New Release: 2017 BBM Rookie Edition

BBM issues the same Rookie Edition set every year. I'm not really sure what there is to say about this set, other than it's out. That's not such a bad thing, I guess - it's predictable and serves a purpose. And with everything BBM did right last year, I'll let that slide.

 I guess this year is the "triangle" set. Maybe I'm getting older, but the rookies seem to be getting younger. Then again, Masaki Mimori, pictured above, just turned 18 a couple days ago.

 The end-of-set subset this year is Early Days. I think Punch Sato's card here is the best one; it's not often you get a baseball card with a picture of the player in casual clothes holding a giant cell phone. Or just a cordless phone.

The base set clocks in at 126 cards; 12 of those are Early Days. There are a few parallels: 86 of the player cards have silver versions (100 copies each), first draft pick players also have gold parallels (30 copies each) and a red signature version limited to 17 copies each.

 As usual, the first insert set is two cards with both of the Rookie of the Year award winners. I grabbed Takanashi of the Fighters, whose first card comes from 2014, I think.

The larger insert, Next Generation, is very pink-purplish. It's nice to have some good color, though. Those white parts really stand out, too, on the foily cards.

I don't have any of the hits yet, but retired players (up to 90 copies each) and prospects (up to 60) both have autographs in the set, as well as a First Draft Pick autograph set limited to 30 copies each.

Finally, BBM issued a 12-card promo set with a PR prefix. It's also possible that there are additional promotional sets which don't appear on the BBM checklist, such as bookstore promos. These are usually identified by different coloring, card numbering, and a notation on the card.