Checklist Reports: 2025 Bowman Baseball
“Our FAVORITE chases from the new 2025 Bowman Baseball release”
By Sal Corso: May 7th, 2025
Bowman Baseball is truly the kick-off release for the season of prospect hunting. For the hobby newbies (first off, welcome!), there are three major releases per year in which you can find the coveted “1st Bowman” of the newest prospects in baseball. In May, Topps releases 2025 Bowman (Baseball). A few months later, we get my favorite, 2025 Bowman Draft. And shortly after, you get 2025 Bowman Chrome. It is important to note the difference, because each prospect only has one 1st Bowman (which will have the logo below on each card). For example, Samuel Basallo’s 1st Bowman is in 2023 Bowman Chrome. However, if you look at graded cards of his, PSA will have 2023 Bowman Chrome on the label of both the Bowman Baseball and Bowman Chrome releases.
Good thing that you came to the right place. The 2 The Bigs RANKING SHEET will tell you exactly which set each prospect is in. The hobby is an expensive one, if you’re going to spend money on it, might as well do it right.
That brings me to this report. Everybody knows the big chases: Jesus Made (MIL), Charlie Condon (COL), Zyhir Hope (LAD), and JJ Wetherholt (STL). No need to explain why. They are why the box has a hefty $600 price tag, and why breakers will charge hundreds of dollars for those teams in full-case breaks. Instead, I’m going to give you the sleeper prospects that you need to keep an eye on, that you can pick up for good value in your rips and breaks.
9. Sammy Stafura (CIN)
The 43rd overall pick in 2023, he’s off to a great start in 2025. His problem is the same as others on this list, he’s young and needs to develop his approach. His mid-20s K-rate jumped to 30% this year, and his contact and line drive rates are down as well. A high-floor shortstop with a potentially high-ceiling if he can develop his approach a bit before he reaches the tougher levels.
8. Josue Briceno (DET)
An early international signee at the age of 17 in 2022. He’s already off to a big power start with 5 HR in 23 games at A+. He screams the prototypical power-lefty 1st baseman, but he’s shown flashes of good contact and high average in Rookie and A ball.
7. Engelth Urena (NYY)
A big right-handed bat who’s consistently been injured. He’s missed half of one season, and all of 2023. But he’s back and showing what he can do. A catcher likely turned 1B, he’s similar to Briceno above, but I like his hit tool a bit more. He had a very impressive 2024 slash in Rookie-ball (.301/.420/.564), but let’s see him reach A/A+ this year before shooting him up prospect rankings.
6. Yophery Rodriguez (BOS)
Y-Rod was just traded last month from the Brewers in the Quinn Preister deal. He’s a kid who has walked more than he’s K’d so far this year. Good contact rates in the high 70s-80s, Yophery is a young lefty who’s tall and light, and hits a TON of ground balls. He’ll need to get his weight up and start getting balls in the air. But the potential is there, and at only 19-years-old, he’s ahead of most on this list in that he’s already up in High-A.
5. Luis Merejo (CLE)
Merejo was signed for his power, not as much his hit tool. But he had an impressive 2023 at A-level where he hit .282 with a .838 OPS. A nice high-upside breakout candidate who can shoot up ranks if he can get his swing and misses down. He’ll draw plenty of walks, but won’t take that leap with the low-60s contact rate that he’s had thus far in his pro career.
4. Javier Mogollon (CHW)
Javier brings a lot of power in a small, compact body (5’8” / 160 lbs). He’s aggressive, and started out swinging on more than half the pitches he’s seen. But you can see that the Sox are working with him as his swing rate is down big this year (-20pp to 30%). More importantly, he’s swinging and missing much less, down 8pp since his debut. The contact rates need to rise, but when you watch him swing, you can see why the Sox may have gotten the steal of the 2023 international class, locking him up for only $75,000. That compact swing looks like it’ll transition very well to upper levels.
3. Jhostynxon Garcia (BOS)
Garcia made out 2024 All-Prospect Team. Here’s what we said about him in that cover:
Garcia came out of absolutely nowhere. A 2019 international signee who struggled for several years. In 2024, something clicked for the 21 year-old. Across three levels the young outfielder slashed .286/.356/.536 while adding 23 HR and 17 SB. The line dropped after getting promoted to Double-A so let’s see if he can find comfort at the level in early 2025.
Welp, so far so good for baseball’s best nickname (The Password, given the spelling of his first name). That .291/.402/.405 slash with a sub-20 K% and 40% hard-hit rate is EXACTLY what we wanted to see. With an impressive 2025 he will give the Red Sox’ front office another tough decision.
2. Franklin Arias (BOS)
A potential five tool player that really hasn’t shown the power yet, but he’s hit very well outside of a quick stint in A ball in ’24. He’s already up to A+ at 19 years-old and if he impresses, he could see a late call up to AA. Arias has never had above an 18% K-rate. The Sox will continue to work on his swing, and it shows as he’s hitting less fly balls and more line drives each year. A wildly impressive 5% swinging strike rate so when he’s swinging, he’s hitting, which is why he hasn’t hit below .300 in either ’24 or so far in ’25.
1. Eduardo Quintero (LAD)
Most will criticize the Dodgers for the amount of money they spend in free agency. But man, do they know how to scout. De Paula, Hope & Quintero may be the best international trio in the league (I’m not even counting Sasaki here). Honestly, I don’t see many teams that have even two international signings like these. Hard exit velocities, big stolen base threat, he just needs to get some loft on the ball. I’m not concerned with the higher K-rates to start this year, he’s a very patient hitter who may need to get a bit more aggressive as he faces higher-level pitching (22% called strike rate). If you know us, you know how much we love De Paula, but give me stock in Quintero as well. Give me the bet that at least one of these three will be an MVP type bat in the MLB at some point in the future.
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