The MLB The Show 26 team released the first of what will be several April Spotlight Drop programs on April 2. It started a month-long build towards the release of the first Lightning of the year — and you’ll need the cards in the programs and packs to get both.
Contents
Lightning & Retro Lightning
For those who didn’t play MLB The Show 25, the Lightning system will work very much like it did last year.
The April Lightning card will be released in May, after April has concluded, and will require the Spotlight players who appear in the Programs
There’s also a Retro Lightning, which will feature either a Flashback or a Legend who performed exceedingly well in the month in a previous year. It will require most, if not all, of the Spotlight players in the Drop packs.
Spotlight Drop 1 path
Here’s a look at the April Spotlight Drop 1 path in MLB The Show 26:
- 5 Points: MLB The Show 26 pack
- 10 Points: 88 OVR Topps Now Andres Gimenez
- 15 Points: MLB The Show 26 pack
- 20 Points: 89 OVR Topps Now Carson Benge
- 25 Points: MLB The Show 26 pack
- 30 Points: WBC Gold Player Pack
- 35 Points: MLB The Show 26 pack
- 40 Points: 5,000 XP
- 45 Points: April Spotlight Drop 1 pack
- 50 Points: 90 OVR Spotlight Series Kevin McGonigle
And, a look at the attributes for the three cards inside the program:
Andres Gimenez
Carson Benge
Kevin McGonigle
All cards in this program are not sellable.
How to make progress
- Complete eight Moments (32 combined pts. – 4 pts. each)
- Drop 1 Missions:
- Tally 3,000 PXP with any players (15 pts.)
- Tally 1,000 PXP with Topps Now and Spotlight Series players (15 pts.)
- Tally 20 hits with infielders (10 pts.)
- Tally 15 strikeouts (10 pts.)
- OPTIONAL Collections:
- Collect 88 OVR Topps Now Dominic Smith, Owen Caissie, & Justin Crawford (15 pts.)
- Collect 90 OVR Spotlight Chase DeLauter & Emerson Hancock (35 pts.)
Much like other Assorted Programs released in MLB The Show 26, there are very few stat/PXP Missions that pigeon-hole players and force them to use specific cards, like in ’25.
Instead, the missions are broader. More Points can be earned from Moments, compared to last year.
Additionally, more Spotlight programs will be released throughout April, leading up to the release of the Lightning cards in May 2026.
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