Baseball in July: Perfect for Fans, Collectors, and Investors
Summer Is Prime for Baseball Investing and Collecting
July is the heartbeat of the baseball year—All-Star Weekend, which features the Futures Game, and thanks to the most recent CBA, the MLB Draft. You also get the start of the second half and the trade deadline, so you know if your team is buying or selling.
It’s the ultimate collector’s paradise: On July 1, MLB.com released its updated Top 100 Prospects, giving fans and investors a final look at the current class before the new wave of prospects from the draft enters the fold.
And just when everything is rolling, another signal drops—July 23rd, when Topps Chrome, one of the hobby’s flagship products, hits shelves. If you’re a fan who loves collecting or investing, this is your moment.
The July Playbook: Product Sequence & Investment Timing
- July 1 – Top 100 List A first look at hype in motion: prospect shine, narrative spark, breakout names.
- MLB Draft – Mid-July A blank slate of new talent enters the ecosystem—excitement and opportunity.
- All-Star Weekend & Game Peak media attention. Prospect chatter is amplified. Personalities shine. Collectible demand picks up.
- July 23 – Topps Chrome Release Rookie cards in major league uniforms finally arrive. Topps Series 1 debuts them on traditional paper stock. Topps Chrome is the “level up”—more premium, more chase-driven, more hobby appeal.
For the Collector-Investor: Which Cards Matter, and Why
If you’re serious about investing in the next wave of talent, here’s your guide:
- Bowman Chrome 1st Cards Released in Bowman Draft, Bowman Baseball, and Bowman Chrome. The “1st Bowman” logo marks the earliest licensed card of a player. Think of these like seed-stage investments—high risk, highest upside. Chrome autos and numbered parallels multiply value significantly.
- Topps Series 1 & Topps Chrome Usually the first time players appear in MLB uniforms. These offer more stability and reflect spring training and early-season hype.
- Topps Series 2, Chrome Update & MLB Debut Patch Later in the year, these products showcase mid-season call-ups. Topps Chrome Update features the highly sought-after MLB Debut Patch—a real-time milestone moment that’s emotionally charged and highly competitive.
Why Bowman Chrome 1st Is Where It Starts
You may be wondering: Have I missed the opportunity?
If you didn’t grab your guy in the 2024 Bowman wave—Draft, Paper, or Chrome—you may have missed the first buying window. But don’t worry, the market resets every year with new talent, and there are always new ways to collect and invest.
My playbook? Buy 2024 Bowman Chrome Firsts of players I believe in—while everyone else is chasing the 2025 class. I’m targeting:
- Players in big markets (LA, NY, Chicago, Texas)
- Young international signees entering their first U.S. season
- Under-the-radar high schoolers who were injured or underscouted
- Guys who got over-slot bonuses and dropped in the draft
I check stats. I look for development signals. I scout for trade deadline assets who could end up in a bigger market or brighter spotlight.
2024 Example: Emil Morales
Quiet, steady development path. Now trending upward, but still buyable.
The Flip Side: Konnor Griffin
Big name, big hype. Market is already hot—might not offer many buy windows.
If you miss the Bowman 1st window, you can pivot to Topps Chrome rookies, Update parallels, or Bowman Chrome RCs. Less risk, more liquidity.
`
Buying Opportunity: Learn to Love the Dip
Look at any Hall of Fame career—the only time their card values dip meaningfully is during injuries or short-term slumps. And that’s your window.
- Shohei Ohtani (Tommy John) — Huge ROI if you bought then.
- Any prospect with hype fatigue or early struggles — These are your undervalued assets.
Great investors don’t just buy what’s hot. They buy when others aren’t watching—if they believe in the asset. The same goes for players. If you believe in their long-term upside, the best time to invest is during short-term underperformance.
BUT! Don’t forget, not every dip comes back up. There was a time I was considered a “can’t miss” and Top 100 prospect. When I opened my shop 10 years after I was drafted, people GAVE me my 1/1 autograph cards that were probably considered “bangers” back then.
Players are hit or miss, and just like everything else, investing in them comes with risk.
The MLB Debut Patch Signal
As a shop owner, I had one of my strongest conviction moments when Topps introduced the MLB Debut Patch.
It hit me instantly—“The hobby is here.”
Topps nailed it. As a former player, I would’ve loved to chase something that commemorated my big-league debut. That patch connects the moment, the player, and the collector. The emotional weight behind it? That’s real value. And from a supply/demand standpoint, it’s brilliant.
Think about what happened with Paul Skenes’ debut patch last fall. Topps Update carried demand deep into the holiday season. Local shops, Topps, breakers—we all ate. It was good for business, good for the hobby, and good for culture.
From Player to Shop Owner: Dual Perspectives, One Truth
I’ve been on both sides.I’ve signed thousands of stickers for $7–$10 each, without thinking about long-term value. Those same autos now get slabbed, flipped, vaulted, and sold again.
I’ve also seen how shops:
- Lean into local hero stories
- Time their buys around call-ups and trade rumors
- And use scarcity + hype to drive demand
Understanding the rhythm of the market gives you an edge—whether you're collecting or building a prospect portfolio.
Clear the Mechanism
One of my favorite movie lines is from For Love of the Game. Kevin Costner’s character is pitching at Yankee Stadium and says: “Clear the mechanism.”
For collectors and investors, it’s the same.
Topps will keep announcing new products. The hobby will keep growing. Breakers, influencers, shops—they’ll all try to pull you in.
You’ve got to clear the noise. If you’re collecting, do it because you love the product, the design, or the player. If you’re investing, focus on serial-numbered parallels, on-card autos, and products with limited supply.
Scarcity = value.
Exclusivity = long-term demand.
But hype? Hype is temporary.
Investment Schema: Seed → Rookie → Patch
The July 2025 Play
This weekend kicks off the second half of the season—and it opens a new window to invest.
- You’ve got this year’s Bowman Chrome 1st class—maybe missed, but still actionable.
- You’ve got Topps Chrome rookies about to drop.
- You’ve got MLB Debut Patches looming this fall.
Generally speaking for the upcoming Topps Chrome release:
- Study the checklist– understand which rookies make the cut
- Follow the MLB storylines and find players with multiple autos and low-numbered inserts
- Chase iconic moments in time that will appreciate over time- like the Murakami inserts and logoman 1/1’s that Topps announced this week
As a former first-rounder, prospect, and shop owner, I’ve lived this cycle from every angle. I’ve watched card values move from a single trade, one statline, or a debut moment. My advice?
Track the calendar. Know your checklist. Manage risk. And always enjoy the process.
