The 2026 Bowman baseball checklist is out in the wild and there are lots of names on its roster worth getting excited about. But not every prospect will pan out, and even established players find themselves slumping at the worst possible moment. Prospect cards are uniquely interesting because many of the names that Bowman and other card manufacturers choose to include on their release lists are still in their teens. These are guys that have shown a flash of intrigue with their on-field play, but there’s still frequently lots to prove before they get a crack at a big league roster.
This distance from present to future playing time also makes prospect cards an interesting, yet risky investment opportunity. Pick a guy who goes on to enjoy a long and storied career and you might enjoy surging value on the purchase price of the card you bought when he was just a youngster. But choose wrong and that value might instead tank. It’s hard to know what to make of many of the league’s top prospects, but these three players may be worth passing on as card investments this year.
Anthony Frobose, New York Mets (BP-85)
Anthony Frobose is an 18-year old shortstop selected by the Mets in the 2025 June Amateur Draft. He was picked up in the 9th round and is a homegrown New York kid, albeit one that grew up a Yankees fan rather than rooting for its crosstown National League rival. Frobose also lights up the radar gun with a fastball topping 90. He was formerly committed to Rutgers, and was ranked as the No. 14 overall prospect by Prep Baseball Report. Frobose is still years from major league action, and the Mets were ranked in the middle of the pack (12th) for its farm system heading into the 2026 season. By all accounts Frobose looks to be an interesting pick, but there’s a lot of baseball between his current spot on the hierarchy and a breakout moment.
FanGraphs lists him among “other prospects of note” and outside the organizations top 45 prospects. The biggest question mark in his game so far is the fact that he’s been exposed to so little professional experience. His Baseball Reference page lists just one game of action in the Perfect Game Collegiate League, although he did log two hits in five plate appearances, including a home run and a stolen base.
Brent Iredale, Pittsburgh Pirates (BP-31)
This isn’t an indictment of the Pirates, I promise! But it’s worth noting that Brent Iredale is a 22-year old third baseman selected in the 7th round of the 2025 draft, and notably hails from Sydney, Australia. Just 36 players from Australia have stepped into the batter’s box, and ten of them have suited up in the last decade. This trickle of players indicates a small pipeline from the other end of the world into the majors, but it’s not an indication of Iredale’s capabilities, specifically.
His 2026 batting average at Single-A Bradenton is, however, important to highlight. Iredale is currently on the injured list, but through twelve games so far in 2026, he’s batting an abysmal .028 with a career mark through 30 games across ’25 and ’26 of .141. He’s striking out a lot and has logged 22 total bases with five extra base hits. Steer clear.
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