The Dugout│Top 8 Wander Franco Rookie Card Picks For 2023
Witness the long-awaited rise of Wander Franco in the world of baseball collectibles. Explore the top Wander Franco rookie cards to elevate your collection and hit a home run in the hobby.
Updated Apr 17, 2023
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It has been a long wait, but wandering baseball prospectors don't need to wander any longer—Wander Franco is finally ready to make his mark on the hobby.
The 2019 BCP limited edition Speckle Refractor Parallel #100 will cost you between $169 and $1,500, with the highest sale price recorded at $2,025.
After being ranked as one of MLB's top 100 prospects for a good few years and finally, as a call up to the Tampa Bay Rays in June 2021, Wander Franco cards are officially entering the market.
With over 1,700 different Wander Franco cards already out there, collectors have plenty of options. Let’s get into why collectors are talking about getting a Wander Franco rookie card.
Who is Wander Franco?
Who is Wander Franco?
Wander Franco is a professional shortstop in the MLB playing for the Tampa Bay Rays. At 16, the young Dominican signed with the Tampa Bay Rays and was named the 2018 Appalachian League Player of the Year.
This 2019 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs Red Refractor #WF Wander Franco Signed Rookie Card sold for $198,000 in May 2021.
Source: goldinauctions.com
In 2021, he made his MLB debut, batting .288 on average with 15 home runs and 79 runs batted in after two seasons. He also broke a record as the youngest player in Rays history to hit a multi-homer game.
He was offered a $182 million contract extension in November 2021, making him the youngest player worth over $100 million.
Best Wander Franco rookie cards
Best Wander Franco rookie cards
Now let’s talk about some of Wander’s top rookie cards, like the 2021 Bowman's Best Wander Franco Rookie Card—the first mainstream base set card featuring the Tampa Bay shortstop.
1. 2019 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs Wander Franco Gold Shimmer #CPA-WF
- Price Range: $3,000 to $8,400
- Highest Sale Price: $10,500
- Supply: 5
- Type: Bowman Prospect Autographs Chrome
An eBay auction in March 2021 saw Wander's Gold Shimmer 2019 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs card hit its highest sale price of $10,500.
Source: goldin.co
The 2019 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs Wander Franco Gold Shimmer #CPA-WF is a rare collectible featuring a blue ink signature by Tampa Bay Rays star shortstop Wander Franco on the obverse. With a limited gem-mint supply of only five on the market, the card saw its highest sale price of $10,500 at an eBay auction in March 2021.
It garnered numerous other purchases, with recent ones selling for $8,400 in August 2022 through Goldin Auctions and $5,700 in September 2022 for a PSA 9 card. Those lucky enough to own a piece of this Franco autograph could make good returns if demand remains strong.
2. 2021 Bowman’s Best Wander Franco RC #50
- Price Range: $10 to $55
- Highest Sale Price: $90
- PSA 10 Supply: 226
- Type: Bowman’s Best
A PSA 10 2021 Bowman's Best Wander Franco Tampa Bay Rays Rookie Card sold for $90 in May 2022.
Source: psacard.com
The 2021 Bowman's Best Wander Franco Rookie Card #50 is a valuable addition to any baseball card collection. One factor that may contribute to the value of this card is its PSA 10 supply of 226, one of which fetched more than $80 in May 2022. Some recent auction sales realized for the 2021 Bowman’s Best Wander Franco RC #50 include one in February 2023 for $60 and another in March 2023 for $12.
3. 2022 Topps Series 1 Wander Franco RC #215
- Price Range: $6 to $200
- Highest Sale Price: $399
- PSA 10 Supply: 5,044
- Type: Topps Series
In March 2022, Wander's Topp Series rookie card #215 sold for nearly $400 at auction.
Source: psacard.com
The 2022 Topps Series 1 Wander Franco RC #215 features a great shot of Franco in play, with his blue Rays shirt popping off the card. Its highest selling price so far sits just a dollar short of $400, which is decent considering it has a relatively high print run and 5,035 PSA-10 graded copies. But expect to shell out anywhere from $6 to $200, depending on the grade if you're looking to invest.
4. 2022 Topps Heritage Wander Franco RC #347
- Price Range: $6 to $67
- Highest Sale Price: $151
- PSA 10 Supply: 115
- Type: Topps Heritage
Wander Franco's debut #347 2022 Topps Heritage card has a gem mint supply of just 114 cards.
Source: psacard.com
The 2022 Topps Heritage Wander Franco RC #347 is a rookie card that was just issued and has drawn much interest from collectors. A recent auction of a PSA-10 gem mint version saw this card reach $130 in February 2023.
The card ranges from $6 to $67, with the highest sale ever being $151. If you're considering investing in it as a potential long-term asset, now might be the right time to buy in.
5. 2019 Bowman Chrome Prospect Wander Franco Speckle Refractor #100
- Price Range: $169 to $1500
- Highest Sale Price: $2,025
- PSA 10 Supply: 62
- Type: Bowman Chrome Prospect
The 2019 Wander Franco Bowman Chrome Prospect Speckle Refractor rookie card is worth up to $2,000 and has a PSA-10 Supply of 62 cards.
Source: psacard.com
The Wander Franco Bowman Chrome Prospect Speckle Refractor rookie card could make another great addition to your portfolio. This Bowman Chrome card is one of the countless examples of cards with multiple color and design variations, and it has a limited print run of only 499 cards.
The 2019 BCP limited edition Speckle Refractor Parallel #100 will cost you between $169 and $1,500, with the highest sale price recorded at $2,025.
6. 2019 Bowman Sterling Continuity Wander Franco #BS-10
- Price Range: $4 to $91
- Highest Sale Price: $136
- PSA 10 Supply: 443
- Type: Bowman Sterling
In March 2023, a PSA-9 2019 Bowman Sterling Continuity Wander Franco #BS-10 sold for $91 after receiving 15 bids.
Source: psacard.com
In March 2023, an exquisite PSA-9 2019 Bowman Sterling Continuity Wander Franco #BS-10 fetched a dazzling $91 after a fifteen-way bidding war on eBay. In April 2023, another gem mint sold for $50 on the site. Should you want to pick one up, prices range from $4 to $90.
7. 2020 Donruss Optic Wander Franco Signature-Teal Velocity #RPSWF
- Price Range: $276 to $355
- Highest Sale Price: $595
- PSA 10 Supply: 5
- Type: Donruss Optic
Only five 2020 Donruss Optic Wander Franco Signature-Teal Velocity #RPSWF got the coveted PSA gem-mint grade.
Source: psacard.com
The 2020 Donruss Optic is a captivating baseball card set of over 9,000 cards spanning many unique variations. Though it’s technically not a Wander Franco rookie, The #RPSWF identifies the card as having a Franco autograph.
The price range for this card lies between $276 to $355, with the highest reported sale price reaching around $600. That’s a bargain for a Franco autograph card that could be worth a lot more one day.
8. 2020 Bowman Chrome Wander Franco Purple Shimmer #BCP-163
- Price Range: $36 to $118
- Highest Sale Price: $178
- PSA 10 Supply: 35
- Type: Bowman Chrome
Only 35 gem mint 2020 Bowman Chrome Wander Franco Purple Shimmer #163 cards are on record.
Source: psacard.com
The Bowman Purple Shimmer #BCP-163 card has a relatively low gem mint supply of 35 cards—creating scarcity that could boost its value. The card itself sports a spectacular photo of Franco wearing his Tampa Bay Rays uniform, and Franco's name is displayed prominently at the bottom. This one should cost upwards of $30 to $120 depending on the grade.
Is a Wander Franco rookie card a good investment?
Is a Wander Franco rookie card a good investment?
A Wander Franco rookie card could be an excellent investment. The price of an early Wander Franco RC is rising to extraordinary highs at times. If you couldn’t nab a Wander Franco rookie in time, you could also consider his recent Topps and Bowman cards that might increase in value.
While spectacular sales may not be typical, they demonstrate the potential of Wander Franco rookie cards in the collectibles market.