Sportscard collecting is an interesting mix of nostalgia and innovation. If things tip too far in one direction, it is unhealthy for the hobby. A total focus on nostalgia kills the future (and present).
Totally throwing out the past cuts us off from the long history of the sport and the hobby.
Will the latest innovation tip the balance? Will it become a treasured part of the long history of the hobby?
Or will this be a flash in the pan, largely forgotten years from now. Today we’ll talk about Bowman Red Rookie Redemption Cards and learn what they’re all about, and guess at their future impact.
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New for 2025 Bowman products, Topps has announced that collectors will find a new parallel that features a red rookie card badge randomly inserted into all 2025 Bowman products.
In addition to being another rare parallel to chase, these cards come with a twist. They provide an opportunity for collectors to bet on the player to do great things, and to earn rewards if the player turns into a superstar.
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What do we mean by betting on a player and getting rewarded, potentially over the long term?
If a player wins Rookie of the Year, their Bowman Red Redemption card becomes eligible for a $100 trade-in. You can trade the card in during the limited redemption period, or keep it and bet on future greatness.
If the player wins an MVP or Cy Young award, the trade-in value of the card goes up to $300. A second MVP or Cy Young ups that to $500. A third win? $700 in trade-in value.
If you really believe in the player, you can hold for the long term. If that player is elected to the Hall of Fame, the trade-in value of the card goes to $1,000. Realistically, the soonest that might happen is 25 years from 2025, and could be significantly longer. Talk about a long-term hold!
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| Award | Credit Value |
|---|---|
| Rookie of the Year | $100 |
| 1x MVP or Cy Young | $300 |
| 2x MVP or Cy Young | $500 |
| 3x MVP or Cy Young | $700 |
| Hall of Fame Induction | $1,000 |
The trade-in value of the Bowman Red Rookie Redemption cards represent FanCash from Fanatics Collect.
According to Fanatics, “Rewards will be distributed as FanCash and placed into the redeemer’s Fanatics Collect account. FanCash is associated with your Fanatics ID and can be used to shop, play, and bet across Fanatics platforms.”
You can find a lot more info on the redemption, including some great FAQs, at Fanatics Collect.
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The players below will have Red Rookie Redemption Cards in 2025 Bowman.
| Adrian Del Castillo | Connor Norby* | Spencer Schwellenbach* |
| Rhett Lowder | Shay Whitcomb | Kumar Rocker |
| Drew Thorpe* | Jackson Jobe | Jhonkensy Noel* |
| Jacob Wilson | David Festa* | Luisangel Acuña |
| Roki Sasaki | Thomas Saggese | Ben Rice* |
| James Wood* | Jace Jung | Hyeseong Kim |
| Adael Amador | Hurston Waldrep | Tyler Locklear |
| Coby Mayo | River Ryan | Caden Dana |
| Tomoyuki Sugano | Brooks Lee* | Kevin Alcántara |
| Dylan Crews | Orelvis Martinez | Nick Yorke |
*Denotes a player who is ineligible to win 2025 Rookie of the Year
It is interesting that Topps would include several players who are ineligible to win the 2025 Rookie of the Year award.
Pulling the card of one of these players may be a bit of a let-down for collectors interested in the long-term chase, although players can win the ROY award in 2026 or some other 2025 season.
Also missing is early AL Rookie of the Year favorite Kristin Campbell of the Boston Red Sox.
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Reactions to Bowman Red Rookie Redemption cards have been mixed to date. Some welcome any new chase. Some wonder about the player selection.
Some like the connection to the player’s career. Others wonder about the sheer odds of a player winning Rookie of the Year, then one or more MVP or Cy Young Awards, and eventually making the Hall of Fame.
Will the chance at $1,000 keep a collector interested in the long term?
My take is that any innovation that both adds possible value for collectors AND better connects cards to the game on the field are good things. With things like the MLB Rookie Debut patches, and now this new idea, Fanatics seems to be making this an area of focus.
While the odds of pulling a parallel of a rookie card of a future Rookie of the Year, future MVP, and future Hall of Famer is far rarer than many understand (prospects will break your heart), the chance is what keeps us chasing.
I wonder if the pot of gold at the end of this rainbow should actually be more than $1,000.
As mentioned, anything that connects collecting and the hobby to the game on the field is important. So often you see cards rising and falling based on speculation or other things that have nothing to do with play on the field.
The number of prospect cards that sell for hundreds of dollars (or more) for players who aren’t even very good prospects is shocking.
Shop for Red Rookie Redemption cards on eBay
Whether you find them kitschy, bemoan yet another chase, or applaud these cards, they offer an interesting twist for collectors.
Do you sell right away? Hold to see if they win Rookie of the Year? Double down on future MVP and Cy Young wins? Hold the card 20-30 years and the Hall of Fame induction?
What is your take on Bowman Red Rookie Redemption cards? Planning to chase these? Love ‘em? Hate ‘em? Tell us about it at CardLines on X.
Shop for Red Rookie Redemption cards on eBay
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