Girls love the long ball, and collectors do too. The 2024 Major League Baseball season (MLB) is scheduled to begin on March 20–21. The first day will feature the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres. There should be plenty of homers as both teams are loaded with home-run hitters.
Below are five sluggers who should have a big 2024. I also included their top rookie card.
1. Ronald Acuna – 2017 Bowman Chrome #BCP127
- Raw Average Price: $20 to $40
- PSA 10 Avg Price: $190 to $240
- Recent Highest Sale Price: $4,691 Blue Refractor
- Supply: 8,421 PSA 10 | 2,208 PSA 9
Significance:
The 2017 Ronald Acuna Jr. Bowman Chrome #BCP127 features at the top of our list because the Atlanta Braves outfielder is a three-time recipient of the Silver Slugger Award, most recently after the 2023 campaign when he was also unanimously crowned the National League Most Valuable Player.
The 4-time All-Star and 2023 Hank Aaron Award winner is arguably the hottest MLB property in town today. He ranks 41 on the all-time list for Slugging Percentage in the Major League. This puts him third among all active players.
At just 26, Acuna’s star is still on the rise, which will undoubtedly be reflected in the value of the #BCP127 baseball card at the end of the 2024 campaign.
Description:
The 2017 Ronald Acuna Jr. Bowman Chrome #BCP127 is Ronald Acuna’s first Bowman Chrome baseball card. The baseball card features a prominent image of Acuna in full stride, kitted out for the Atlanta Braves. Look to purchase this card in a PSA 10 or 9 grade.
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If there is any doubt about the star featured on the baseball card, Ronald Acuna’s name is in the bottom left corner. While Ronald Acuna signed with the Atlanta Braves in 2014, he only made his Major League debut in 2018, reinforcing the #BCP127’s commonly held status as a rookie card.
There was an element of foreshadowing in the design of the 2017 Ronald Acuna Jr. Bowman Chrome #BCP127 card. Acuna was crowned the National League Rookie of the Year just one year later.
2. Fernando Tatis Jr. – 2016 Bowman Chrome 1st Prospect #BCP17
- Raw Average Price: $18
- PSA 10 Avg Price: $100
- Recent Highest Sale Price: $919 Auto Refractor
- Supply: 8,421 PSA 10 | 2,208 PSA 9
Significance:
The 2016 Bowman Chrome 1st Prospect #BCP17 baseball card still belongs towards the top of our list, despite the Padres right fielder being tainted by performance-enhancing drugs. Tatis is still a two-time recipient of the Silver Slugger Award. Most recently, in 2021, was the last time he played in the MLB before the drug suspension.
Tatis was also the National League home run leader in 2021. This ability continued to be demonstrated during his MLB suspension when he recorded 17 hits and 15 RBIs in 33 bats for the El Paso Chihuahuas. In one game, Tatis hit three home runs. For all his flaws, Tatis remains a class act and a more exciting prospect than ever as he prepares for what can only be expected to be a dramatic comeback to the MLB.
Description:
The 2016 Bowman Chrome 1st Prospect #BCP17 is Fernando Tatis’s first Bowman Chrome baseball card. It features a prominent image of Tatis standing tall in a Chicago White Sox outfit.
It is a rare image of a rare talent on a rare card, making it a must-have collector’s item, pre-2024 season or not. The card also features Tatis’s full name at the bottom and a White Sox logo.
In the image, Tatis has a bat resting against his right shoulder. He gives off an air of confidence that tells you everything you probably need to know about a baseball player who has always meant business, even as a rookie.
3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – 2016 Bowman Prospects #BP55
- Raw Average Price: $15
- PSA 10 Avg Price: $160
- Recent Highest Sale Price: $1,130 Auto Refractor
- Supply: 3,607 PSA 10 | 2,232 PSA 9
Significance:
The 2016 Bowman Prospects Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Rooie Card #BP55 features a player with exceptional MLB pedigree, as Vladimir Guerrero Sr. ranks 26 on the all-time list for Slugging Percentage in the Major League.
There is already compelling evidence that Guerrero is heading down a similar path after producing a breathtaking 2021 MLB campaign. In 2021 he received the Silver Slugger and Hank Aaron Awards.
Guerrero also walked away as the MLB home run leader at the end of that campaign. Guerrero also became the youngest MVP in All-Star Game history. Undoubtedly, Guerrero is one of the best active hitters in the Major Leagues. And he is only 24 years of age.
Description:
The 2016 Bowman Prospects Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #BP55 is a rookie card that features a young Guerrero all decked out for the Toronto Blue Jays. Guerrero is captured during the follow-through of his swing. His eyes follow the trajectory of the ball for what is clearly a huge hit, signaling back then already that the best was yet to come.
This card is Guerrero’s first Bowman Chrome baseball card. His name and the Toronto Blue Jays logo are printed in all caps at the bottom. The prolific slugger is already a superstar, while the 2016 Bowman Prospects #BP55 is among the most aggressive movers on the baseball card market today. Best hop onto this collector’s train before it leaves the station.
4. Jordan Walker – 2020 Bowman Chrome Draft Refractor RC #BD57
- Raw Average Price: $12
- PSA 10 Avg Price: $80
- Recent Highest Sale Price: $305 Orange Refractor
Significance:
Jordan Walker is one of just two players on our list who was born this century and the youngest in this article. The 2020 Jordan Walker Bowman Chrome Draft Rookie Card #BD57 is a fresh card, still premised on things like hope and promise, which Walker has in spades, as demonstrated in his limited time in the Major League.
Walker only debuted for the St. Louis Cardinals in March 2023. He already holds the record for the longest hitting streak by a rookie under 21 in over 123 years. It is a record he shares with Eddie Murphy of the Philadelphia Athletics.
While there is still pretty slender evidence of what Walker is capable of in the Major League, his hitting prowess in the Minor Leagues speaks volumes. While competing for the Springfield Cardinals in 2022, Walker hit 19 home runs.
Description:
The 2020 Bowman Chrome Draft Rookie Card #BD57 is Walker’s first Bowman Chrome card. The card features Walker in an upright pose with the bat in hand, preparing to swing.
Walker is fully decked out in his Cardinals gear. He looks remarkably relaxed for somebody who has yet to really make a splash in the MLB. Walker’s broad smile should be enough to fill anybody who purchases this card with the utmost optimism.
5. Bobby Witt Jr. – 2020 1st Bowman Chrome RC # BCP-25
- Raw Average Price: $10
- PSA 10 Avg Price: $70
- Recent Highest Sale Price: $2,391 Sapphire 1st /50 Auto
Significance:
Bobby Witt Jr. comes from tremendous baseball stock, as his father and uncle competed in the Major League for over a decade. Still, in a departure from them, Witt Jr. has forged an identity as one of the most promising sluggers in the game instead of pitching.
Witt debuted for the Kansas City Royals in 2022. In his first professional campaign, he became the fifth player in MLB history to join the 20-20 club. Witt followed that up with 30 home runs during the 2023 MLB season, becoming the first Kansas City Royals player to join the 30-30 club.
At just 23, Witt Jr. is undoubtedly among the most promising players to watch ahead of the 2024 Major League campaign.
Description:
The 2020 1ST Bowman Chrome RC #BCP-25 is the player’s first Bowman Chrome baseball card, instantly making it one for the collectors. Given Witt’s growing reputation as a slugger, the absence of a bat or anything suggesting a swing in the image makes this arguably the most unique card on our list.
If the forecasts are anything to go by, capturing remarkable images without a bat in Witt’s hands will become rarer with time, making this a baseball card worth holding onto.