Looking back at 2023 Bowman Draft cards
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2023 Bowman Draft could be viewed as one of the turning points for prospecting as it has kickstarted a string of nearly immediate MLB-ready players debuting in the Major Leagues less than a year after being selected.
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Who headlines the checklist?
Headlined by one of the best pitchers in baseball in Paul Skenes, a handful of everyday Major League players along with a mix of top prospects fill out the group.
1. Paul Skenes, Pirates SP
Skenes has solidified himself as one of the best pitchers in baseball in less than two full years of MLB action. Through two years and 320.2 innings in Pittsburgh, Skenes has a career 1.96 ERA with 386 strikeouts to go along with a Rookie of the Year and Cy Young award.
2. Wyatt Langford, Rangers OF
Langford appeared in just 44 Minor League games before making the Rangers' Opening Day roster in 2024 and has shown that he will be a staple in the league for years to come. In each of his first two years, the outfielder has hit at least 20 home runs while stealing 20 bases.
3. Jacob Wilson, Athletics SS
Wilson's rookie season in 2025 saw him hit .311, start the All-Star game at shortstop and finish second in American League Rookie of the Year voting. Wilson also belted 13 home runs and looks to be the Athletics' shortstop for years to come.
4. Matt Shaw, Cubs 3B
Shaw's up and down rookie season saw him make the Cubs' Opening Day roster before struggling and getting sent down to Triple-A to readjust. Ultimately, Shaw hit .226 in the regular season but started at third base for Chicago in the postseason.
5. Rhett Lowder, Reds SP
Lowder missed all of the 2025 season with a myriad of injuries, but posted a 1.17 ERA in 30.2 MLB innings at the end of the 2024 season. Entering the 2023 MLB Draft, Lowder was alongside Skenes as the best pitchers in the entire class. Lowder looks to be fully healthy and ready to go for 2026.
6. Kristian Campbell, Red Sox 3B
Campbell started for the Red Sox as the team's second baseman, inked a long-term extension and won American League Rookie of the Month for April before hitting a rough patch and spending the second half of the season in Triple-A. With his card market at a significantly lower level, collectors could accumulate quite the collection for a player many Boston fans hope bounce back in 2026.
7. Bryce Eldridge, Giants 1B
Eldridge's light-tower power led him to San Francisco for a small taste of the Major Leagues. In the Minor Leagues last season, Eldridge belted 25 home runs and drove in 84 runs while being viewed as one of the top first base prospects in all of baseball.
8. Max Clark, Tigers OF
Clark walked more than he struck out in the Minor Leagues in 2025 and is viewed as one of the top prospects in all of baseball. Clark's 1st Bowman cards still are highly sought after across the baseball card community.
What is the highest sold card from the product?
While collectors were looking for Paul Skenes' top cards in the product, the top card sold from the release was from someone who has never logged a single inning in professional baseball. In 2023 Bowman Draft, football legend Tom Brady had 1995 Bowman autographs, with his superfractor autograph selling in January of 2024 for over $158,000.
Sitting as the second and third most expensive cards from 2023 Bowman Draft are each of Paul Skenes' 1/1 Superfractors, to no one's surprise. Skenes' 1/1 Superfractor autograph sold twice within three months, selling for $80,000 in June of 2024 followed by a staggering $123,000 in Septemeber of the same year. The Pirates star's 1/1 non-auto Superfractor sold in August of 2024 for $63,000.
Dan Gardella is a Red Sox fan and collector growing up in Yankee territory in Connecticut. While only reviving his love for the hobby a few years ago, he provides knowledge into baseball cards from prospects to the big leagues.
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