First appearances con be deceiving in the world of baseball, and not every prospect that bursts on the scene goes on to be a star. But even though not every highly regarded youngster follows through on his potential, Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jay Bruce looks like he'll have an excellent shot at doing just that.
Bruce was tabbed with the 12th overall pick in the 2005 MLB Draft by the Reds, and he made a lightning-fast rise through the minor leagues. After going from high-A to AAA during the 2007 season and hitting a combined .319 with 26 home runs along the way, he was named Baseball America's Player of the Year.
Even so, the Reds resisted keeping Bruce in the majors, sending him back to AAA to start 2008. He wasn't there long, and when he joined the big club in late May of that year, he electrified his home fans and the hobby with his amazing start.
Bruce proved his minor league hitting exploits were no fluke by going 15-for-26 with three homers during his first week - including a walk-off shot on his first career blast. Though he cooled off quite a bit during June, he still showed that with a combination of solid contact, power and just a touch of speed, he should be a fixture in the Reds outfield for years, and possibly the heir apparent to Ken Griffey Jr. in center field and the hearts of the Cincy faithful.
Though Bruce became a big part of the card companies' 2008 plans after his dazzling debut, he was actually drafted in the last year of the old rookie card rules. Thus, his half-dozen official RC's hail from 2005 Topps products. Pay special attention to his Bowman Sterling # JB and Topps Chrome Update # 222, as they are autographed cards with the potential to explode if Bruce continues on the path to stardom.
Jay Bruce 2005 Rookie Cards
- Bowman Draft # 32
- Bowman Chrome Draft # 32
- Bowman Heritage # 343 - SP
- Bowman Sterling # JB - autographed jersey card
- Topps Update # 325
- Topps Chrome Update # 222 - autographed