REVIEW:2017 Bowman High Tek Baseball

The High Tek or Topps Tek name isn't new to the Topps family, but it is new to the Bowman one. Introducing in 2017, Bowman High Tek.

This prospect loaded product is exactly what you expect from Bowman plus more. How did my inaugural break of the product go, well, let's take a look!

Each 10-card box of 2017 Bowman High Tek Baseball will include, 4 On-Card Autograph Cards

and 1 Base Parallel Card. Boxes run around $110.

Each 12 box case will guarantee a 1992 Bowman Variation Insert Card.

The 2017 Bowman High Tek Baseball base cards are printed on acetate with a touch of foil that brings out a nice design. The base cards will also make you scratch your head some as there are multiple, 11 about, pattern variations that takes the background and changes it up. It also gives each background design a level of rarity.

The base set itself is only 56 cards. However, with 10 to 11 variations to each, it makes it much, much deeper and really is one for the player collector.

The players in the base set are young stars and upcoming future stars like you would find in the Bowman Prospects. Big names like Gleyber Torres, Rhys Hoskins and Clint Frazier are among the group.

 

How do you know the difference and the levels of rarity, your guess is as good as mine. 

But, from my research from multiple sites, here is the order mine are in.

Gears. Seems to be the base. Moniak was a nice find.

Pin Wheel, another base card version.

Stripes and Arrows is a tad tougher.

Hexagon is about the same toughness.

 

Unlike figuring out base cards, parallels are much easier to spot and luckily exclusive to one or two patterns and not them all. Parallels include the following, Green Rainbow /99, Gold Rainbow /50 (the one I pulled), Orange Magma Diffractor /25, Red Orbit Diffractor, Mojo Diffractor /5, Black Rainbow 1/1, and Black Galactic Diffractor 1/1.

Nice Devers right here. You can note how the gears and foil are gold.

 

I didn't pull any of the tough to find inserts, so let's take a look at the on-card autographs that have a checklist of 43 cards.  It doesn't appear the autographs have different versions. That would have been way too much.

My first was AJ Puk.

Second was Bo Bichette. Possibly the best pull of the box unless I can get some values on the Devers.

Patrick Weigel

And a gold parallel from the World Series champs, Forrest Whitley.

There are other autograph parallels to find of, Tidal Diffractor /199, Green Rainbow /99, Orange Magma Diffractor /25, Red Orbit Diffractor /5, Black Galactic Diffractor 1/1, and Black Rainbow 1/1.

 

Other hits not found in my box are,

2017 Bowman Rookies that has 10 cards, 2017 Bowman Rookies Autographs, 1992 Bowman Variations, 1992 Bowman Variations Autographs, Bashers Set, Bashers Autographs, and Foundations of the Franchise Die-Cut .

OVERALL, I am glad that Topps stuck to what the brand was known for in the late 90's and since the Topps version has been back in 2014 with it's multiple base card levels. It can be a bit confusing and hopefully there will be some detailed visuals for guidance on how to tell the difference in rarities but I like it. I would definitely say it's not one for the kids. I remember busting packs in the 90's and I didn't have a clue about the difference.

The autographs look pretty nice on the acetate and I think the checklist is pretty solid overall for autograph finds. The box price isn't too shabby for a prospecting product and there is definitely plenty to find.

This product is for the prospectors and for the player rainbow collectors that's for sure.

You can find the complete checklist for 2017 Bowman High Tek, HERE.

Please make sure to take a minute out to thank Topps for providing this box for me to review as they help provide prizes for me to giveaway in the MLB Pick Em Promotion! This was the last product to be included in the prize package so new promos coming up! Follow Topps on all social media sites and visit their SITE, as well