Buzz Break: 2020 Panini Contenders baseball cards (blaster)

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and break down the results here. Like this and want to see more -- or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2020 Panini Contenders baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Keep reading for a breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.

Packs per box: 6
Cards per pack: 5
Cards in this box: 30
Base set completion: 
16 of 100 (16 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards: Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, Buster Posey, Cavan Biggio, Manny Machado, Jose Ramirez, Christian Yelich, Zack Greinke, Jose Berrios, Anthony Rendon, Marcus Semien, Luis Castillo, Rhys Hoskins, Charlie Morton, Yadier Molina, Ketel Marte

Insert cards: 13 (everything from box in gallery below) 
Green parallels (6) – Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman, Chris Paddack, Austin Meadows, Josh Hader, Eduardo Rodriguez
Draft Ticket Green parallels (1) – Lucas Giolito (/299)
First Rounders (1) – Robert Hassell
Future Stars (1) – Andrew Vaughn
Game Day (1) – Nolan Arenado
Legacy (1) – Nolan Ryan
Potential (1) – Matthew Liberatore
Up & Coming (1) – Kristian Robinson

Autographs/Memorabilia: 1
Rookie Ticket Variation B Autographs (1) – Sean Murphy (redemption)

What's Buzz-worthy: Contenders is back without "draft picks" as part of its name and that means big-leaguers in the main set and then rookies and other newcomers among the autographs that are found one per box in blasters here and a few times in hobby. That's a plus as the rookie crop will mean some strong ink highlights here for sure. My box was a auto redemption in my final pack but that wasn't what threw me off here -- two big things here on the design side did. A lot. The front of these cards is 60 percent the ticket element and just 40 percent the player (I literally measured it) and it feels way too overwhelming. Then throughout the release on the card backs the main font is small, all-caps and bold/dark which seems to make it unreadable in most instances. (Check out the second image in the gallery ... and then consider how that would look at actual size.) The insert lineup offers some needed variety and the one design that some people out there might hate -- the Future Stars set -- uses some typography in big, bold ways. I appreciate that and it's dynamic look breaks it out from the rest of the pack. The Game Day insert, while simple, also stands out visually from the rest of the box. There's a lot to be found here if you rip into some hobby boxes -- and those include an autograph in every pack (with 18 cards per) -- but going off what I see here I'd probably go that route. It could pay off well with rookie autos, rarer parallels and more that should flow pretty well.

Product Grade: B (really not feeling the design at all but the inclusions are fine)
Box Grade: C (pretty standard box with a redemption for the hit ... I'd actually rather get points)
Fun Grade: B

Follow Buzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz or send email to BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com. 

>> Click here to buy baseball cards on BlowoutCards.com