The essential cards of 2011 Bowman Baseball
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2011 was a top-heavy year for Bowman baseball releases. The rookie class included generational talent Mike Trout and eventual Cy Young winner Chris Sale. The prospect auto checklist from 2011 Bowman Chrome is most noteworthy for the presence of then-phenom Bryce Harper. 2011 Bowman Chrome Draft prospect checklist is a little deeper, with the likes of Blake Snell, George Springer, and Trevor Story to go along with Francisco Lindor. But, when it comes to the cards that stand on top, superstars Bryce Harper's prospect card, and Mike Trout's rookie cards are simply a cut above. Let's look at four essential cards from 2011 Bowman Baseball.
2011 Bowman Chrome Baseball #BCP111B Bryce Harper
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It's hard to undersell just how much hype surrounded Bryce Harper when he was making his rapid rise to the big league level. The unquestioned top overall draft pick in 2010, pundits wondered if the stud prospect could be someone akin to LeBron in the NBA. While Harper never reached those levels of dominations on the field and influence off of it, he's certainly working on a Hall of Fame career. Harper won the 2012 NL Rookie of the Year, and is now an eight-time All-Star and two-time MVP. He took home the 2022 NLCS MVP after sending the Philadelphia Phillies to the World Series with a two-run home run in the eighth inning of Game 5 over the Atlanta Braves.
Bowman's card back scouting report is a testament to the hype that surrounded Harper as a youngster. "As power-packed as any player scouted in recent years," reads the Skills section, while the card also details his famous 2009 Sports Illustrated cover. His 2011 Bowman Chrome Baseball Prospect Autograph card is perhaps Harper's most coveted card. This 1/1 Superfractor Auto sold for as much as $432,000 in 2022.
2011 Bowman Chrome Baseball #175 Mike Trout RC
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Mike Trout rose to the top of baseball and the hobby with one of the greatest stretches of play the sport has ever seen. From age 20, Trout went on an eight-season run that saw him finish first or second in MVP voting seven times. While his 2009 Bowman Draft Picks Chrome Prospect Auto card is his most valuable - the one-of-one Superfractor Auto selling for as much as $3.84 million, his 2011 Bowman Chrome rookie card is considered an important Trout RC. This Red Refractor numbered to five sold for just under $12,000 in Apr. 2025. The Bowman Briefing card back describes Trout as having "Once-in-a-decade tools."
2011 Bowman Chrome Draft Baseball #101 Mike Trout RC
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Trout also has a popular RC from 2011 Bowman Chrome Draft Baseball. This Gold Refractor numbered to 50 sold for just over $5,000 on May 31, 2025.
Trout's Bowman Briefing card back details Trout's rise to 2011's top MLB prospect, and references his MLB debut on July 8. While Trout's domination over baseball and the hobby waned as the superstar struggled for years with injury, he recently passed 1,000 RBI and has an outside shot at getting to the 30-homer mark for the first time since he hit 40 in 2022.
2011 Bowman Chrome Draft Baseball Prospect Autographs #FL Francisco Lindor
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While Lindor's place in the hobby doesn't challenge the likes of Trout and Harper, he's had a fantastic career so far. Only 31, he's a five-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger, and already has, at writing, over 1,600 hits to go along with 834 RBI. This 2011 Bowman Chrome Draft Prospect Auto Blue Refractor numbered to 150 sold for $2,760 on June 8.
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.
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