Behind the Design: 2025 Bowman Draft Baseball: Behind the Design

How to Design a Bowman

Date: Jan 5, 2026

Topics: 2025 Bowman Draft Baseball, Baseball, Behind the Design, Bowman Draft Baseball, Product, Trending

Length: 1272 Words

Reading Time: ~7 Minutes

On January 14, Bowman returns with the release of 2025 Bowman Draft Baseball. The set features a loaded class of prospects beginning their journey in The Hobby on the way to The Show and Stardom.

The set is made up exclusively of prospects who have yet to make their Big League debut. From intriguing talent down on the farm, to the top players from the 2025 MLB Draft, 2025 Bowman Draft Baseball gives collectors the chance to chase the next generation of MLB superstars with many players’ first officially licensed cards in their MLB uniforms.

At RIPPED, we were able to chat about the new release with the team behind the set, learning how this fantastic new Draft set came to be.

2025 Bowman Draft Baseball focuses exclusively on prospects, giving collectors their first chance to own 1st Bowman cards of recent MLB Draft picks and rising farm-system talent. Built around player storytelling, draft-night moments, and long-term collecting appeal, Bowman Draft remains a cornerstone product for prospect-focused collectors.

Putting the Future on Display

Bowman Draft Baseball is an important part of The Hobby and can be a foundational set for collectors who gravitate toward prospects and young talent. One of the key elements in any release, 2025 included, is to carry on the enduring traditions of Bowman Draft Baseball, while still carving out new and unique ways to showcase the players.

“We are always trying to improve the product year over year,” art director Adam Schwartz explained. “Before we really dive in, we take a look back at the previous year and see what we can push a little further.”

Of course, when it comes to the paper and Chrome base, parallel, and auto sets that make up much of the set, it’s about improving, while also paying homage to the brand, keeping in line with a tradition that has helped create some of the most sought-after prospect cards in The Hobby.

There’s a wonderful balance of simplicity and pop in these cards. The player image takes on huge importance given the moment it represents in a player’s career.

“For these players, it’s the first time they are getting a licensed baseball card,” editor Brooke Cortese explained. “It’s huge. So the imagery is carefully selected to show the player off, to give them shine.” The height of this is found in those iconic 1st Bowman cards that bring so much Hobby weight and meaning to Bowman Draft Baseball.

1st Bowman cards have emerged over the years as some of the most coveted in The Hobby, and 2025 Bowman Draft Baseball delivers base, parallel, and auto versions that place these talented prospects where they belong, on one of the great rites of passage in the modern day Hobby.

Bowman Draft Delights

For so many on a Bowman Draft Baseball checklist, being drafted is one of the biggest moments of their lives. It’s essential for each release to capture and celebrate that turning point as these prospects push for the Big Leagues.

“It was a huge reason to bring back the MLB Draft Lottery Ping Pongball Autograph card again this year,” Schwartz explained. “I believe last year was the first time in trading card history that an entire ping pong ball was embedded into a card. So for me, it was critical to keep that going.”

Bowman Draft Night Autographs also zeroes in on the big moment, with a 5-card auto-filled subset featuring 2025 MLB draftees.

Building the 2025 Bowman Draft Baseball Inserts

2025 Bowman Draft Baseball is filled with fascinating inserts for collectors to chase. In particular, Schwartz highlighted the return of Bowman In Action.

“I am very excited about the subset,” he said. “The design is a take on an action figure that you would see on the shelf of a toy store, but as a 3.5×2.5 piece of Chrome. It looks awesome.”

Among other returning inserts, Spotlights and Crystalized remain huge Hobby favorites and look spectacular in the 2025 release.

When it comes to debut inserts, one standout is Prized Prospects. “With a concept like this, you get a chance to really play and have fun,” designer Brady Carlson explained. “I wanted it to feel like a player was actually in a claw machine. Adding in 3-D team logos as if they were prizes in the machine brought it to life.”

2025 Bowman Draft Baseball brings both the best prospect talent in the game and a remarkable depth and scope, giving collectors plenty to look out for. As product manager Coby Kerr said, “Final Draft, Crystallized, Bowman In Action, Chrome Prospect Gold Ink Variation, and Draft Prospect Portraits are all standouts to get excited about.”

Of course, it’s not just the design; it’s about the players. “Leading the chase are top prospects like Eli Willits, Tyler Bremner, Kade Anderson, Liam Doyle, JoJo Parker, Billy Carlson, and Jamie Arnold,” Kerr said. “One sleeper to watch is Dax Kilby, who delivered one of the best pro debuts in this draft class.”

Bowman Draft Baseball Keeps Dreaming

In recent history, Bowman Draft Baseball has brought a unique flavor to the release with Dream Draft Pick cards from Hobby legends Tom Brady and John Elway. The popular cards imagine that ‘what-if’ scenario. Can you imagine Touchdown Tom or The Comeback Kid on the diamond instead of the gridiron? This new tradition continues with none other than Miami Dolphins icon Dan Marino, who was drafted in the fourth round of the 1979 MLB Draft.

“The Tom Brady Dream Draft card was a huge hit,” Coby Kerr explained. “Last year’s set featured John Elway, which also made waves. We’re building on that success by introducing Dan Marino as this year’s Dream Draft pick.”

For Brady Carlson, who designed the Marino subset, the project was all about balance. “It was an exciting challenge creating a design with classic aesthetics while utilizing modern technology,” Carlson explained. “I was inspired by Topps football and baseball cards from that era, with the goal of creating a card that feels at home with designs of the past.”

New Beginnings, Hobby Traditions

2025 Bowman Draft Baseball once again puts the prospects that will become the next generation of stars into the hands of baseball collectors. Through an exciting array of paper, Chrome, and color, splashed across a brilliant variety of inserts, autos, and even ping pong balls, this set puts delivers the next generation of stars.

For more, take a look at our 2025 Bowman Draft Baseball Checklist Spotlight.

2025 Bowman Draft Baseball FAQs

What are 1st Bowman cards?
- 1st Bowman cards represent a player’s first official appearance in a Bowman-branded product, making them highly desirable for prospect and long-term collectors.
What is Bowman Draft Baseball?
- Bowman Draft Baseball is an annual release centered on MLB Draft picks and prospects who have not yet reached the majors.
What are some of the main inserts in 2025 Bowman Draft Baseball?
- Crystalized and Bowman Spotlights headline the inserts, both focusing on top 2025 MLB Draft selections and elite prospects.
Is Bowman Draft Baseball good for long-term collecting?
- Yes. Bowman Draft is widely viewed as a long-term hold product due to its focus on draft picks and early-career Bowman cards.
Are there autographs in 2025 Bowman Draft Baseball?
- Yes. There are several autograph-filled subsets, including Bowman In Action Autographs and Bowman Draft Night Autographs.