Box Break: 2010 Bowman Draft Hobby (x3)

I purchased three boxes of 2010 Bowman Draft from Blowout Cards with Christmas cash that I got from some relatives. I've had good luck in the past with this product and I was hoping it would continue with the 2010 edition. It did not. Here's the hits:

Michael Choice Blue Refractor RC #36/199: The first time through these boxes I missed this card. I have no idea how because it has a bright blue border and I carefully sort through each pack. Still, it was a nice surprise after I thought I had found all the hits from my break. It's a great looking card and Choice is a top prospect, so I'm happy with this pull.

Taylor Lindsey RC Autograph: Taylor Lindsey was one of four 1st round picks for the L.A. Angels in the 2010 draft and had a decent first year in pro ball, hitting .284 in 194 AB's for the Angels' rookie league team. His cards don't sell very well right now, but the nice thing about this product is that you often don't know whether your cards are boom or bust for another 2-3 years. It allows me to delay the disappointment for a bit...

Alex Bregman USA 16-U RC Auto: A new addition to Bowman Draft this year is the inclusion of autographs from the 16 and under squad of USA baseball players. They fall about 2-3 per case, and while I find it a bit weird to pull a card of someone who is not out of high school yet, I'll never complain about an extra hit. Bregman was one of the top players on the squad and hopefully in a few years this card will be worth it's weight in gold...which would be like $2.00.

Kellin Deglan RC Autograph: Kellin Deglan is a catcher out of Canada who was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the first round of the 2010 draft. He struggled in his first year of pro ball hitting just .191 between the rookie league and Spokane (go Indians!) but at age 18, there is plenty of time for him to develop into a star.

Zack Cox RC Refractor Auto #/500: The best hit of my three boxes, Zack Cox was drafted by the Cardinals after starring for two years as a third baseman for the Arkansas Razorbacks. The auto refractors in this set look great as the signature really pops off the card. While Cox may turn into the next Ryan Braun or Ryan Zimmerman, there are some concerns about his ability to translate to the pro game, so I already sold this off while his stock is high.

Overall Thoughts: Althought I like this product, 2010 Bowman Draft is printed in much higher quantities than the 2009 and 2008 versions, and thus it is much more difficult to pull colored refractors. The expanded autograph checklist is nice, but it also makes it harder to pull autos of the top prospects like Manny Machado and Jameson Taillon. The design isn't bad, but it isn't nearly as nice as 2009 Draft (still my favorite of the last three). I might get a few more boxes if the price is yet, but unless you can afford to buy a case (can't we all?), singles is the way to go.

Thanks for looking!