2024 Baseball Whatever act 5 - 2024 Archives and Bowman Draft Twins

Recently, I broke my thoughts on the year 2024 in baseball cards into four pieces. But just as the card companies don't know when to quit, I'm back to update my thoughts with a fifth act! Featuring a big mess of Minnesota Twins Bowman Draft cards, that still ended up far cheaper than buying a hobby box. 

Look at them all there, in a carefully placed random assortment...

This story is coming about because I've been dealing with a sinus infection, that has drained all of my creative energy. So here's a combination of two subjects I was so uninterested in, that I wasn't even planning on writing about them. But hell, I don't have to think of something else in my weakened mind state. Let's get ready to phone one in!

That part of the diagram that is labeled as filled with fluid, is actually filled with concrete. Don't let science fool you. You can expel fluid fairly easy. What's stuck in here just sucks and it isn't going anywhere.

2024 Bowman Chrome Draft - Kaelen Culpepper - Autograph

Dedicated readers will note that I included this Kaelen Culpepper autographed 1st Bowman card in Act 4 of the Great 2024 Baseball Card Review. I had bought it off ebay, shortly after the breakers went bonkers on 2024 Bowman Draft. Since they've driven prices on hobby boxes to the point of insanity, I let someone else find this card. So I could buy it for less than the price of one pack!

I planned on that being it for 2024 Bowman Draft. Loved ripping a hobby box of it each year, as a follow up to the summer's MLB Draft. But I simply can't justify the money it takes to do that anymore. And that sucks. The hobby itself took away one of my favorite hobby traditions.

But then I found out that a local card shop does the whole box breaking thing as well, but keeps the Twins cards for in-store sales. And they broke a metric shit ton of 2024 Bowman Draft. Okay, now I'm interested... Making the trek down there was well worth my time, as I was able to get the base Twins cards, and several nice parallels, for far less than the price of even half a hobby box. 

While it's not the same, I was feeling a little better about having to sit out the whole 2024 Bowman Draft deal, for the second year in a row. Still missing out on all of the base prospects from the other 29 teams. And it's really the base cards that I enjoyed the most out of Bowman Draft. First cards with major league uniforms Photoshopped onto prospects I watched being assigned to professional teams, back in July.

Thanks to Topps holding a few top picks back, I can wait until 2025 Bowman for cards of Colorado Rockies first rounder (3rd overall), Charlie Condon. At least I should be able to find those packs at the local Targets, next spring...

Speaking of something I found at the local Targets...

2024 Topps Archives finally started appearing on retail shelves in mid-January. Topps Archives has always been a product I'll buy some of, because it's reasonable cheap for a low-end product. Except of course that hobby boxes are now $50-$75 more than they were even 3 years ago. So we're only doing retail blasters and packs. And today I felt like splurging on 3 Blasters and 4 jumbo packs. 

I'll let you decide if I got my money's worth.

I know how I feel about it...

Gimmick with Archives being the 300 card selection of current stars, rookies, hall of famers and fan favorites, are displayed on old Topps card designs. There's usually a few nice surprises as far as player selection goes, and it's a fun rip if you're not looking to cash in a lottery ticket.

Let's go by year... The first 100 cards in the set use the 1961 Topps design.

2024 Topps Archives - Edouard Julien

Topps can be commended for a good job with fonts on the 1961's.

While it's difficult to mess up something as simple as that design, Topps usually finds a way. 

2024 Topps Archives - Nolan Jones

Photo selection does a good job of mirroring 1961 Topps. I don't think I saw any cards that didn't look like they could have been from 1961. Minus earrings, beards, dreadlocks, gold chains, tattoos or anything else from more recent vintage.

Especially those damn Nike Hometown uniforms...

2024 Topps Archives - Jose Berrios - Black

Between the ridiculous Nike Blue Jays Hometown abomination, and that he's really starting show age, I didn't even recognize Jose Berrios at first. This is one of the Black Foil parallels that come 4 per Blaster. My scan does not do them justice, I really liked these for a cheap parallel.

2024 Topps Archives - Jazz Chisholm Jr.

For my fan's sake, Jazz should have stayed a Marlin...

For Jazz's sake, I'm glad he got out of the disaster that Miami has become. 

2024 Topps Archives - Randy Johnson

Too bad his most dominant stretch was mostly with the D-Bags... From 1995-2002, his pitching was beyond video game numbers. Made even more unbelievable that it came at peak steroid time. Meaning 8 years with the D-Bags can't cancel out 9 great seasons as a Seattle Mariner, following 11 games with the Montreal Expos.

2024 Topps Archives - Pedro Martinez

Similarly, why cant we get more flashback cards of Pedro pitching for the Expos? One of the best pitchers in baseball for 7 seasons with the Red Sox, but he was pretty damn good for 4 seasons in Montreal...

2024 Topps Archives - Lou Piniella

Lou Piniella as a 1969 Kansas City Royal was a nice surprise in the set.

2024 Topps Archives - Ken Griffey Jr. - Black

Happy with this.

2024 Topps Archives - Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Nice throwback to when you could someone's parked car in the background of the spring training photo. Harley contributed the stay hair on the scanner bed. He arranged it to specifically look like a stick man was falling out of the sky.

2024 Topps Archives - Shohei Ohtani - Own The Game

Of course you get insert sets based off the designs of old Topps insert sets. That Ohtani guy would be based on the 2006 Own The Game design. Between Yamamoto, Shohei the incoming Roki Sasaki, and all those Americans, the Dodgers pretty much own the game right now. 

It's pretty bad when even a guy from New York, named Steinbrenner, starts complaining about how much money an MLB team is spending.

Yeah, that's depressing...

Let's look at some 2024 Bowman Draft Twins prospects!

Kaelen Culpepper - Twins #4 prospect

2024 Bowman Chrome Draft - Kaelen Culpepper - Base & Refractor

Born: December 29, 2002, in Memphis, Tennessee

Drafted: 1st round 2024, 21st Overall ($3.93 million)

College: Kansas State University, ranked #31

Culpepper seems like a very typical Twins higher draft pick. Disciplined plate approach, contact hitter that uses the entire field. Above average bat speed but only average power. He played shortstop for Kansas State, but scouts think he lacks the lateral quickness to play short as a regular in the big leagues. Some predict he could be a Gold Glover at third base.

2024 Bowman Draft - Kaelen Culpepper - Base & Blue Parallel

After signing with the Twins, he played in 9 games for Fort Myers (Low A), but was quickly moved to High A, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for 17 games. Batting a combined .242/.330/.394. with 3 home runs. Not a monster start, but promising in a small sample size.

2024 Bowman Chrome Draft - Kaelen Culpepper - Draft Night

Since I already had his 1st Bowman autograph, I wanted some of his singles. And this was a jackpot. I had to laugh, there's a bulletin board on the way by the door, with cards tacked to it. Today, the board was filled with columns and rows of only his 2024 Bowman Chrome Draft card. At least 50 of them. $1 each. 

There were more in the Twins box over by the TV showing a college football game and the loudmouth guy in his early 20's, bragging about hits while trying to talk other customers into splitting a hobby box with him. 

HATE guys like this.

2024 Bowman Chrome Draft - Kaelen Culpepper - Top Prospects In Action

I really like this card.

If Kaelen Culpepper develops into a top prospect at third base, it'll present an interesting situation with a former top prospect, expected to log significant time at third, in Minnesota.

2024 Bowman Sterling - Brooks Lee

Actual card is silver, but it scanned black. The card, which is already pretty cool, would look a lot better if it was black. Lee graduated from the prospects lists, with his time in Minnesota, this past season. The same night I bought the 2024 Bowman Chrome Draft Culpepper from the ebays, I bought the autographed SpeckleyFractor version of this card, as an X-mess gift for my mom. The seller threw this card (and a few others) in as a bonus. Very cool!

Dameury Pena - Twins #26 prospect

Born: September 1, 2005, in Bonao, Dominican Republic

Signed: 2023 International Free Agent ($40,000)

2024 Bowman Chrome - Dameury Pena - Base & Purple

Pena signed with the Twins for next to nothing compared to others in his signing class. Early in his career, he's showing a skill set similar to former Twins second baseman, Luis Arraez. An extreme hit-over-power profile, with a tiny strikeout rate, that could lead to a batting title. In parts of two seasons in the Dominican Summer League and Florida Complex League, he put up a combined .333/.419.454 line in 75 total games.

Not that he was legitimate threat to win a batting title, but Carlos Correa did hit .310 for the 2024 season.

2024 Bowman Chrome Sapphire - Carlos Correa

Apparently a great deal of 2024 Bowman Chrome Sapphire boxes have been broken here in the past few weeks...

2024 Bowman Chrome Sapphire - Royce Lewis

Correa and Lewis were the only Twins veterans in the set, as far as I could tell.

Daiber De Los Santos  - Twins unranked prospect

Born: October 6, 2006, San Cristobel, Dominican Republic

Signed: 2024 International Free Agent  ($1.9 million)

2024 Bowman Chrome - Daiber De Los Santos - Base & Sapphire

De Los Santos was ranked as the #8 international prospect, with the scouting report adding "he might have the overall best raw tools in the class.” Debuting in the Dominican Summer League, De Los Santos put up a .301/.384.460 line, with 5 home runs and 17 stolen bases in 47 games, as a 17 year old. Definitely an interesting prospect to follow.

2024 Bowman Chrome Draft - Daiber De Los Santos - Refractor

Topps thought enough of De Los Santos to give him a second Bowman card in the Draft set.

Happy to find a Refractor parallel of that card.

Eduardo Beltre - Twins #25 prospect

Born: October 10, 2006, La Romano, Dominican Republic

Signed: 2024 International Free Agent  ($1.48 million)

2024 Bowman Chrome - Eduardo Beltre - Base & Sapphire

Beltre is an aggressive right-handed hitter, a strong and compact swing. Draws walks, but struck out a fair amount. Like De Los Santos, Beltre showed real potential in the Dominican Summer League. Posting a .326/,453/,618 line, with 11 home runs and 10 stolen bases in 43 games. 

Bryan Acuna - Twins unranked prospect

Born: August 11, 2005, Merida, Venezuela

Signed: 2022 International Free Agent  ($650,000)

2024 Bowman Chrome - Bryan Acuna - Purple Refractor

I'm not ready to give up on Ronald Acuna Jr.'s younger brother quite yet... Over parts of 3 seasons in the Dominican Summer League and Florida Complex League, Acuna has put up a rather weak .254/.387/.316. With the high on base percentage, and a non-alarming amount of strikeouts, something is there. But he's shown no power, with only 1 home run in 120 combined games.

Ariel Castro - Twins unranked prospect

Born: February 17, 2006, La Habana, Cuba

Signed: 2023 International Free Agent  ($2 Million)

2024 Bowman Chrome Draft International Impact - Brando Mayea / Ariel Castro

Castro gets to share this card with the Cuban Thirst Mutilator. Really like the Refractory image of Cuba, between the Twins prospect and what plants crave. So far Castro hasn't lived up to his scouting report. With only a .205/.322/.363 line, and 8 home runs, in a combined 80 games between the DSL and FCL. Hopefully Brando can carry this card to loftier future value. He is a New York Yankee, and he has Electrolytes.

******

Going back to the 2024 Topps Archives set, the next 100 cards are based on the 1970 design. And all of the compliments I gave Topps for their treatment of the 1961 portion is straight out the window, with the hose job they did on 1970.

2024 Topps Archives - Christian Yelich

Congratulations Topps, you blew it on all three fonts. 

Team name: too large, not condensed.

Position: too small, too condensed.

Player name: WTF did you do with the script font? 

The one distinguishing feature of 1970 Topps (besides the grey borders) was the players name in script. Which worked because it contrasted the block letters of the team name and position. This is a example of exactly what you are NOT supposed to do with layout. Three differed sans-serif fonts, of different colors, sizes and styles, but the differences are too minor to work out overall.

1970 Topps - Jim Shellenback

This is what a 1970 Topps card should look like!

Not necessarily with eye and mouth holes burned into it like this guy. But the fonts presented in this fashion. And I did buy this card in the condition. Because if you were flipping through a box of vintage cards and saw this, you'd buy it too!

2024 Topps Archives - Kris Bryant

I'm so angry about this I could just burn eye and mouth holes onto Kris Bryant as well. But that would likely cause it to happen in real life somehow, and Bryant would go onto miss another 80% of Colorado's games next season, with severely burned lips and eyeballs. So we'll just place this in a penny sleeve for safe storage, and Bryant will only miss 75% of all Colorado Rockies games next season, as planned...

2024 Topps Archives - Charlie Blackmon - Black

Okay, since this is a Black parallel, I can like it by pretending it's not based on 1970 Topps.

It's its own set!

2024 Topps Archives Jumbo Wrapper

The Black parallels are exclusive to Blasters, while the retail jumbo packs have an exclusive Yellow parallel, at a rate of one per pack.

2024 Topps Archives - Aaron Judge - Yellow

Hmmm... These are nice too...

2024 Topps Archives - Cal Ripken Jr.

Some of the photo choices for the 1970 portion of the set looks like frames from television broadcasts.

This gives off 1983 World Series vibes.

2024 Topps Archives - Carlos Correa

Have I mentioned lately how much I hate Nike's interpretation of the Minnesota Twins logos and uniforms?

2024 Topps Archives - Paul Skenes

And I really wish Nike would stop trying to make "postal code" jerseys a thing. They did it with the NBA, and those uniforms just look stupid. Now Nike's total and complete awfulness is spreading to Major League Baseball. And the Pittsburgh Pirates are reduced to a big black block P G H branded across a sickly yellow shirt.

Seriously Nike, just stop with this. I've already refused to buy any of your Nike produced baseball apparel, I can do nothing more to protest your meddling for obscene profits.

And I will never accept your damn swoosh on the chest of MLB jerseys. 

2024 Topps Archives - Albert Pujols

A pre-Swoosh Pujols posing in pre-new Busch Stadium.

He was an absolute beast until he moved to California. 

2024 Topps Archives - Rickey Henderson

I can't believe he died last December... One of the most iconic players during my first years of collecting. I wasn't a huge fan, but you had to respect his talent and appreciate his flashy public persona. As the years went on, I began appreciate "Old Man Henderson" more. I made sure to buy his 1980 Topps rookie card, and was happy to get his insert cards from packs. I haven't (yet) acquired one of his autographs, which I will now. His signature is one of the nicest autographs I've seen in the last few generations of players. Perfect cursive, with every letter distinct. Ranks up there with the likes of Mariano Rivera and Ken Griffey Jr.

2024 Topps Archives - Elly De La Cruz - At The Break (1995)

The Cincinnati Reds should not be dressed in all black, Nike... At The Break was an insert set in packs of 1995 Topps Traded. Packs that were pretty hot upon release, given the first Topps card of Hideo Nomo. And for me, Marty Cordova and Brad Radke. Elly De La Cruz is pretty good too.

Walker Jenkins - Twins #1 prospect

Born: February 19, 2005, Wilmington, North Carolina, 

Drafted: 1st round 2023, 5th Overall. ($7.14 million)

2024 Bowman Draft - Walker Jenkins

Jenkins first cards appeared in 2024 Bowman, instead of 2023 Bowman Draft. Likely a combination of him signing late, and Topps trend of holding off on some of the top draft picks, for the following year's set. So his appearance in 2024 Bowman Draft is just an excuse for Topps to print more cards of a top prospect. In this case, I'm all for it.

2024 Bowman Chrome Draft - Walker Jenkins - Base & Refractor

MLB.com ranks Walker as the #3 prospect in baseball. Behind Roman Anthony of the Red Sox and Roki Sasaki of the Dodgers. No problem with Anthony ranked above him, but Sasaki is a 4 year veteran of the NPBL. There is no question that he'll be starting the 2025 season in the Dodgers rotation. That’s not a prospect in my book.

2024 Bowman Chrome Draft - Walker Jenkins - Blue Refractor

The 2023 MLB Draft Pool had 5 players that all were considered first overall picks: Paul Skenes, Dylan Crews, Wyatt Langford, Max Clark and Jenkins. Skenes, Crews and Langford (all college players) have already made the major leagues. Clark and Jenkins were both coming out of high school, so you don't expect them to hit the big leagues in their first full season. The Twins were blessed with extreme luck, and won the No. 5 pick in the first MLB Draft Lottery. (When they should have picked 15th or something in the middle of the round.) Allowing them to select the last of the top five available. Most predicted Max Clark would fall to 5th, but Detroit to him at #3, leaving us Walker Jenkins! He made it to Low A, posting a .988 combined OPS in 26 games, in his first pro experience.

2024 Bowman Chrome Draft - Walker Jenkins - In Tune

Jenkins started the 2024 season with a hamstring injury, that cost him 2 months. Didn't seem to affect him too much, as he finished the year with 6 games in AA Wichita. He played in 82 total games between 4 levels, with a .282/.394/.439 line, as a 19 year old. Most impressive being the 56 walks he drew against only 47 strikeouts, in 368 plate appearances. He knows what he's doing at the plate, and has tremendous potential.

2024 Bowman Chrome Draft - Walker Jenkins - Plasma Power

As I started this story, MLB Network was airing the "Top 100 Prospects for 2025" show. Part of the show included a Zoom call with Walker Jenkins. Tying in with his ranking at #3. This was on in the background as I was scanning the cards. 

"Does he play for the Twins?" Laura asked, from the other room, where she can still see part of the TV..

Yes, in the minor leagues. He's our top prospect.

"I don't like him. He's too cocky."

Yeah... It's hard to imagine what his life is as a 19 year old. He's played baseball nearly his entire life and became really good at it. So good that he got $7 million dollars (as an 18 year old) to play professionally. All his life he's been told how great he is, now he has a fat wallet to prove it. He's got the classic American stereotype model/athlete look. He's on the path to superstardom, in the sport he's dedicated. I don't know how many 19 year olds could be in that situation and not be cocky.

I know where I was at 19.

Working in a gas station, drawing cartoons of a farting duck.

Where I got a $0.0 million signing bonus.

Emmanuel Rodriguez  - Twins #2 prospect

Born: February 28, 2003, San Cristobel, Dominican Republic

Signed: 2020 International Free Agent  ($2.5 million)

2024 Onyx Vintage - Emmanuel Rodriguez

Rodriguez is an example of a teenager signing as an International Free Agent, and progressing through the farm system to a high ranking prospect. While missing parts of each season to Injuries, Rodriguez has made it to AAA St. Paul. Since making his pro debut in 2021, he's put up a career line of .250/.422/.510, with 44 home runs in just over 1000 plate appearances. With a hefty amount of strikeouts, but a very high amount of walks. He could see time with the Twins in 2025.

Jaime Ferrer  - Twins unranked prospect

Born: December 27, 2002, Bayamon, Puerto Rico, 

Drafted: 4th Round 2024, 126th Overall ($425,550)

2024 Bowman Chrome Draft - Jamie Ferrer - Refractor

Ferrer is a power hitting corner outfielder, drafted out of Florida State. After signing with Minnesota, he played in 24 games with Low A Fort Myers. Hitting .269/376/.372. The power hitting prospect did not hit a home run.

Byron Chourio  - Twins unranked prospect

Born: May 20, 2005, Merida, Venezuela

Signed: 2022 International Free Agent (Miami - $200,000)

Acquired: From Miami Marlins, with Pablo Lopez and Jose Salas, for Luis Arraez.

2024 Bowman Chrome Draft - Byron Chourio - Refractor & Aqua Wave Refractor

Chourio profiles as a speedy centerfielder with an above-average arm. That probably won't develop much power. He's going to need to step it up, as he put up a meager .207/.271/.277 line in 84 games with Low A Fort Myers.

2024 Bowman Draft - Byron Chourio - Blue

But I got some nice cards of his...

******

The final third of the 2024 Topps Archives set is patterned after 1994 Topps. 1994 is one of my favorite years of all time. I was working in a gas station! I was on Cable Public Access TV!  The Montreal Expos were the best team in baseball!

But 1994 Topps was not a design I was wild about. 

2024 Topps Archives - Rod Carew

You see Rod Carew's name? It proves that Topps still has access to script fonts...

Had they used this font on the 1970 portion of the set, I'd like it a lot more. 

2024 Topps Archives - Johan Santana

As far as the 1994 Topps design in itself, I didn't like the color choices for the teams. Some of them are loosely based on team color, but virtually none of them work with the dominant green triangles, underneath the picture frame, which is obviously meant to invoke home plate. So it would make sense that green would imply grass. In theory, it should work together well.

But for me it didn't.

It's not a terrible design, it just didn't work for me. 

2024 Topps Archives - Byron Buxton

Oh goodie... Now I can look forward to these ugly-ass Nike Hometown Alternate uniforms showing up on Twins cards. This Buxton serving as the first I've seen. And I hate it.

2024 Topps Archives - Brenton Doyle

1994 was also the year that Topps decided to only use game action photos on the cards. Rather than a mixture of action, posed, candid and mug shots. I've always thought the best sets had a blend of pictures. Only action shots gets very redundant. How many times can you see a guy holding a bat?

2024 Topps Archives - Ezeqiel Tovar

Which makes fielding pictures a welcome respite.

2024 Topps Archives - Jordan Beck

Running shots as well...

2024 Topps Archives - Willie Mays

Do like seeing new photos of old baseball legends. Assuming this is and old spring training photo of Mays. It's one I've never seen before, and it's awesome.

2024 Topps Archives - Ted Williams

This one is a bit more familiar.

2024 Topps Archives - Shohei Ohtani

I heard he's pretty good.

2024 Topps Archives - Jackson Holliday - Black

Really like this one. Looks better than it scanned too.

Probably the best card I pulled from my little 2024 Topps Archives party...

2024 Topps Archives - Jackson Chorio - New Breed (1999)

New Breed was an insert set in 1999 Topps. I never bought even one pack of 1999 Topps. But the 1999 New Breed inserts I’ve picked up for the PC, look a whole lot nicer than this recreation.

2024 Topps Archives - Teoscar Hernandez - Wrecking Crew (1996) Green Parallel

Green parallels are serial numbered out of 99. So I guess this would be my biggest hit out of the mass 2024 Topps Archives retail purchase. I bought very little 1996 Topps either, and I don’t think I have any Wrecking Crew inserts from that set. So this is acceptable…

Billy Amick  - Twins #11 prospect

Born: November 4, 2002, Mooresville, North Carolina 

Drafted: 2nd round 2024, 60th Overall. ($1,453,700)

2024 Bowman Draft - Billy Amick - Base & Blue

Billy is the son of former NASCAR driver Lyndon Amick, The Twins were anxious to draft Amick, and had thought of taking him in the first round, but opted for Kaelen Culpepper instead. But a late season slump caused Amick to slide in the draft, and he was still available when the Twins had their second round pick.  

2024 Bowman Chrome Draft - Billy Amick - Base & Refractor

Amick has played third base and left field, but may end up at first base, as he progresses through the minors. He tends to strike out a bit, though not to an excessive degree, and will take his share of walks. During a brief 18 game stint in Low A Fort Myers, Amick posted a .222/.351./.413 line, with 3 home runs, in 77 plate appearances.

2024 Bowman Chrome Draft - Billy Amick - Autograph

Knowing he’s a prospect the Twins are high on led me to pick up his 1st Bowman autograph for $20.

I’ve spent more on lesser players.

Luke Keaschall  - Twins #3 prospect

Born: August 15, 2002, Watsonville, California

Drafted: 2nd round 2023, 49th Overall. ($1.5 million)

2024 Bowman Chrome Draft - Luke Keaschall - Refractor

Keaschall had a solid pro debut that saw him reach High-A at the end of 2023. His first full season saw him reach Double-A Wichita, and a roster spot in the MLB All Star Futures Game. But an arm injury stopped his season in August, when he caught a case of Tommy John surgery. He should be healthy enough to start the 2025. Possibly at AAA St. Paul. 

2024 Bowman Draft - Luke Keaschall - Blue

Hi 1st Bowman cards appeared in 2023 Bowman Draft, and I’ve found a few of those singles. But nothing compared to the nice Keaschall haul I’ve picked up from 2024 Bowman Draft. In 102 games between High A Cedar Rapids, and AA Wichita, Keaschall batted .303/.420./.483, with 15 home runs. Mostly spent at second base. 

2024 Bowman Draft - Luke Keaschall - Yellow Printing Plate

While I haven’t picked up a Keaschall autographed card yet, I consider a printing plate to be an even better prize.

Not even because of the novelty of actually working in printing, and dealing with printing plates on a daily basis.

2024 Bowman Draft - Luke Keaschall - Yellow Printing Plate

Official 1 of 1 (of 4)!

And that’s really about it.

I don’t feel like writing anything more and I’ve now completely exhausted the topic of 2024 baseball…

Time to move onto a story with a higher purpose.

Stay tuned.

2024 Topps Archives... Yeah... It's somewhat better than a sinus infection.

Had this set come out in time for the great 2024 Baseball Whatever Review, all personal gripes aside, it would probably rank between 2024 Allen & Ginter and 2024 Topps flagship set (series 1, 2 and Update). Decent, but not blow-away effort and execution.

Now I'm going to take a big buncha NyQuil and go to bed until I can be completely disappointed by 2025 Topps Series 1, in a couple of weeks.