year-old shortstop has already made waves in the Dominican Summer League, hitting three home runs in a single game this past week and maintaining more walks than strikeouts despite being one of the youngest players at his level. With a 105 wRC+ and elite defensive tools, Peña projects as a dynamic middle infielder with both hit and power potential. MLB.com rated him as the #2 prospect in the international class behind Josuar Gonzalez.

Rainiel Rodriguez (18, C, Cardinals)

The only prospect in the product already on the MLB Top 100 (#99 on MLB Pipeline), who has been delivering results all season.

Rodriguez is just 18 years old and was recently promoted to Low-A Palm Beach from the complex league. The power-hitting catcher/third baseman/DH slugged seven home runs in just 20 games at the complex level and boasts an uncanny feel for barreling baseballs at such a young age. In the DSL last year, he posted a .345/.462/.683 slash line with 10 homers in just 41 games. His 90th percentile exit velocity reached 103.4 mph in 2025, and scouts project 25-30 home run potential if everything clicks. The Cardinals have four Top 100 prospects total, making them a solid team chase despite lacking the star power of teams like the Dodgers.

Yairo Padilla (18, SS, Cardinals)

A dynamic, up-the-middle talent with disruptive speed and advanced defensive instincts who cracked the club’s top 30 prospects in his first stateside season.

Padilla, an 18-year-old switch-hitting shortstop from the Dominican Republic, was promoted to the Florida Complex League Cardinals after a standout year in the DSL, where he hit .287/.391/.404 with 22 stolen bases in just 35 games. A 2024 DSL Mid-Season All-Star, he continues to impact the game on both sides of the ball thanks to his plus run tool and a strong arm that profiles well for shortstop or possibly second base long-term. Though still developing his power, he consistently gets on base and flashes the kind of approach and contact skills that set the table atop a lineup. With a .770 career OPS in the minors and the potential for 25+ steals a year, Padilla is a high-upside Cardinals prospect who could be an impact player as he adds strength and experience.

We spent extra time on Padilla to validate the Cardinals as a team chase we would be comfortable with, if the prices are right.

Cris Rodriguez (17, OF, Tigers)

The youngest breakout in the 2025 international class, standing out in his pro debut with elite power and athleticism.

Only 17 years old and already garnering international headlines, Rodriguez has turned heads as a plus runner and power threat in center field for DSL Tigers 2, slashing .308/.340/.904 with 10 home runs, 39 RBI, and 10 steals in just 172 at-bats during his first season. Signed for $3.2 million, the Santo Domingo native combines plus bat speed with 25–30 home run upside, regularly hitting majestic drives in BP and games. His tools are loud: scouts grade his power and speed at 60 on the 20–80 scale, serving both as a dynamic top-of-the-order catalyst and a potential middle-of-the-order force. The only knock is his swing can get long versus offspeed, but with already an All-Star nod in the DSL, Rodriguez projects as the Tigers' next big international star if the approach further matures.

Nate George (19, OF, Orioles)

A rising center field prospect who has soared up rankings after a breakout summer in full-season ball.

Currently ranked #81 on Baseball America’s Top 100, George has made his mark since his June promotion. The speedy 19-year-old slashed .337 with 25 steals over 43 games at Single-A Delmarva and now finds himself with High-A Aberdeen. Armed with a plus run tool and elite outfield defense, he’s posted double-digit extra-base hits and drawn praise for his improved patience at the plate. Projected as a 15+ HR, 25+ steal threat. The Orioles’ system remains a goldmine for value chasers thanks to George and a slew of other young risers.

We spent extra time on George to validate the Orioles as a team chase we would be comfortable with, if the prices are right.

Juneiker Caceres (18, OF, Guardians)

The 18-year-old Venezuelan outfielder has been absolutely scorching to start his full-season career.

After posting an .888 OPS through 40 games in the ACL, he's been on fire at Single-A, showing a compelling hit/power combination. His prospect status has been skyrocketing, with scouts noting a 55-grade hit tool and 50-grade power potential. With plus speed (70-grade) adding to his profile, Caceres offers significant upside despite being relatively unknown entering the year.

Cam Schlittler (24, RHP, Yankees)

OK we lied about our no pitchers rule. But a fellow Northeastern college alum we’re bending the rules for, and Schlittler is making an immediate big-league impact for the New York Yankees—a playoff contender in the sport’s biggest market.

After being called up in July, Schlittler has performed well, posting a stellar 2.76 ERA with 46 strikeouts across 42.1 innings (8 starts) for the contending Yankees. The 24-year-old’s fastball now averages a blistering 97.8 mph—up nearly four ticks from last season—helping him rack up whiffs with a potent mix of cutter and curveball. Already ranked #93 on Baseball America’s Top 100 and #48 by FanGraphs, Schlittler’s 95th-percentile velocity, advanced arsenal, and playoff bullpen role make him the rare pitcher in this product worth a long hold. He’s generated 19 swings-and-misses across recent starts and profiles as a critical arm for New York down the stretch.

This is purely for collection purposes. A fun personal chase for us that will likely be affordable across all break formats.

Honorable Mentions

Devin Fitz-Gerald (Rangers, SS, Age 19) The switch-hitting son of elite high school coach Todd Fitz-Gerald has emerged as the Rangers' biggest offensive breakout star this season, climbing to #21 in Baseball America's system rankings with a .302/.428/.482 line across two levels. Advanced bat-to-ball skills and plus makeup suggest he'll continue playing above his tools despite modest physical projection.

Shotaro Morii (Athletics, SS, Age 18) The historic Japanese two-way signing ($1.51M bonus) brings dual-market collector appeal and legitimate two-way upside, though scouts favor his hitting over pitching long-term. With 45 high school home runs and a projected top-10 NPB Draft slot, he represents the rare international prospect with both performance pedigree and crossover collecting potential. The Athletics will be too expensive to target Morii in team breaks however, and will likely carry a premium due to the international appeal and international variation auto.

Kale Fountain (Padres, 3B, Age 20) The 6-foot-5 power prospect set Nebraska prep records with 31 career homers but is working back from Tommy John surgery in his first pro season. Plus raw power (60-grade) and an over-slot $1.7M bonus show organizational belief, though contact concerns and a slow .605 OPS start raise questions about hit tool development.

John Gil (Braves, SS, Age 19) The Braves' best speed tool (70-grade) went 40-for-48 on stolen bases in 2024 and has shown improved plate discipline in 2025 (.243/.339 vs .204/.297 in 2024). While his 40-grade power projection limits ceiling, the tool around it creates excellent risk-reward ratio if offensive development continues.

Who We Are Fading

Josuar Gonzalez (17, SS, Giants)

Despite the $3 million signing bonus—the second highest ever awarded by the Giants—Gonzalez is a fade for us. Ranked #85 on Baseball America’s Top 100 and drawing some Francisco Lindor comps, he’s still exceptionally raw, currently hitting just .254 in the DSL. There are major concerns about whether his hit tool will mature enough to make his projected power playable. While the tools and pedigree will generate buzz, the risk-reward equation at likely chase prices just doesn’t add up. This is a profile we’re steering clear of for now.

Andrew Salas (17, C, Marlins)

Reputation is driving Salas’s market far more than his present skill set. The youngest in the Salas baseball family (Ethan is already in the Top 20 overall, Jose is in the Twins system), Andrew’s $3.7 million bonus and rapid promotion to Low-A have helped inflate his hype—and his price. The reality: he’s shown good plate discipline with more walks than strikeouts, but lacks the loud tools of the other headliners in the class. Name value and heavy Topps promotion (including GPK inserts) are creating artificial demand that’s not backed by elite production. We’ll revisit if the tools start to show more impact.

Anyone Over the Age of 23

The age curve is unforgiving. Prospects over 23 face shrinking developmental windows and limited upside, making them low-ceiling, high-risk plays in this product.

All Other Pitchers

Outside of Cam Schlittler—who’s already establishing himself in the majors—our approach is to fade the pitching group entirely. Pitchers rarely hold value in the long term, and the volatility at this position remains high. Our strategy: sell pitchers immediately and stick to bats for long-term holds.

Market Dynamics to Consider

The Dodgers will top the breaker value list with Shohei Ohtani autos, plus heavy inclusion of Roki Sasaki and Hyeseong Kim cards driving prices. The Athletics will also be high with Jacob Wilson, Nick Kurtz autos, and the Morii International Refractor auto that's attracting both American and Japanese collectors. The Nationals (Woods & Crews rookies), Yankees (Judge autos) and various teams with GPK insert chases will skew team prices above and beyond the prospects.

However, the Cardinals and Orioles are likely two teams without strong rookies and lower veteran market demand (besides maybe Gunnar Henderson). Now they both have GPKs (Samual Basallo and JJ Wetherholt). Wetherholt being in the Cardinals adds a nice secondary chase for us as well. We’ll see where they land on pricing but we’re expecting middle to bottom third for both.

The Bottom Line

2025 Bowman Chrome is a high-risk, high-reward product best suited for those who enjoy prospecting on teenage international talent. With presale prices 25-40% higher than last year and limited proven talent, this isn't the release for conservative collectors. Focusing on the Cardinals for team break value (Rodriguez, Padilla, and Wetherholt), target individual hits like Peña or Cris Rodriguez if you believe in the upside, and remember—patience pays off when collecting teenage prospects who are 5-7 years from the majors.

Most importantly, stick to the fundamental strategies that have served us well: fade pitchers, flip base autos, and wait for the offseason to buy the high-end singles you really want. The real opportunity in 2025 likely comes with Bowman Draft later this year.

Happy hunting, and remember—use that HobbyMonitor scanner before sending anything to grade!

2025 Bowman Chrome: HobbyMonitor’s Top Chases and Recommendations