Baseball Young Players Hobby Preview, Part 3

The past few weeks, we’ve been covering prospects & rookies in the MLB as well as their hobby outlook.

For our final preview, we’ll sprinkle in some young guys who already finished up their rookie seasons.

Special thanks to Tobias “Whifflestick” McGillicuddy for contributing.

1. Jackson Chourio

Jackson Chourio is one of the most exciting young players in the game. The Brewers locked him up with a long-term deal before he even played a major league game, which tells you everything about how they see him. He’s got power, speed, and the ability to hit. His prices aren’t cheap, but if he starts hot, they’re only going up. If you believe in him long-term, buy now before he gets too expensive.

He’s batting .457 in Spring training with 6 SBs already! He doesn’t have a homer, but with 21 last season, that should come around. Oh, and he’s barely 21.

Verdict: Buy now before he has a true breakout. If he gets off to a fast start, great quick-flip opportunity.

2. Junior Caminero

Caminero has incredible raw power, to the point that even the careful Rays organization can’t keep him off their roster despite being just 21. Through 248 games in the minors, this kid hit .307 with 67 home runs! The hobby loves big hitters, and Caminero fits the bill.

Verdict: With 3 HRs already in Spring Training, grab him now. He might hit 30+ homers this year. Though technically not a rookie, the hobby will treat his production like one (i.e., compare his numbers to other rookies for purchasing decisions).

3. Evan Carter

Though still just 22, Carter feels like he’s been around for awhile—thanks to his contributions to the Rangers’ 2023 World Series win.

However, he’s still only played 68 games in the pros, and his prices are low.

Verdict: Some don’t believe after his down 2024, but there’s a deal to be had if you pick him up now and he takes off.

4. Wyatt Langford

After a pretty good rookie season saw him rack up 3.9 WAR, he’s in line for a breakout this year. He “only” hit 16 homers as a rookie, but he racked them up in college and his limited time in the minors. He has legit 30-30 potential this season.

Verdict: Grab him now before breaks out while leading his team to an AL West title.

5. Marcelo Mayer

Marcelo Mayer is a longer-term play, but one worth watching. The Red Sox aren’t in a rush, but when he’s ready after his injury last season, he has the potential to be a star. His prices have cooled off since he was drafted, which makes this a good time to buy if you believe in his upside.

Verdict: MLB.com projects him to be called up around August, so you might have to wait a bit before you can sell him. Keep an eye on prices and buy if there’s a dip (perhaps a month or two into the season when hobby attention is on current MLB contributors).

New Releases

+ 2024 Panini Zenith Football (March 21 | $245) - With only 6 cards per box, it’ll be a quick rip but with potential for nice hits. Each box gives you 1 patch auto, 1 additional auto, 1 rookie, 2 inserts, and 1 base. Zenith designs and inserts don’t knock my socks off, but it’s a low-priced football option.

+ 2024 Panini Encore Football (March 26 | $225) - Similar to Chronicles, this brand-new product delivers a variety of sets in one box—but with retro-inspired designs. For a lower-priced product, the hits are decent: 1 auto, 1 memorabilia, and 4 serial-numbered inserts. I’m dubious because I’m not a fan of the retro designs, and there are fewer SPs and premium inserts to chase. The price is pretty sweet for a football release, though.

*Release dates can (and often do) change as products get delayed 🙄. It’s possible some notable sets are being released this week that I covered in previous editions.

Quick Hits

News and Stories From Around the Hobby

+ Struck Gold Logomans (Logomen?) - “MLB is introducing a special Gold MLB logo patch for the 2025 season to celebrate a group of '24 award winners.” At the end of the year, each player will have 10 of them turned into game-worn patches with autos. LOVE THIS. I’m all for anything that makes patches great again—and game-worn stuff from Ohtani, Judge, and others is the way to go.

+  Debut Patch Cards in NFL, NBA - “Topps would create Debut Patch Cards for football and basketball players in the near future.” These cards became the chase in MLB (Skenes’ card is at a cool $650k when I looked it up). This is another great way to bring back patches in a big way: let us know exactly what game they’re from. A+ job by Topps.

+ Tokyo-Themed 1/1 for Ohtani Pulled - Had to share as this is one of the prettiest cards I’ve ever seen. I love that Topps is pulling in other markets, especially baseball-crazed Japan.

+ Sick of Tariffs Yet? - This video has an interesting perspective on how tariffs could affect the card market. It covers Canadians worried about added costs when purchasing supplies or sending cards to graders in the U.S. How else might the hobby be affected? This is a developing story I don’t love.

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