MLB The Show 26 Topps Cards Explained

Video Game Meets The Hobby

Date: Apr 1, 2026

Author: Jake Bennett

Topics: Baseball, MLB, MLB: The Show, Trending

Length: 1308 Words

Reading Time: ~7 Minutes

Baseball season is officially in full swing, and while watching the games can be fun, sometimes it’s just not enough. And if you’re anything like us here at Topps RIPPED, you don’t have the knees to play shortstop anymore. Well, the next best thing is playing San Diego Studio’s annual offering of MLB® The Show 26™, available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.

If you’re a total newbie to the game, but you know your way around a pack of cards, you’re in luck. MLB The Show 26 lets players collect in-game Topps Baseball cards to bring The Hobby into the game, and we’ve got a full breakdown of everything you need to know.

MLB The Show 26 Topps cards bring real-world baseball card collecting into the game’s Diamond Dynasty mode. Players earn, upgrade, and collect cards based on rarity, performance, and progression systems. With Live Series updates and parallels, the experience mirrors real Topps collecting while enhancing gameplay strategy.

MLB The Show 26 Diamond Dynasty Mode Explained

Diamond Dynasty is the mode most MLB The Show players spend their time in, and it’s what we’ll be covering today. In this mode, you control everything with a team of your own design. Your team name, city, colors, and jerseys can be customized to your liking. But the main objective within DD is to build the best team possible.

You do that by opening packs and earning player cards, just like a regular in-person rip.

How Topps Cards Work in MLB The Show 26

Every card in the game is labeled based on its rarity and ability. They’re ordered Common, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Red Diamond, and Blue Diamond. And just like in real life card chasing, the better the card, the harder it is to find or earn.

But there are different kinds of cards as well. For starters, your “basic” cards, if you will, are called “Live Series” cards. These cards are made for every active MLB player and change throughout the year as the player performs. They may be temporarily boosted based on their real-life performance, or they may be fully upgraded to a higher tier when it’s time for a game update.

They can also get a temporary boost after a monster performance. The bad news is that if your favorite player has a rough go, their rating and tier can also be downgraded.

Diamond Dynasty offers much more than just the Live Series cards. Many cards are made and released based on classic moments, unforgettable seasons, or up-and-coming players. What’s more, many of these cards are based on real-life Topps Baseball cards.

*Adley Rutschman Live Series Card vs. All-Star Series Card*

For example, Adley Rutschman is a supremely talented young catcher for the Baltimore Orioles, whose Live Series card is currently rated 80 overall. But you know Adley’s better than that. He was an All-Star in 2023 and 2024! Well, if you find or earn it through various modes within DD, you can play with his 2023 All-Star card, based on the exact Topps card from that year — 2023 Topps Series 1 Baseball #250.

Cards also earn “Parallel Levels” the more you play and gain XP with them. Each level increases the card’s attributes by +1, all the way up to +5. If you see a card like this in the wild, know that it’s been used a lot. New this year, you can also customize which attributes receive boosts as you level up cards. For example, you can make choices to add power or speed to your hitters, and add control or K/9 to your pitchers.

It’s not just current players who are available. Legends and Hall of Famers are all throughout the game and get released with updates all the time. For example, you could try to grab the Ken Griffey Jr. card from his 1991 All-Star year, based on card #790 from the 40th anniversary 1991 Topps Baseball set.

Every week during the regular season, the game also puts MLB Topps NOW cards right in the game as rewards. You can earn these in moments that simulate the very occasions for the cards themselves, allowing you to step into those huge moments.

So, if you want a sneak peek at what may be coming to MLB The Show, Topps NOW is a good place to start!

How to Get Topps Cards and Packs in MLB The Show 26

Could you break out your wallet, purchase Stubs (the in-game currency), go to the Marketplace, and buy the cards you want? Sure, you could. But the beautiful thing about MLB The Show is that you don’t have to do that to get great cards and be competitive.

Diamond Dynasty offers a litany of game modes to allow you to earn as you play. For starters, every few weeks, SDS releases a new “Inning XP Path” that tracks how much XP you earn throughout DD and offers unique rewards like Stubs, Packs, and even singular cards. Think of it like a baseball battle pass. Except it’s free!

You can earn XP by playing modes like Mini Seasons, Diamond Quest, and Conquest. You can also play online modes against other players, and even co-op modes that let you play with friends on the same team.

Other ways to earn cards and packs are Programs, which are usually specific to certain events or players. You earn these by playing and recreating singular moments (like getting on base in one at-bat), or by performing actions with players and/or positions in other modes.

All of this earns you XP in not only the main Inning XP Path, but in others as well. So you’re constantly earning for all the grinding you do, getting you closer to the next big pull.

This is just a small taste of what MLB The Show 26 has to offer. There’s lots more, from Road to the Show mode and Franchise mode to the all-new Storylines mode. You can even design and create your own stadiums!

MLB The Show 26 is great for players who love to go against other baseball fans from around the world online, or for those who like the solo grind. There’s something for everyone, but for the card collectors out there, the tie-ins with Topps Baseball are an absolute highlight.

Topps and MLB The Show FAQs

What are Topps cards in MLB The Show 26?
- Topps cards are in-game collectibles used in Diamond Dynasty mode. They represent real MLB players and follow rarity tiers like Common to Diamond, similar to physical cards.
How do you get Topps cards in MLB The Show 26?
- Players earn cards through packs, XP reward paths, programs, and gameplay modes like Conquest and Mini Seasons. You can also acquire them through the in-game marketplace.
What are Live Series cards?
- Live Series cards reflect real MLB player performance. Their ratings can increase or decrease throughout the season based on how players perform in real life.
What are parallels in MLB The Show 26?
- Parallels are upgrades earned by using a card in gameplay. Each level boosts attributes, making cards more powerful over time.
Are there legend cards in MLB The Show 26?
- Yes, the game includes legends and Hall of Famers, often featured with designs inspired by classic Topps baseball card sets.
Do you need to spend money to get good cards?
- No, players can earn strong cards through gameplay, programs, and XP systems without purchasing in-game currency.