MLB The Show 26 Players

In MLB The Show 26, assembling a top-tier team requires carefully weighing the strengths and weaknesses of players at each position. A single dominant player cannot stop the weak links on your roster from giving up runs, so you need to keep your overall lineup balanced.

May didn't bring a huge amount of new content, and we might have to wait until June for more releases. In the meantime, let's take a look at the best hitters for every position in MLB The Show 26 during May.

Catcher

94 OVR Jorge Posada

Jorge Posada is widely regarded as the best catcher in the game right now. At the plate, he posts a 95 contact against right-handed pitchers, a 119 against lefties, a 101 clutch rating, and excellent power on both sides.

His fielding and arm strength are also above average. On top of that, he comes with First-Pitch Hitter and Dead Red quirks, giving him a fantastic swing feel. Although he is around 100k stubs, his performance more than justifies that figure.

92 OVR Victor Martinez

As a switch hitter, Martinez is the second-best option at catcher. He boasts high contact, great vision, solid clutch stats, and reliable power—further boostable with a power mod. His fielding is adequate for the position, and he also carries Dead Red quirk. Best of all, he is only 12,000 MLB The Show 26 stubs, making him accessible to almost any lineup.

First Base

99 OVR Albert Pujols

A collection reward card, Albert Pujols is the ultimate first baseman that every player dreams of. His stats are nearly perfect across the board, and little more needs to be said. If you have him, every other first baseman takes a back seat.

99 OVR Miguel Cabrera

Miguel Cabrera is listed as a third baseman by default, but as a collection card he can also be slotted in at first base. His formidable stats make him unmatched at either position.

93 OVR Ildemaro Vargas

The top two options are collection rewards, which many players may not have unlocked yet. So let's look at the third choice. Ildemaro Vargas is only 30,000 stubs and can cover first, second, third, shortstop, and left field. His power is a bit weak at 60, so consider equipping a contact-and-power mod to boost it.

Second Base

99 OVR Troy Tulowitzki

Troy Tulowitzki excels in every attribute except bunt, drag bunt, and stealing—there is no doubt about his strength. However, because he is an expensive collection card, many players cannot obtain him. So let's explore other options.

95 OVR José Ramírez

Though also a collection card, Mural series collection is fairly simple to complete: you can unlock this card with 170k stubs. He can play second base, shortstop, left field, and third base. With a speed mod, his speed reaches 95. He has a great swing feel, and while his defense is average due to his smaller frame, his excellent hitting more than makes up for it.

Shortstop

92 OVR Elly De La Cruz

The best shortstop remains 99 OVR Troy Tulowitzki, so we'll skip him for now. 92 OVR Elly De La Cruz is the final reward from April Lightning program. He is a rare switch hitter, giving him an advantage against pitchers from both sides and greatly increasing his in-game flexibility. He is particularly strong against lefties, with key stats near 100: 95 contact and 97 power. After applying a speed-and-fielding mod, his defense becomes no problem at all. He is very tall and can leap to snag high fly balls, and his range for diving plays is also large.

95 OVR Francisco Lindor

95 OVR Francisco Lindor can be obtained at no cost through XP program. His contact, clutch, and power are all solid. The main issue is that his defense is somewhat average, and compared to Elly De La Cruz, Lindor is at a disadvantage in nearly every stat.

Third Base

99 OVR Miguel Cabrera, 99 OVR Albert Pujols, and 94 OVR Chipper Jones are all exceptional third basemen with fantastic swing mechanics—nothing to complain about. However, these cards are very hard to acquire.

92 OVR Ian Happ

92 OVR Ian Happ is a free reward from Cityscapes Program. He is a switch hitter with an excellent swing, strong contact, clutch, power, and various quirks. Highly recommended for players who do not have top-tier cards.

Left Field

93 OVR Mickey Mantle With a speed mod, 93 OVR Mickey Mantle reaches 99 speed. He also offers solid contact, good clutch, balanced power on both sides, reliable defense, and Situational Hitter and Rally Monkey quirks.

92 OVR Carlos Beltran

92 OVR Carlos Beltran has 96 contact against righties, 85 against lefties, and good clutch. A speed mod pushes him to 99 speed. His power versus righties is the main shortcoming, but he is among the best defensive center fielders in the game right now, with top-tier speed. If you can live with his lack of power, this card is very strong.

Center Field

95 OVR Ken Griffey Jr.

Ken Griffey Jr. boasts one of the smoothest swing animations in the game, with quirks including Situational Hitter and Bad Ball Hitter. His contact and power on both sides are excellent, and his clutch is respectable.

Right Field

92 OVR Ken Singleton

Ken Singleton has solid contact, clutch, and power on both sides. A power /speed mod can improve his defensive capabilities. The main drawback is his low speed, which makes his defense average. If you like his swing, he is definitely worth a try.

The above is the recommended top lineup for all field positions in MLB The Show 26 during May. Looking forward to seeing even better players arrive in June.

MLB The Show 26 just received a fresh update, and May Spotlight Drop 3 Program has arrived, bringing a handful of new players into the fold.

Though May Spotlight Drop 3 Program is modest, the rewards are still well worth chasing. Let's break down every player available, the challenges that await.

May Spotlight Drop 3 Program

The reward structure for Drop 3 mirrors what we saw in the first two drops - the real difference lies in the players themselves:

• 10 Points: 91 OVR Topps Now Brandon Sproat
• 20 Points: 92 OVR Topps Now A.J. Ewing
• 30 Points: 2,500 XP
• 40 Points: May Spotlight Drop 3 pack
• 50 Points: 94 OVR Spotlight Nick Kurtz & 2,500 XP

Complete every task and you can actually walk away with 4 players, though what you pull from May Spotlight Drop 3 pack comes down to luck. Let's start with the guaranteed names along the reward path.

91 OVR Topps Now Brandon Sproat

• H/9 Right: 83
• H/9 Left: 92
• K/9 Right: 92
• K/9 Left: 90
• Control: 71
• Pitch Clutch: 92
• Stamina: 88
• Velocity: 99
• Break: 91
• Stuff: 84
• HR/9: 63
• BB/9: 71

The Control figure is on the lower side, which could make a Control Mod essential. His pitch mix, however, is quite appealing: Cutter, Sinker, 4-Seam, Sweeper and Slurve. He also comes equipped with Quirks like Break Outlier, Stopper and Pickoff Artist. All things considered, if you need to fill out a rotation spot, he is a viable option.

92 OVR Topps Now A.J. Ewing

• Contact Right: 97
• Contact Left: 96
• Power Right: 76
• Power Left: 65
• Vision: 70
• Discipline: 104
• Clutch: 103
• Bunt: 45
• Drag Bunt: 40
• Durability: 96
• Fielding: 81
• Speed: 91

A.J. Ewing brings plenty of speed and more than capable defense. Should you need a pinch runner, there is no better choice.

94 OVR Spotlight Nick Kurtz

• Contact Right: 109
• Contact Left: 94
• Power Right: 95
• Power Left: 96
• Vision: 54
• Discipline: 125
• Clutch: 110
• Bunt: 35
• Drag Bunt: 25
• Durability: 92

Nick Kurtz stands as the headliner of May Spotlight Drop 3 Program. His hitting ability is exceptional, though his defense is decidedly ordinary. Yet it's the offensive firepower that truly defines him - a card that absolutely cannot be overlooked.

May Spotlight Drop 3 Pack Players

New players in May Spotlight Drop 3 Pack can be obtained through market trading. Collecting players from the Spotlight and Topps Now series in the pack will earn you 15 and 35 points respectively. If you have enough MLB The Show 26 stubs, you can consider this method to May Spotlight Drop 3 Program.

94 OVR Spotlight Daylen Lile

Daylen Lile features high contact and some pop against right-handed pitching, but he struggles when facing southpaws. He can swipe a bag, though his speed is not elite, and his defense is serviceable. Overall, he projects as a fairly reliable outfielder and hitter.

94 OVR Spotlight Aaron Ashby

This card boasts excellent Per Nines, with control being the only slight shortcoming - a gap that a Parallel Mod can help close. His repertoire includes a Sinker, 12-6 Curve, Slider, Circle Change and 4-Seam fastball. On higher difficulties, he could perform quite well.

92 OVR Topps Now Rodolfo Durán

Behind the plate, his defense qualifies as decent, while his Pop Time is outstanding. He can also lay down a bunt when needed. All in all, a solid card.

92 OVR Topps Now Henry Bolte

Against right-handed pitching his contact splits are 88/76; against lefties they improve to 92/87. His defense is good, his speed reaches 85, and his stealing ability sits at 99, which allows him to function as an excellent center fielder.

92 OVR Topps Now Yohendrick Pinango

A left fielder whose power numbers come in at 102/86 and 103/62. His arm strength is average, his speed unremarkable, and he isn't much of a threat on the bases. On lower difficulty settings he might hold his own.

How to Make Progress?

Moments (4 Points Each)

1. Tally 3 Total Bases.
2. Hit 1 Home Run.
3. Record 1 Hit and 1 RBI.
4. Record 1 Extra-Base Hit.
5. Collect 3 Hits.
6. Pitch 1 inning, strike out 2 batters, and allow no runs.
7. Accumulate 5 Total Bases.

There is also an Extreme Moment worth 30 points that asks you to score 8 runs on Hall of Fame difficulty. This challenge is incredibly tough, and skipping it is a perfectly reasonable choice.

Missions

• 15 points: Earn 5,000 Parallel XP.
• 15 points: Tally 1,000 Parallel XP using Spotlight series players.
• 10 points: Hit 10 Home Runs with players whose primary position is infield.
• 10 points: Strike out 12 batters using relief or closing pitchers as their primary role.

Collection

• 15 points: Collect 92 OVR Topps Now cards of Rodolfo Durán, Henry Bolte and Yohendrick Pinango.
• 35 points: Collect 94 OVR Spotlight cards of Daylen Lile and Aaron Ashby.

That wraps up everything included in May Spotlight Drop 3 Program, and it is fair to say the volume of new content is on the lighter side. If your goal is to grind for resources, heading into Ranked play comes highly recommended.