I AM NOT A PROSPECTOR. I AM NOT A ROOKIE CARD COLLECTOR.
...that being said...
Dave and Adam's had this box for cheap. They did me well with a 2015 Pro Debut box a few years back, and there was some genuine rookie mojo in there. This...may be a lot more impressive. I'm not expecting to really know a lot of these players, except for the few who've made the majors since release, but...I'll look for Yanks and Phils affiliates, and maybe other players I've caught wind of.
18 packs, 8 cards per, I'll shoot for 9 in this post. And you're guaranteed 2 hits, an ON-CARD auto (take that, Panini), and a game-used card. I pulled 2 sticker autos of guys that never made it from the Pro Debut box, and 2 manu-patch relics as well. So I don't exactly care about the hits.
Oh, and we have a box topper:
Yeah, each hobby box comes with a Topps Super insert that won't be fit into any binder pages. Lovely.
I did pretty well here- this is one of Joey Bart, Giants AA-level catching prospect. Not bad.
Pack 1- Base is self-explanatory. It's Heritage, but with MiLB teams. Photo selection is the usual, static Heritage fare.
Base highlights here are Braves-system strikeout artist Ian Anderson, who will probably be up in the majors during the second half of next season, and Yankee farmhand Estevan Florial, whose once-high status in the Yankee system has fallen after a few too many seasons in A+ level.
Pack 2- Yeah, the one drawback to this set is that it's very base-centric, but given the subjects, that won't always be a huge drawback.
Ke'Bryan Hayes gets the Sporting News subset card, and if it weren't for Colin Moran he'd have a genuine shot of landing a spot in the 40-man next year. Brendan Rodgers will look to rebound from an injury-shortened rookie year in 2020, and Jesus Luzardo will look for a full year of bullpen work in Oakland...or potentially a juicier spot in the pitching staff.
Pack 3- First insert in this pack, at least.
This one got a double dose of Brewers prospect Brice Turang, the Brewers' first-round draft pick in 2018. Turang's early numbers have warranted a Fresh on the Scene insert, similar to Heritage proper's New Age Performers design. His 2019 numbers are a little more okay than expected, especially in A+ ball.
And some 2019 major leaguers. Mitch Keller had a very rocky rookie year in Pittsburgh, Logan Allen had a great Cena-assisted start in San Diego before a trade to Cleveland sent him back to the minors. Hopefully he'll have a spot in the Indians' 2020 plans. And Jose Suarez had a prolific-but-okay reign as a starter in Anaheim.
Pack 4- Another insert, and more from my teams.
Clarke Schmidt had a solid season in the Yanks system, ending in Trenton with a solid ERA. Could be moving up quickly. Adonis Medina is a modest starter for Reading right now, and on the Phils' 40-man. Could this mean he's looking at a starting spot in 2020? Maybe?
And here's some bigger names. Austin Riley had a strong, if lopsided, rookie year in Atlanta. And Luis Robert, in a Fantastic Fears insert, is THE GUY to watch in Chicago. 32 home runs in the minors this year, split between 3 levels. He ended the year in Charlotte, and with enough luck he'll be booting Adam Engel or Charlie Tilson out of a starting spot at Comiskey next June. Cannot wait to see this guy in action.
Pack 5- More of the same, though better photography in this pack.
Alec Bohm is a Philly prospect with some heft. After hitting .329 in Clearwater this spring, he came to Reading, where he hit .269 with 14 homers. We could use a guy like him at third. Meanwhile, Andrew Knizner, in a Fantastic Feats insert, has become a reliable backup option to Yadier Molina in the wake of Matt Wieters' departure.
Bryan Abreu, in an awesome dugout shot, was sharp in 7 relief appearances with the Astros this season. Equally sharp was AJ Puk, who FINALLY made the majors with Oakland this year, and looks to be a relief option with Luzardo.
Pack 6- A lot more variety here.
Some cool highlights- Philly prospect Alec Bohm gets a fantastic feats insert, Brewers hero Keston Hiura gets a Sporting News subset, and future Angels outfielder Jo Adell gets a smooth base card.
Pack 7- Some more run stuff in here.
Brusdar Graterol made a late debut with Minnesota this year, and will probably factor into the Twins' 2020 plans. Tristan Pompey, here in a Fresh on the Scene insert, didn't do well in A+ ball in the Marlins' system. Just what they needed, another Lewis Brinson.
And a Phils prospect for the road, Luis Garcia, who was a disappointment for Lakewood this year.
Pack 8- A HIT IS IN THIS PACK.
Brent Honeywell has been a Rays prospect for YEARS, and has yet to make an MLB debut due to injuries. Hopefully 2020 is his year. Jordan Yamamoto had a good enough Marlins rookie year, but needs to tighten things up next year. Luis Robert is awesome.
and now the hit...
...considering that MiLB sets tend to swerve towards players that will never make it when it comes to hits, getting a hit of the #6 prospect in all of baseball this year is not bad at all.
Jo Adell could be an Angels mainstay in a year or so. He was working well in Salt Lake this year, and seems to be a young, fit outfield guy that the Angels could work with in 2020. And now I have a game-used black swatch of him. Not bad, man. Not bad at all.
Pack 9- This pack features a promotional card for a contest I will not enter.
Anthony Siegler is just another catcher that can't hit for average in the minors. We already have plenty of those. Dustin May got some nice starts in 2019 for LA before being moved to the bullpen, and hopefully he's used a little better with a clearer rotation next year. Taylor Trammell was the big rookie piece that the Padres got in exchange for Logan Allen and Franmil Reyes. He's...fine.
Part two coming soon. This box ain't bad.
Great post. Good to see a break of one of these.
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