2017 Topps, Jharel Cotton

Card No. 451

Once a promising prospect, Jharel Cotton quickly fell out of the Athletics' long-term plans....Oakland dealt Cotton to the Cubs in November 2019....Jharel is a native of the U.S. Virgin Islands....He picked up the 'W' for the World Team in the 2016 Futures Game....Came within one out of pitching a perfect game for Nashville in the Pacific Coast League during the '16 season....His only other Topps card appears in the '18 set....Went 9-10 with a 5.58 ERA in 24 starts for Oakland in 2017.

*MK*

2017 Topps, Stephen Strasburg

Card No. 38

While 2016 may have ushered in the era of the borderless Topps card, it's the 2017 set that was the first to do it properly -- at least in my opinion....Artfully framed photo of Stephen Strasburg just after releasing the pitch....There is a short-printed 'image variation' of this card in which Strasburg is pictured at the top of the dugout steps....Stephen's famous rookie card was a 2010 factory-set exclusive, numbered #661....The former first-overall draft pick won 15 games and crafted a 2.52 ERA in '17, finishing third in N.L. Cy Young voting.

*MK*