Buzz Break: 2021 Panini Absolute Baseball (blaster box)

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post 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: 2021 Panini Absolute Baseball (blaster box)
First Buzz preview: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for this one.

Packs per box: 5
Cards per pack: 8
Cards per box: 40
Base set completion: 
19 of 100 (19 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Bo Bichette, Fernando Tatis Jr., Anthony Rizzo, Manny Machado, Pete Alonso, Roy Campanella, Tyler Glasnow

Insert/short-print cards: 20 (all in gallery below with some base)
Green parallels (5) – Joe Jackson, Rhys Hoskins, Colin Moran, Joey Votto, Walker Buehler
Extreme Team (1) – Edd Roush
Icons (1) – Miguel Cabrera
Green Icons (1) – Tony Gwynn
Power (1) – Rafael Devers
Prospects (1) – Julio Rodriguez
Rookie Class (3) – Ian Anderson, Luis Garcia, Brailyn Marquez
Green Rookie Class (2) – Triston McKenzie, Ryan Mountcastle
Statistically Speaking (2) – Jose Ramirez, Tim Anderson
Green Statistically Speaking (1) – Freddie Freeman
Unsung Heroes (1) – Paul Goldschmidt
Green Unsung Heroes (1) – Frank Chance

Autographs/Memorabilia: 1
Rookie Leather Signatures (1) – Zach McKinstry (/99)

What's Buzz-worthy: These blasters are a pretty dramatic re-vamp vs. last year and the volume of inserts alone is double what you got in a full box a year ago. My run of base cards was oddly a bit dry given I got basically a fifth of the set but the insert volume and landing a parallel version of an auto got this box a A grade. Did I get a bunch of top names in those inserts? No, but there's enough there and with the auto it wasn't a bad box. Depending on how often the autos fall, I wouldn't mind ripping more -- if I could find them -- as the hit and volume here is a lot stronger than a number of other blasters out there right now. The base set is decent but the stock here seems on the brittle side like a lot of releases -- not that big of a deal but could mean bummers if grading anything. The base set photos felt a bit repetitious in poses and the same types of photos carried over into the inserts but the design variety helped there some. This one is on-par with recent releases but the revamped blaster format helped make this a better break. If you bust with some volume (a few blasters) it might really surprise. Your best bet, of course, is hobby where you will have guaranteed hits -- two autos and two memorabilia -- with more potential but actually fewer cards than you find here.

Product Grade: A- (hits in hobby get it here)
Box Grade: A- (parallel auto gets this one to an A-level grade)
Fun Grade: A-

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