Carding Baseball America's MLB Prospects Hot Sheet (June 24)

Here's a look at the top five players on this week's Baseball America Top MLB Prospects Hot Sheet and their seasons so far. It's a little something to help those who might want to dabble with prospecting -- some basics on their baseball cards alongside a highlight line from those more scouting-minded. We may not do this every week, but we'll check in on BA's top crop from time to time for the remainder of the season.

1. Deivi Garcia, RHP, Yankees — Double-A Trenton Thunder
Baseball America’s highlight line: “Garcia continued one of the best seasons by a pitching prospect by spinning a masterpiece against Richmond. He struck out the first eight batters and was in complete control the rest of the way. The performance boosted his strikeouts per nine innings to 15.1, the best in the minors among qualified starters. It also tied the Trenton franchise record for strikeouts in a game, which was set by Adam Warren in 2010."

CARDBOARD BASICS
Approximate card total (so far): Just MiLB team set cardboard 
First Chrome auto: Still to come
One auto to consider: Still to come
Buzz’s card take: You may remember seeing this guy here about a year ago and nothing has ultimately changed on the cardboard front. He's just 20 and rising in the minors so that cardboard should be coming at some point. He's 3-4 with a 3.02 ERA and a ridiculous 100 strikeouts in 59-plus innings pitched this season so there should be some serious demand once that first ink hits. His few MiLB team sets should be watched right now, too. (There's next to nothing on eBay right now for him.)

Keep reading for the rest of the top five ...

2. Marco Luciano, SS, Giants — Arizona League Giants
Baseball America’s highlight line: “Luciano ranked as the top 16-year-old international prospect in the 2018 class, with the Giants signing him out of the Dominican Republic for $2.6 million. Luciano drew attention from international scouts for his snappy bat speed, easy swing and big power, which has been on display in his pro debut. There's big upside for Luciano if everything clicks, with a chance to stick at shortstop and the potential for 70-grade power."
CARDBOARD BASICS
Approximate card total (so far): 180
First Chrome auto: 2019 Bowman 
One auto to consider: 2017 Elite Extra Edition
Buzz’s card take: Per Baseball America, he's 10-for-26 (.385) so far this season with two doubles, three homers and two walks. Interest here should be strong for this guy's cardboard with a start like this and he's got about 100 different autos from the past three years. He's found in the two above as well as Onyx Vintage -- a unique full printed auto there on at least one rarer version -- as well as Leaf Metal Draft and Leaf Ultimate Draft. You can see a little more about his early cards here.

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3. C.J. Abrams, SS, Padres — Arizona League Padres
Baseball America’s highlight line: “The bouncy, explosive athleticism sticks out immediately with Abrams, a quick-burst runner with 80 speed. He pairs that elite athletic ability with excellent hand-eye coordination, which enables Abrams to produce a high contact rate. That combination has helped Abrams, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2019 draft, get off to a blazing start in his first week of pro ball."
CARDBOARD BASICS
Approximate card total (so far): 200
First Chrome auto: Still to come
One auto to consider: 2018 Panini USA Baseball Stars & Stripes (any)
Buzz’s card take: All but 30 of this guy's baseball cards come with an autograph -- that's a pretty crazy amount -- and all of it is via USA Baseball and Perfect Game All-American releases from Panini America and Leaf Trading Cards. The Perfect Game cards are large in volume but tiny in print run, so your best bet to land his autos are in Stars & Stripes last year and this year. He has just a handful of cards in EEE last year. He went 12-for-23 (.522) with seven runs scored, a double, a triple, a homer and a stolen base in his fest week. He should figure to have a good place in draft picks sets later this year. 

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4. Dustin May, RHP, Dodgers — Double-A Tulsa Drillers
Baseball America’s highlight line: “He produced a signature performance on June 22, when he struck out 14 batters in seven innings, and overall in June has gone 1-1, 2.70 with 23 strikeouts in 23.1 innings. If the changeup continues to make strides, May could jump even higher on the list of the game’s best arms."
CARDBOARD BASICS
Approximate card total (so far): 190
First Chrome auto: 2018 Bowman Chrome 
One auto to consider: 2016 Elite Extra Edition
Buzz’s card take: He's got fewer than 50 autos out there and they range as far back as 2016 so if he truly arrives as one of the best -- and on the Dodgers -- then there could be serious movement on inked cardboard here. The 21-year-old was ranked 82nd on Baseball America's Top 100 entering this season and other rankers had him far higher -- one inside the Top 30. In four MiLB seasons, he's gone 21-17 with a 3.59 ERA and 370 strikeouts in 376-plus innings. Those are reliable numbers.

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5. Brent Rooker, 1B, Twins — Triple-A Rochester Red Wings
Baseball America’s highlight line: “After two quiet months, Rooker has turned up the volume in June. The powerful first baseman has gone .406/.553/.725 with five home runs this month during an incredible show of what he can do when everything is in sync. Once he begins producing with consistency, he could become another weapon in the already potent Twins lineup."
CARDBOARD BASICS
Approximate card total (so far): 400
First Chrome auto: 2017 Bowman Draft
One auto to consider: 2013 Leaf Power Showcase
Buzz’s card take: He's got nearly 150 different autos from as far back as six years ago but he's got none so far this cardboard season. He's got ink in 10 brands from three companies so there's a decent amount out there to choose from if you think he's a Twins prospect who will arrive and deliver. (They have a lot of names who can be on prospecting radars.) His three-year MiLB total? A .269 average with 51 homers and 168 RBI in 239 games with 55 doubles and 287 strikeouts. Of those Ks he had 150 in 130 games last season for the Chattanooga Lookouts but was one homer short of his career-high of 23.

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