When you’re constructing a roster for a Franchise Mode playthrough in MLB The Show 26, you often have to make compromises at certain positions. Whether it’s due to the current roster, trade difficulties, or a poor crop of free agents, you usually have to roll out some players that might not be the overall best fit for your team.
But what if you didn’t have to make any compromise whatsoever? What if you could start the best individual players at their respective positions, basically forming a mega-super team in MLB The Show 26? While the logistics of that can really only come to fruition if you turn your trade difficulty to the lowest setting in Franchise, it could be possible.
If you’re looking to try and form a super team or you just want to see which players are the absolute best at a specific position, we have you covered. We’ll be going through every starting position on the diamond to see which players form the best possible lineup in Franchise.
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Best Possible Lineup For MLB The Show 26 Franchise
1B, Bryce Harper
Let’s start with possibly the most contentious selection on this list. Basically, first base comes down to two players: Bryce Harper and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. While Vlad did technically have the better overall card in MLB The Show 25, Bryce Harper has a better overall than the Blue Jays first baseman.
Of course, between these two All-Stars, you really can’t go wrong, as both have extreme power, can anchor a lineup, and are decent defensively at first base (but Harper does hold the edge in that area).
2B, Ketel Marte
If first base was a tight race between two players, second base is an absolute landslide that totally favors one single player: Ketel Marte. Widely considered the best second baseman of the 2020s, Ketel Marte is terrific offensively and defensively, consistently putting up Silver Slugger and Gold Glove type numbers.
Fortunately for any potential trade suitors, Marte was on the trading block during the 2026 offseason, so prying the second baseman from the Arizona Diamondbacks shouldn’t be overly difficult in MLB The Show 26.
SS, Bobby Witt Jr.
Shortshop is another position where there are two players closely vying for the top spot. On one hand, we have the cover athlete for MLB The Show 25 in Elly De La Cruz. However, on the other hand, is superstar Bobby Witt Jr., who does have a better overall than his Cincinnati Reds counterpart.
Witt Jr. has been the best American League shortstop for years, and he’s a true five-tool player with tremendous speed, contact, power, and fielding. In terms of trade potential, though, you’ll need to hand the Royals a haul to pry away their franchise cornerstone.
3B, Jose Ramirez
Who else could this spot possibly have gone to? Maybe Alex Bregman or Rafael Devers have a case if Jose Ramirez drops off a cliff statistically, but the future Hall of Famer has done nothing but produce at a high level for the better part of a decade.
Ramirez did just sign an extension with the Cleveland Guardians, but for the right price and his team underperforming, you could swing a trade for the best third baseman in Franchise Mode.
LF, Yordan Alvarez
The left field position doesn’t feature too many top-level players in the MLB. When he’s healthy, though, Houston’s Yordan Alvarez is the best available player in left field. While Boston’s Roman Anthony might take that crown in the near future, it’s Alvarez’s spot to lose for now.
While he’s not the best defensively, Alvarez possesses some of the best raw power at the plate of anyone in the MLB. He’s also a decent trade target in Franchise, as Houston is always looking to make a deal for the right price.
CF, Aaron Judge
Yes, Aaron Judge traditionally plays right field, but it’s nearly impossible to leave both him and another certain right fielder off the list. Judge has dabbled in center field as well, so the position change isn’t too drastic.
There’s not much to say about Judge, as the Yankees captain is the cover athlete for MLB The Show 26, a perennial MVP candidate, and easily one of the best overall players year in and year out. He might be one of the most difficult players to acquire in Franchise, though.
RF, Juan Soto
Now you understand why we have Judge in center field. Juan Soto might not be the best defensively in right field, but there are few players better at the plate. Whether it’s hitting for contact or hitting for power, you can always rely on Soto to deliver a hit or a homerun when you need it.
He has the largest contract in MLB history, however, so you’ll need to get creative if you want to swing a trade with the Mets.
C, Cal Raleigh
2025 was the year of the Big Dumper, as Seattle’s Cal Raleigh rose to superstardom by hitting over 60 homeruns and playing terrific defense behind the plate. He’s far and away the top catcher in MLB The Show 26 and slides in as the best cleanup hitter you can possibly have in your Franchise lineup.
The Mariners were smart, unfortunately, and locked Raleigh up to a sizable extension in 2025, so trading for him won’t be easy, but it’s not nearly as hard to navigate as other contracts on this list.
DH, Shohei Ohtani
We won’t really bother going into too much detail here. Shohei Ohtani is the best player in the MLB, can play both DH and pitcher, and has a gargantuan contract that is a nightmare to take on for any Franchise owner.
P, Tarik Skubal
Rounding out our list is the starting pitcher, who is none other than the reigning AL Cy Young winner, Tarik Skubal. While Paul Skenes is a contender for the spot, Skubal remains the best pitcher in MLB The Show 26.
Skubal is also playing on an arbitration contract, so the Detroit Tigers should be open for business on him in Franchise if you’re willing to pay an arm and a leg for his services.
Published: Mar 4, 2026 01:45 pm