Buzz's Pick Six: 2019 MLB rookies Buzz is watching right now

Have you seen the latest cool cards from a new release? With so many options for collectors of all kinds arriving every week it's possible you haven't. That's where Buzz comes in. This week's list is not for those who are deep prospectors, rather it's for those who might look to dabble with young MLB players without the wait for them to arrive. My list, which should be an obvious one for most collectors, simply spotlights six rookies who are playing well. Their biggest cards are already priced big -- but that doesn't mean you can't find some nice underpriced stuff and build some gains as they play well this season.

The new six: No product this time -- just six MLB rookies Buzz is watching.

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SLIGHTLY OFF THE RADAR?
The Player: Keston Hiura, 2B, Milwaukee Brewers
The Stats: Hitting .307 with 13 HRs and 30 RBI in 52 games
Why he's Buzz-worthy: You won't necessarily see him atop the season's leaders for rookies since he's only played in 52 games this year, but he's already in The Show in just his third campaign as a pro. He hit .317 in 222 MiLB games and that might be the biggest key here in my mind -- he's not just a power guy unlike others you will see on this list. He did have 36 homers and 122 RBI in those MiLB games, too, but the production here just seems balanced and reliable with some pop. An example of that? In his first three at-bats on Wednesday night he had a homer, a double and another homer, upping his average to .309.
Total autos: 300-plus
First Chrome autos: 2017 Bowman Draft
Off-radar autos: 2016 Elite Extra Edition (USA Baseball)

Keep reading for five more interesting players in this week's roundup ...

THE BIG GUY ...
The Player: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 3B, Toronto Blue Jays
The Stats: Hitting .274 with 13 HRs and 49 RBI in 84 games
Why he's Buzz-worthy: His cardboard was the focus of early season hype as he demolished MiLB pitching last season and the only thing stopping him from stepping up this season were arbitration-timing rules that give the Blue Jays an extra season of arbitration if they wait to call up a key player. Topps was ready for his arrival with redemptions for mystery autographs in early products -- you see his Heritage mystery auto above -- and then with plenty of Topps Now stuff as he arrived with a big spotlight. He's picked things up since July and put on a show at the MLB All-Star Game Home Run Derby, too, so as long as he finishes strong I think people will be pleased with his debut season. (His stats right now don't overwhelm me, especially compared to the expectations and prices already paid.) That said, if he struggles some between now and season's end there could be some bargains here and there, too -- because it's inevitable that plenty more cardboard is on the way after the waiting. That might be my biggest reason you see him here.  
Total autos: 680-plus
First Chrome autos: 2016 Bowman Chrome
Off-radar autos: 2015 Panini Contenders & 2015 Elite Extra Edition (earliest ink)

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NEW ARRIVAL
The Player: Bo Bichette, SS, Toronto Blue Jays 
The Stats: Hitting .409 with three HRs and four RBI in 10 games
Why he's Buzz-worthy: "Bichette Happens" might be a T-shirt slogan seen on one of his dad's old baseball cards, but it's pretty clear that there will be a lot happening in Toronto the rest of this year and beyond with its trio of second-generation rookies (this guy, Junior and Cavan Biggio). Topps Now collectors have seen this guy a lot so far -- at least it feels that way. How? Well, 11 of his 18 hits this year are doubles and homers -- that set a new MLB record for extra-base hits to start a career and he's in the midst of a 10-game hitting streak. He's had a double in eight consecutive games -- and nobody has ever had nine. The big gains might have already happened here with his debut coming after some time down to injury, especially with Guerrero casting a big shadow over Toronto cardboard, but my gut feeling is that the core of young players here could make for a 2016 Cubs-style explosion if the team fares well later. Why? Homegrown talent RCs are always a little more appealing when things go well on the field. Speaking of RCs? Well, this guy will be a 2020 guy.
Total autos: 200-plus
First Chrome autos: 2016 Bowman Draft
Off-radar autos: 2017 Bowman High Tek

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ALL RISING ... FOR THE OTHER NEW YORK TEAM
The Player: Peter Alonso, 1B, New York Mets
The Stats: Hitting .260 with 37 HRs and 83 RBI in 114 games
Why he's Buzz-worthy: The Home Run Derby champ (Reminder: He won it, not Vladdy.) had the Mets' rookie home run record in hand long ago and he moved into a tie for the 10th-best season by a Met on Wednesday night. His next homer will have him tied for sixth and one more after that ties him with Darryl Strawberry's best years. The best Mets season total ever is just 41 homers, so barring some type of injury, that should be his, too, along with the NL Rookie of the Year award. His cards have been in demand but this is the kind of dominance that reminds me of Aaron Judge not that long ago (though Judge was more impressive). All that said, buying now might mean buying high on Alonso with his key cards but, like Guerrero, there should be a good chunk of stuff in the pipeline making for good hunting between here and next season. And the New York fan base should help the market for his cards, too.
Total autos: 330-plus
First Chrome autos: 2016 Bowman Draft
Off-radar autos: 2016 Elite Extra Edition (college uniform cards)

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THE WAITING IS THE HARDEST PART ...
The Player: Yordan Alvarez, 1B, Houston Astros
The Stats: Hitting .348 with 14 HRs and 43 RBI in 43 games
Why he's Buzz-worthy: The arrival of the 2020 Topps Series 1 preview on Wednesday gave us a reminder that there's one new-arriving rookie grabbing peoples' attention now who won't have his official RCs until next year. That's fine to a degree but it will put some emphasis on what prospecting cardboard he has leading up to that point. Last year, he didn't have a ton of cards with autographs -- but that looks a little different now. He's played very well in his three months on the Astros so he has to be watched ... even if we aren't getting those RCs until next year. 
Total autos: 100-plus
First Chrome autos: 2018 Bowman Chrome
Off-radar autos: 2018 Bowman's Best

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ANOTHER PLAYER WITH POP (AND POPS IN THE MLB HISTORY BOOK)
The Player: Fernando Tatis Jr., SS, San Diego Padres
The Stats: Hitting .325 with 21 HRs and 49 RBI in 78 games
Why he's Buzz-worthy: Tatis hit his 21st homer of the season on Wednesday night and that's a total bigger than he is old. He also got his 100th hit and that makes him the first Padre since Roberto Alomar in 1988 to reach that plateau before turning 21. (Alomar, of course, is a Hall of Famer.) The only somewhat bummer on cardboard here (and it's not based on card prices) is that Tatis' earliest cards show him when he was with the Chicago White Sox organization before he was traded for James Shields in 2016. (How's that deal looking right now?)
Total autos: 500-plus
First Chrome autos: 2016 Bowman Chrome
Off-radar autos: 2015 Elite Extra Edition

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

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