Chandler Simpson's Cards to Chase as he Heads to the Big Leagues
The fastest man in baseball is heading to The Show. Tampa Bay Rays outfield prospect Chandler Simpson is joining the big club after a solid start to the season at Triple-A Durham, batting .301 to go along with 22 hits in 73 at-bats, eight RBI, and eight steals in 17 games. The Rays' #7 prospect is not currently listed on the MLB Pipeline Top 100, but his electrifying skill set makes him an must-watch player who should find himself on highlight reels in no time. A big-league callup is an amazing moment for a ballplayer, and an exciting moment for collectors who have chased their prospect cards.
Just how fast is he? Here's Simpson beating out a ground ball to the first baseman:
If you watched the video, you can probably guess that Simpson received an 80/80 Run Grade from MLB Pipeline. But he also received an excellent 70/80 Hit Grade. Per MLB Pipeline's scouting report: "Simpson might be the most intriguing player in the Minors, or at least the most unique, because of a throwback skill set that defies some modern standards for prospect evaluation. The joke before the 2022 Draft was that, on the traditional scouting scale, the former Georgia Tech infielder had 90 speed and 10 power. He hasn’t done anything to disabuse anyone of that notion, stealing 94 bases in 2023 (tied for most in the Minors) and an MiLB-leading 104 in ’24 without hitting a single home run over the fence. Will the slap-hitting speedster’s style work in the Majors? The Rays are counting on it."
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The top Simpson sale of all-time, per Card Ladder at writing, is $1,850 for his 1st Bowman 2022 Bowman Draft Baseball Orange Auto /50 on March 20. The Superfractor 1/1 version of the card sold for only $1,300 way back in 2023. The image of Simpson and the card design are married very well on all parallels here, with a great action shot of him at-bat. A /50 went for $945 in late February. Auto cards from 2023 Bowman can be had starting at $18.
The top recent sale is for the 2022 Bowman Draft Baseball Auto /99, which fetched $515 on April 5. On Ebay the top listing is for a red lava refractor auto /5 for $9,999.
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Chandler Simpson is a fascinating prospect with an eye-catching game, which could lead to more attention and coverage than another prospect in his range. Simpson's Bowman's Best offerings include an All-Star Futures Game patch auto. Numbered to 25, the card sold for $245.50 on February 25.
Simpson's 2023 Topps Pro Debut card is also there to be chased. The Superfractor 1-of-1 sold for $165 on February 11.
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This Class of 2022 Bowman Chrome Draft Auto /250 is currently listed on Ebay for $21. COMC lists an auto of Simpson's 1st Bowman at $86.
Michael Terry is a writer based in Brooklyn. He specializes in sports, culture, and collecting. His work has appeared at Topps RIPPED, ESPN, Grantland, Vice Sports, and more.