BY RYAN CRACKNELL
The majority of the first round picks in the 2019 MLB Draft had a spot in the world of baseball cards before their names were announced. All told, 20 of the 32 first-rounders appeared on cards ahead of the draft. This includes all of the top nine selections. Some have just a few, others already have hundreds when parallels are taken into account.
This is thanks to programs like USA Baseball and the Perfect Game Showcase, which bring together some of the top amateurs in the country and also have deals with card makers. Panini has been making USA Baseball cards since 2012. Leaf has been working with the Perfect Game Showcase for several years as well. Through these, collectors are able to take prospecting even deeper than the already long-term development of baseball’s minor league system.