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. Joe Ryan, RHP, Rays — High Class A Charlotte Knights
Baseball America’s highlight line: “The man with the unhittable fastball was at it again this week, when he flirted with a no-hitter in the first game of Charlotte’s doubleheader with Bradenton. He settled for a one-hit masterpiece that briefly put him on top of the minor league strikeout leaderboard. His 159 strikeouts are more than any Rays minor leaguer accumulated all of last season."

CARDBOARD BASICS
Approximate card total (so far): Only MiLB team sets
First Chrome auto: None yet
One auto to consider: None yet
Buzz’s card take: That highlight line should say plenty ... and that should prime the interest for his first autos when they arrive. When? Well, ideally the sooner the better. This week's release, Bowman Sterling, does not include him. The team set you see above, 2019 Choice Bowling Green Hot Rods, should be plentiful and will likely be broken often as one of the other players in that set is Wander Franco.

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

Continue reading →

What: 2017 Leaf Perfect Game All-American Classic baseball cards
Arrives: March 2018
Box basics: Eight autographs per box (15 boxes per case)

What’s buzz-worthy: Leaf's newest Perfect Game All-American release focuses on last year's squad and once again gives those players patch autos and Metal autos in boxes that have nothing but hits inside.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

Continue reading →