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 3 path
- 10 Points: 89 OVR Topps Now Juan Brito
- 20 Points: 90 OVR Topps Now Gavin Sheets
- 30 Points: 2,500 XP
- 40 Points: April Spotlight Drop 3 pack
- 50 Points: 91 OVR Spotlight Series Jhoan Duran
Juan Brito
Gavin Sheets
Jhoan Duran
How to make progress
- Complete seven Moments (28 combined pts. – 4 pts. each)
- Complete one EXTREME Mission (22 pts.) (OPTIONAL)
- Drop 3 Missions:
- Tally 3,000 PXP with any players (15 pts.)
- Tally 1,000 PXP with Topps Now and Spotlight Series players (15 pts.)
- Tally 15 home runs with any players (10 pts.)
- Tally 15 strikeouts with primary RP/CP (10 pts.)
- OPTIONAL Collections:
- Collect 89 OVR Topps Now Ronny Mauricio, Jakob Marsee, & Jeffrey Springs (15 pts.)
- Collect 91 OVR Spotlight Angel Martinez & Willson Contreras (35 pts.)
The optional EXTREME Mission is to hit three home runs with Max Muncy in one game at the All-Star.
Spotlight Drop 2 path
- 10 Points: 89 OVR Topps Now Joey Wiemer
- 20 Points: 89 OVR Topps Now Jose Fernandez
- 30 Points: 2,500 XP
- 40 Points: April Spotlight Drop 2 pack
- 50 Points: 91 OVR Spotlight Series Jo Adell
Joey Wiemer
Jose Fernandez
Jo Adell
How to make progress
- Complete eight Moments (32 combined pts. – 4 pts. each)
- Drop 2 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 outfielders (10 pts.)
- Tally nine innings pitched with starting pitchers (10 pts.)
- OPTIONAL Collections:
- Collect 89 OVR Topps Now Daniel Susac, Michael Soroka, & Miguel Vargas (15 pts.)
- Collect 91 OVR Spotlight Sandy Alcantara & Sal Stewart (35 pts.)
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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