2018 Bowman Chrome Blue Refractor Shohei Ohtani ROOKIE AUTO /150 #BCRA-SO BGS 9.5 GEM MINT

When Shohei Ohtani made his first spring training start in 2018, he struggled with his command and allowed two runs in 1 1/3 innings against the Padres. According to certain reporters, the outing seemed “somewhat underwhelming” or “decidedly ordinary” in an overreaction to the Japanese star’s first appearance in Major League Baseball. The next day, again against the Padres, he made his debut as a designated hitter, drawing a pair of walks and hitting a first-pitch RBI single, leaving little ammunition for the critics and giving Topps a perfect image to use for Ohtani’s 2018 Bowman Chrome rookie card. When Topps released its Bowman set in April 2018, the company included a Rookie Autograph card of Ohtani pitching. Naturally, when Bowman Chrome came out in September, the generational talent received a card featuring his other skill set. Ohtani begins unfurling his powerful upper-cut swing on this example of his 2018 Bowman Chrome Rookie Autographs /150 Blue Refractor. Found in hobby-exclusive boxes of Bowman Chrome, this hard-signed rookie autograph ignited fevered chases upon release. Its popularity has skyrocketed as Ohtani has developed into one of the game's all-time great players. Few could have known just how much meaning this Blue Refractor would have when it came out. But after Ohtani's high-profile move to the Dodgers and ensuing MVP, back-to-back World Series wins, and 50/50 Club accomplishments, that hue adds another level of intrigue to an already in-demand issue. Just one copy of this Gem Mint 9.5 card ranks higher in the BGS registry. Subgrades include 10 for Edges, and 9.5 for Centering and Surface. The autograph has also been assessed as a 10. The certification number on this card has been checked against the third-party grader's online database and is active as of 03/31/2026.

This item was flash inserted on Mar 30, 2026.