Get him while you can

Good Yankees prospect autos tend to blow up pretty quickly once the prospect starts to make some noise. I guess that's true for all teams, but for the Yanks, many dealers see dollar signs in their eyes once a prospect starts going mainstream. Guys like Aaron Judge and Luis Severino blew up over the last two years while still in the Minors, while Greg Bird autos really didn't until he arrived in the Bronx and started mashing. Then his $4 autos became $40. I should know. I sold one.

Now the next crop of Yankee prospects are arriving, and their autos are predictably starting to climb, starting with Jorge Mateo and James Kaprielian. The latter has a first-round label, so he started off pretty high. He'll move through the Minors quickly, so his autos should see a steady rise this season as long as he's healthy.

Mateo was an international signee who burst onto the scene two years ago, then had a monster year last year. While he's still a ways away, his 82 stolen bases last year caused quite stir. Then he was invited to spring training, and promptly clubbed a triple that he didn't run out, then a homer the next day.

I decided that was enough to act, not because I was buying the hype, but because I knew others would, pushing his prices up. While I had a TTM auto from him, I needed a certified, and I needed one fast. I quickly settled on this beauty, as it was in my price range. Similar cards were rapidly on the rise, so I scooped it up, and I'm glad I did. Sure it's not the original Bowman, but it'll have to do for now. I have kids to feed, damn it.

I doubt he'll make the Majors this year, although a late season call-up isn't out of the question, especially if the team is in contention. However, if he duplicates last year's success at a high level, this guy is going to be one to get now while you still can.