Francisco Alvarez

2020 Bowman & Bowman Chrome Retrospective

2020 Bowman & Bowman Chrome Retrospective

Taking a current look at the players with 1st Bowman cards from 2020 Bowman and 2020 Bowman Chrome which include superstar Bobby Witt Jr. and potential young stars in Michael Harris II, Anthony Volpe, Jasson Dominguez, Francico Álvarez, Gabriel Moreno, and many others.

2023 Topps Update Series: Product Preview

2023 Topps Update Series: Product Preview

In depth preview of all of the rookies with true rookie cards in the final Flagship product of the year - 2023 Topps Update Series. This edition is highlighted by Eury Pérez, Grayson Rodriguez, Bobby Miller, and Mason Miller.

This Week in Baseball Cards - 8/28 - 9/3

This Week in Baseball Cards - 8/28 - 9/3

Covering the major product releases and news in the baseball card hobby for the week of August 28th through September 3rd. Releases include 2023 Topps Cosmic Chrome, 2023 Topps Pro Debut, and 2023 Topps Chrome Logofractor Edition.

This Week in Baseball Cards - 8/21 - 8/27

This Week in Baseball Cards - 8/21 - 8/27

Covering the major product releases and news in the baseball card hobby for the week of August 21st through August 27th. Releases include 2023 Topps Pristine Baseball

This Week in Baseball Cards - 7/3 - 7/9

This Week in Baseball Cards - 7/3 - 7/9

Covering the major product releases and news in the baseball card hobby for the week of July 3rd through July 9th. Releases include 2023 Topps Finest Baseball.

2023 Topps Series 2: Product Preview

2023 Topps Series 2: Product Preview

In depth preview of all of the rookies with base rookie cards in the second Flagship product of the year - 2023 Topps Series 2. This edition is highlighted by Jordan Walker, Corbin Carroll, and Anthony Volpe

This Week in Baseball Cards - 5/22 - 5/28

This Week in Baseball Cards - 5/22 - 5/28

Covering the major product releases and news in the baseball card hobby for the week of May 22nd through May 28th. Releases include 2023 Topps Heritage and 2023 Topps Sterling. In addition, 2023 Topps Series 2 pre-sale direct from Topps goes live this week.

This Week in Baseball Cards - 3/27 - 4/2

This Week in Baseball Cards - 3/27 - 4/2

Covering the major product releases and news in the baseball card hobby for the week of March 27th through April 2nd, 2023. Releases include 2022 Topps Stadium Club Chrome, 2023 Topps Big League, 2022 Topps Transcendent, and possibly 2022 Bowman Heritage. 2023 Bowman Baseball Pre-orders will also be available to the public this week.

This Week in Baseball Cards - 3/20 - 3/26

This Week in Baseball Cards - 3/20 - 3/26

Covering the major product releases and news in the baseball card hobby for the week of March 20th through March 26th, 2023. Releases include 2022 Leaf Metal Draft, 2022 Topps Gold Label, and possibly 2022 Bowman Heritage.

This Week in Baseball Cards - 2/27 - 3/5

This Week in Baseball Cards - 2/27 - 3/5

Covering the major product releases and news in the baseball card hobby for the week of February 27th through March 5th, 2023. Releases include 2022 Topps Allen & Ginter Chrome, 2022 Bowman Heritage, and 2022 Bowman Inception.

Top 100 Prospects for The Hobby

Top 100 Prospects for The Hobby

The Pre-Season Top 100 Prospects for the Baseball Card Hobby.

2023 Preseason Top 100 Prospects List

2023 Preseason Top 100 Prospects List

2023 Pre-Season Top 100 Prospects Led by 3B/SS Gunnar Henderson

The Hobby in 2022: Return of the Rookies

The Hobby in 2022: Return of the Rookies

Year in review of the Baseball Card Hobby for 2022. Taking at look at the major themes in trading cards including the 2022 Rookie Class, the Rookie Card Debate, Fanatics, the Market, and Influencers and Scammers. Joe also discusses his favorite products, favorite cards, and hobby goals.

Fallout from Rookie of the Year voting for Mariners, Braves, Orioles, Guardians and Cardinals

Fallout from Rookie of the Year voting for Mariners, Braves, Orioles, Guardians and Cardinals

The new CBA saw significant changes for teams and players. So what exactly does it mean for the Mariners and Braves, as well as the Orioles, Guardians, and Cardinals? Will anybody get another first round pick or an additional year of service time?

Is Jackson Merrill The #1 Prospect in Baseball?

Is Jackson Merrill The #1 Prospect in Baseball?

The computer’s data based Top 1000 Prospects Ranking has Jackson Merrill as the best prospect in baseball. Is there any validity to that claim? How close is he to eventually claiming the top spot?

2022 Midseason Top 100 Prospects

2022 Midseason Top 100 Prospects

The Prospects Live 2022 Midseaon Top 100 Prospects List!

Live Looks: Double-A Eastern League, New Hampshire Fisher Cats vs. Binghamton Rumble Ponies

Live Looks: Double-A Eastern League, New Hampshire Fisher Cats vs. Binghamton Rumble Ponies

On June 8 Brandon Smith made the trip up from my MLB Draft League location in Williamsport to check out the New Hampshire Fisher Cats vs. the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. The matchup featured a handful of highly touted position player prospects currently ranked inside of the Prospects Live Top 100.

Live Looks: Double-A Eastern League, Binghamton Rumble Ponies vs. Hartford Yard Goats

Live Looks: Double-A Eastern League, Binghamton Rumble Ponies vs. Hartford Yard Goats

It was a beautiful night for baseball at Dunkin’ Donuts Park in Hartford, CT on May 5th. This game loaded with offensive talent with the likes of Francisco Alvarez, Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio, Ezequiel Tovar, and Michael Toglia.

2022 Preseason Top 100 Prospects List

2022 Preseason Top 100 Prospects List

2022 Pre-Season Top 100 Prospects Led by C Adley Rutschman

New York Mets 2021 Mid-Season Top 30 Prospects

This is the midseason Top 30 Prospects update with new rankings and OFP where needed as well as new draftees. If you’d like to cross-reference this list with the pre-season, here is the Mets List.


If you want a reminder on what OFP (Overall Future Potential), we wrote something up in the offseason about it.


These list won’t have updated reports on the players, we’re saving that for the offseason. Where applicable, you’ll see a player’s name hyperlinked. That leads to our brand new scouting report pages that contains their reports from the preseason.

2021 Mid-Season List Series

AL NL
HOU CWS BAL ARI CHC ATL
LAA CLE BOS COL CIN MIA
OAK DET NYY LAD MIL NYM
SEA KC TB SD PIT PHI
TEX MIN TOR SF STL WAS

1. Francisco Alvarez, C - 60 OFP

Age: 19 | Highest Level: A+
Pre-Season Rank: 1 | Pre-Season OFP: 55
Pre-Season Scouting Report

2. Brett Baty, 3B - 55 OFP

Age: 21 | Highest Level: AA
Pre-Season Rank: 5 | Pre-Season OFP: 50
Pre-Season Scouting Report

3. Matt Allan, RHP - 50 OFP

Age: 20 | Highest Level: A-
Pre-Season Rank: 2 | Pre-Season OFP: 55
Pre-Season Scouting Report

4. Mark Vientos, 3B/1B/OF - 50 OFP

Age: 21 | Highest Level: AA
Pre-Season Rank: 7 | Pre-Season OFP: 45
Pre-Season Scouting Report

5. Ronny Mauricio, SS - 50 OFP

Age: 20 | Highest Level: A+
Pre-Season Rank: 4 | Pre-Season OFP: 50
Pre-Season Scouting Report

6. Alex Ramirez, OF - 50 OFP

Age: 18 | Highest Level: A
Pre-Season Rank: 14 | Pre-Season OFP: 40
Pre-Season Scouting Report

7. JT Ginn, RHP - 45 OFP

Age: 22 | Highest Level: A+
Pre-Season Rank: 8 | Pre-Season OFP: 45
Pre-Season Scouting Report

8. Robert Dominguez, RHP - 45 OFP

Age: 19 | Highest Level: Complex
Pre-Season Rank: 6 | Pre-Season OFP: 50
Pre-Season Scouting Report

9. Calvin Ziegler, RHP - 45 OFP

Age: 18 | Highest Level: Draft
2021 MLB Draft Rank: 180

10. Dominic Hamel, RHP - 45 OFP

Age: 22 | Highest Level: Draft
2021 MLB Draft Rank: 193

11. Khalil Lee, OF - 40 OFP

Age: 23 | Highest Level: MLB
Pre-Season Rank: NA | Pre-Season OFP: NA

12. Jose Butto, RHP - 40 OFP

Age: 22 | Highest Level: A+
Pre-Season Rank: 31 | Pre-Season OFP: 35
Pre-Season Scouting Report

13. Eric Orze, RHP - 40 OFP

Age: 24 | Highest Level: AAA
Pre-Season Rank: NA | Pre-Season OFP: NA

14. Jaylen Palmer, 3B/SS - 40 OFP

Age: 21 | Highest Level: A+
Pre-Season Rank: 15 | Pre-Season OFP: 40
Pre-Season Scouting Report

15. Junior Santos, RHP - 40 OFP

Age: 20 | Highest Level: A
Pre-Season Rank: 12 | Pre-Season OFP: 40
Pre-Season Scouting Report

16. Adam Oller, RHP - 40 OFP

Age: 26 | Highest Level: AAA
Pre-Season Rank: NA | Pre-Season OFP: NA

17. Thomas Szapucki, LHP - 40 OFP

Age: 25 | Highest Level: MLB
Pre-Season Rank: 9 | Pre-Season OFP: 45
Pre-Season Scouting Report

18. Franklyn Kilome, RHP - 40 OFP

Age: 26 | Highest Level: MLB
Pre-Season Rank: 10 | Pre-Season OFP: 45
Pre-Season Scouting Report

19. Carlos Cortes, OF - 40 OFP

Age: 24 | Highest Level: AA
Pre-Season Rank: 26 | Pre-Season OFP: 35

Pre-Season Scouting Report

20. Joshua Cornielly, RHP - 40 OFP

Age: 20 | Highest Level: R
Pre-Season Rank: 24 | Pre-Season OFP: 40
Pre-Season Scouting Report

21. Daison Acosta, RHP - 40 OFP

Age: 23 | Highest Level: A
Pre-Season Rank: 17 | Pre-Season OFP: 40
Pre-Season Scouting Report

22. Patrick Mazeika, C/1B - 35 OFP

Age: 27 | Highest Level: MLB
Pre-Season Rank: 25 | Pre-Season OFP: 35

Pre-Season Scouting Report

23. Stanley Consuegra, OF - 35 OFP

Age: 20 | Highest Level: Complex
Pre-Season Rank: NA | Pre-Season OFP: NA

24. Jake Mangum, OF - 35 OFP

Age: 25 | Highest Level: AA
Pre-Season Rank: 21 | Pre-Season OFP: 40
Pre-Season Scouting Report

25. Tony Dibrell, RHP - 35 OFP

Age: 25 | Highest Level: AA
Pre-Season Rank: 18 | Pre-Season OFP: 40

Pre-Season Scouting Report

26. Hayden Senger, C - 35 OFP

Age: 24 | Highest Level: AA
Pre-Season Rank: NA | Pre-Season OFP: NA

27. Travis Blankenhorn, 2B/OF - 35 OFP

Age: 25 | Highest Level: MLB
Pre-Season Rank: 21 (MIN) | Pre-Season OFP: 40

Pre-Season Scouting Report

28. Joander Suarez, RHP - 35 OFP

Age: 21 | Highest Level: A
Pre-Season Rank: NA | Pre-Season OFP: NA

29. Shervyen Newton, SS/2B - 35 OFP

Age: 22 | Highest Level: A
Pre-Season Rank: 13 | Pre-Season OFP: 40
Pre-Season Scouting Report

30. Ryley Gilliam, RHP - 35 OFP

Age: 25 | Highest Level: AAA
Pre-Season Rank: 29 | Pre-Season OFP: 35
Pre-Season Scouting Report