All Game Items
MLB The Show 23 - All Game Items Guide
This guide catalogs all major items in MLB The Show 23, grouped by category. Since the game is a baseball simulation, there are no traditional weapons or armor. Instead, items include currencies, packs, player cards, equipment for your created player (Road to the Show), consumables, collectibles, stadiums, and uniforms. Each entry explains the item's function, how to obtain it, when it's most useful, and any important synergies or upgrade paths.
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1. Currencies
| Currency | Purpose | How to Obtain | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stubs | Premium currency. Used to buy packs, players from the Market, equipment, stadiums, and more. | Purchased with real money, earned from playing games (Diamond Dynasty, Road to the Show, etc.), completing missions, and selling items on the Marketplace. | The most versatile currency. Stubs can be traded for any non-NL/AL Central Division player through the Market. |
| XP (Experience Points) | Increases your overall profile level and unlocks rewards (e.g., packs, stubs, equipment). | Earned by playing any game mode, completing programs, missions, and daily objectives. | XP is tied to the Season Pass and also contributes to your overall account level (up to 100, then resets for prestige). |
| Training Points (RTTS/CAP) | Used to upgrade your Road to the Show (or Create-a-Player) attributes. | Earned in-game during RTTS games, from completing training drills, or from postgame bonuses. | Only usable in Road to the Show and Diamond Dynasty's custom player (CAP) mode. |
| Showdown Points | Used to purchase items in the Showdown mode's shop (e.g., perks, equipment). | Earned by completing Showdown stages and winning the final boss. | Exclusive to the Showdown game mode. |
| Team Affinity Points | Progress toward Team Affinity rewards (packs, player cards, etc.). | Earned by completing Team Affinity missions, playing with players from specific teams, or exchanging cards. | Each division (AL East, AL Central, etc.) has its own affinity track. |
2. Packs
Packs are loot boxes containing random cards. They are a primary way to add players to your Diamond Dynasty collection. Rarity tiers: Common (Bronze/Silver), Rare (Gold), Diamond, and Special (Legends, Flashbacks).
| Pack Name | Contents | How to Obtain | Best Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Pack | 5 cards (mostly Bronze/Silver, occasional Gold/Diamond). | Earned via XP, missions, or purchased for 1,500 Stubs. | Open when you need volume cards for collections or exchanges. |
| Ballin' is a Habit Pack | 5 cards with higher Gold+ odds. Only contains Live Series players. | Earned from high-tier programs or purchased for 3,000 Stubs. | Good for filling Live Series collection gaps. |
| Headliners Pack | 6 cards with 1 guaranteed Gold or better (Headliner player). Includes a special Headliner player card. | Released weekly; purchased for 5,000 Stubs. | If you want a specific Headliner card, buy directly from Market instead. |
| Team Affinity Pack | Contains 5 cards focused on a specific division (e.g., AL East). Includes Live Series players from those teams. | Earned via Team Affinity progression. | Best for completing division-specific collections. |
| Showdown Pack | Random rewards from Showdown mode (players, equipment, packs). | Earned by completing Showdown conquests. | Use before a major update to flip cards. |
| Specialty Packs (e.g., The Show Pack, Season Pack, Signature Series Pack) | Contain limited-time cards (Flashbacks, Legends, or high-end Live Series). | Purchased with Stubs, earned from Season Pass or special events. | Prioritize when you need a rare card for a collection or lineup upgrade. |
| All-Star/Postseason Packs | Player cards from specific events (All-Star Game, postseason heroes). | Earned during those programs or purchased for Stubs. | Best for building theme teams or completing special collections. |
3. Player Cards
Player cards are the core items in Diamond Dynasty. They represent real-life MLB players with varying overall ratings (OVR).
| Card Type | Description | How to Obtain | Key Use | Synergies/Upgrades |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live Series | Current real-world players. Ratings update weekly based on real performance. | Packs, Marketplace, or from Team Affinity. | Core lineup cards; required for collection rewards (e.g., Chipper Jones). | Upgrades/downgrades happen Friday. Sell before a downgrade. |
| Flashbacks | Players from past seasons (e.g., 2019 MVP season). Ratings are fixed. | Packs, programs, or special events. | Build theme teams or fill weak positions. | Often have boosted stats compared to Live Series. |
| Legends | Retired hall-of-famers or iconic players (e.g., Willie Mays, Randy Johnson). | Packs (Legends packs), programs, or collection rewards. | Endgame lineup pieces. | No upgrades; high value. Combine with captain boosts for synergy. |
| Topps Now | Cards released weekly for standout real-life performances. | Earned via Topps Now moments or purchased from Market. | Small sample of fresh cards. | Useful for missions; stats are fixed. |
| Player of the Month (POTM) | Monthly rewards for the best real-life performers. | Complete monthly program moments. | Very high ratings for that month. | Can be upgraded through further missions (e.g., lightning player evolution). |
| Team Affinity Players | Fictional "boosted" versions of current players for a specific team theme (e.g., 99 OVR Adley Rutschman). | Earned via Team Affinity progression (grind or exchanges). | Best for team-specific collections. | These cards are often endgame-quality and cannot be sold. |
| Captain Cards | Special cards that provide stat boosts to other cards meeting certain criteria (e.g., all Yankees). | Packs or programs. | Crucial for activating team synergy boosts. | Boost applies only to cards in the same lineup; captains themselves are the bonus. |
| Wild Card Player | A single card that can be used in any event or mode regardless of restrictions. | Earned from the Season Pass or special programs. | Allows you to bypass roster restrictions in events. | Unique per season; cannot be transferred. |
4. Equipment (Road to the Show & Diamond Dynasty)
Equipment items are equippable items that boost specific attributes for your created player or for any card in Diamond Dynasty when applied via Perks.
Important: Equipment is permanent but equipping a new piece replaces the old one (the old is lost). Store extras in your inventory.
| Category | Item Examples | Attributes Boosted | How to Obtain | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bats | Batting Gloves (improve Contact/Discipline), Custom Bat (improves Power) | Contact, Power, Plate Vision, Clutch | RTTS: Purchase from MLB Store with Stubs; DD: Earn from packs or buying from Market. | Best for boosting a weak spot in your RTTS player's hitting. |
| Gloves | Fielding Glove (improves Fielding/Reaction), Catcher's Mitt (improves Blocking/Arm) | Fielding, Reaction, Accuracy, Arm Strength | Same as bats. | Prioritize for defense-focused CAPs or to fix low fielding. |
| Cleats | Running Cleats (improves Speed/Steal), Metal Cleats (improves Clutch slightly) | Speed, Acceleration, Stealing, Energy | Same as bats. | Essential for baserunning and defensive range. |
| Belt | Custom Belt (improves Durability/Injury Resist) | Durability, Recovery Speed | Same as bats. | Useful in RTTS to reduce injury frequency. |
| Catcher Gear | Leg Guards, Chest Protector, Mask (boost Blocking, Arm, Fielding for catcher) | Blocking, Arm Accuracy, Fielding | Same as bats. | Only useful if your CAP is a catcher. |
| Training Equipment | Weighted Bat (increases Power training), Agility Ladder (improves Speed training) | Affects training results | Earned from Showdown, programs, or packs. | Use during training sessions to maximize attribute gains. |
5. Consumables
Consumables are one-time-use items that grant temporary bonuses or effects.
| Consumable | Effect | How to Obtain | Best Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery | Restores energy to your created player (RTTS only) after a game or during a drill. | Earned from postgame rewards, purchased with Stubs. | Use when your player has low energy to avoid injury. |
| Perk (Performance, Major, Legend) | A temporary boost that lasts for a defined number of games (e.g., +5 Contact vs RHP for 10 games). | Packs, programs, or purchased from Market. | Activate before important games (Showdown bosses, online events). |
| Sponsorship Token | Unlocks a sponsorship deal in RTTS (provides Stub bonuses per game). | Earned from RTTS progression or purchased. | Use to increase Stub earnings while playing RTTS. |
| Stamina Boost (RTTS) | Increases stamina for one game (pitchers). | Packs, rewards. | Use when you need your pitcher to go deep in a game. |
| Daily Mission Skip | Automatically completes a daily mission without playing. | Season Pass rewards. | Save time if you're busy. |
| Double XP Token | Doubles XP earned for a set time (e.g., 1 hour). | Programs, packs. | Activate before grinding missions or Showdown. |
6. Collectibles (Non-Card Items)
Collectibles are items used to progress toward bigger rewards.
| Collectible | Purpose | How to Obtain | Exchange For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team Affinity Voucher | Used in Team Affinity exchanges to gain large amounts of affinity points. | Earned from completing specific missions or from packs. | When you're close to the next tier, use one to skip grind. |
| Showdown Voucher | Equivalent to completing a Showdown stage. Use to skip a stage or advance. | Earned from Showdown or programs. | Skip a difficult stage in a Showdown run. |
| Player Program Token | Progress toward a specific player's program (e.g., 99 OVR Mickey Mantle). | Earned from completing moments or missions for that player. | Unlock the final player card. |
| Event Reward Token | Earned by winning games in Diamond Dynasty Events. | Win milestones. | Trade in for event-exclusive player cards or packs. |
| Season Pass Badge | Earned by leveling up the Season Pass. | Level milestones. | Used to redeem special rewards like uniform pieces. |
| Stadium Voucher | Unlocks a specific stadium for use in Diamond Dynasty. | Programs, packs. | Use to add a new home park. |
7. Stadiums & Uniforms
These are cosmetic items that affect your home park and team appearance in Diamond Dynasty and Road to the Show.
| Item | Description | How to Obtain | Utility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard MLB Stadiums (30 teams) | Official MLB ballparks. | All available from the start. | No gameplay effect; some stadiums have larger outfields affecting game strategy. |
| Classic / Retro Stadiums (e.g., Polo Grounds, Fenway Park 1912) | Historical ballparks. | Earned from programs, packs, or purchased with Stubs. | Unique dimensions can aid certain hitting styles (e.g., short porches). |
| Created Stadiums | Custom-built parks using the Stadium Creator. | Use the creation tool. | You can design your own park dimensions, skyline, etc. |
| Uniform Sets | Home/Away jerseys for your DD team. | Earned from programs, packs, or purchased. | Purely cosmetic; can cause confusion for opponent if same color as theirs (but you can change during matchup). |
| Logo / Emblem | Team logo unlocked via programs or packs. | Packs, missions. | Used in created uniforms or stadium branding. |
8. Other Items
- Custom Player Card (CAP) Slot: You can create a custom player (Create-a-Player) in Diamond Dynasty. You must first unlock a CAP slot (one free, others purchased with Stubs). This item is like a blank player card you build with attributes and equipment.
- Archetypes (RTTS): Unlockable skill trees for your RTTS player. Each archetype (e.g., \"Power Hitter\", \"Contact Hitter\", \"Two-Way Player\") defines attribute caps. Obtained by completing archetype missions.
- Sponsorship Contract (RTTS): A slot that provides bonus Stubs per game (e.g., \"+500 Stubs per game\") if you meet stat requirements. These are consumable items that last for a series or month in-game.
- Equipment + Perk Combination: Equipping a bat that boosts Power and then activating a Perk that boosts Power vs RHP can push your CAP's Power into the 90s.
- Captain Cards + Team Affinity Players: Captain cards give synergy boosts to all cards from the same team (e.g., +5 Contact to all Yankees). Pair with high-end Team Affinity Yankees cards for huge attribute spikes.
- Live Series Collection Reward: Collecting all 30 live series player cards unlocks the 99 OVR Chipper Jones card, a top-tier endgame player. This is the most valuable item progression in the game.
- Player Program Evolution: Some player program cards (like POTM) have upgrade challenges that boost their ratings higher. Completing all challenges gives you the final upgraded version.
- Season Pass Prestige: Reaching level 100 on the Season Pass resets you to Prestige level 1, awarding a special Prestige pack each time. Prestige packs contain exclusive cards.
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Important Synergies & Upgrades
Always check the current program guide and community market trends to inform your buying/selling decisions. The value of items fluctuates based on new content releases and real-life baseball performance.
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