MLB The Show’s Diamond Dynasty mode has a unique ratings system, where cards actually have their ratings fluctuate in accordance with their real-life performance. For example, if Byron Buxton (one of the players on our list) breaks out, his 75 overall will transform into a better card, potential going from a “bronze” card to a “silver,” “gold,” or even “diamond” card. Users can then either use Buxton or choose to sell the card for stubs at a significant profit on the community market. It’s easy to play the market if you look at the players as stocks, so here are 30 guys I recommend buying-low on, which even includes a couple diamond and gold players.
Cody Asche | White Sox LF | Common (69 overall)
Asche not only earned a roster spot with the White Sox this spring, but he was their Opening Day starter at DH and batted sixth. Currently one of the cheapest players worth buying in the game, Asche has a smooth swing that should boost his rating.
Tim Anderson | White Sox SS | Bronze (75 overall)
Another White Sox player, Tim Anderson is a guy that Chicago is going to build around. The 23-year old just signed a six-year deal this offseason, and should get plenty of opportunities to score runs in the two-hole.
Josh E. Bell | Pirates 1B | Common (65 overall)
Bell is the lowest-rated position player on this list, and will be an absolute bargain if he produces for the Pirates. In 156 career plate appearances, Bell owns a .365 on-base percentage at the MLB level, and has been a top prospect since being drafted in 2011. Bell is still just 24 years old.
Andrew Benintendi | Red Sox LF | Bronze (77 overall)
The time to buy-low on Benintendi could quickly be coming to a close. The Red Sox rookie slugged a three-run home run on Opening Day, and playing in a stacked lineup should put less pressure on him and his big expectations.
Jose Berrios | Twins SP | Common (63 overall)
The lowest-rated player overall here, Berrios isn’t at the MLB level to start the season, but that’s exactly why you should buy-low on him. The top prospect had an astronomical 8.02 ERA in 14 starts a year ago for Minnesota, but the potential is there for the 22-year old. Baseball America still projects Berrios as the Twins’ #1 starter in 2020.
Greg Bird | Yankees 1B | Bronze (73 overall)
A lefty batting third and playing at Yankee Stadium? Sounds like a breakout to me.
Alex Bregman | Astros 3B | Bronze (79 overall)
Bregman showed some of his potential last season with the Astros, and will hope to be even better in 2017 on a talented offense. He should be very comfortable with George Springer in front of him and Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and Carlos Beltran behind him in the lineup.
Byron Buxton | Twins CF | Bronze (75 overall)
The example I used in the introduction, Buxton was the #1 prospect in baseball for quite some time, and this will be his first full season at the MLB-level. The speedy centerfielder needs to cut down on the strikeouts, but he has all the tools to be great.
David Dahl | Rockies CF | Bronze (76 overall)
Speaking of talented outfielders, David Dahl proved his worth for Colorado last season when he batted .315 with a .500 slugging percentage in 222 at-bats. He’s listed as a centerfielder in the game, where he eventually should end up, but Dahl is probably going to play left field for the Rockies when he gets off the 10-day disabled list.
Michael Fulmer | Tigers SP | Silver (81 overall)
The 2016 AL Rookie of the Year had an ERA of 3.06 last season, and has the stuff that should give Detroit another top-end starter with Justin Verlander. If Fulmer can be just a little better than he was last year, he should easily turn into a gold card (85 overall) eventually.
Lucas Giolito | White Sox SP | Common (68 overall)
Acquired by Chicago in the Adam Eaton trade, Giolito has been among the top pitching prospects in the league since before the 2015 season. He is at the minors at the moment, but Giolito should be called up soon enough, especially if the White Sox struggle.
Dee Gordon | Marlins 2B | Silver (84 overall)
Now for a run of 80-plus overall guys. Dee Gordon struggled a bit in 2016, as he was suspended for half the season and couldn’t really get in a groove for Miami. Just a year removed from batting .333, one of the fastest players in the game stole a combined 122 bases over his past two full seasons (2014-2015).
Jon Gray | Rockies SP | Silver (80 overall)
A pitcher playing half his games at Coors Field could be a risky stock, but Gray has the makings of a legitimate #1 starter. He cruised through four innings on Opening Day this year, but ran into problems in the fifth. Fortunately, he didn’t get a loss, and should bounce back next time out.
Bryce Harper | Nationals RF | Diamond (90 overall)
Any high-spenders with a lot of stubs at their disposal should put their money on Bryce Harper. At 90 overall, this is probably the lowest his stock will be all season, and buying “low” on Harper now could lead to having a 99 on your roster if he plays like he did in 2015.
Cesar Hernandez | Phillies 2B | Silver (81 overall)
The Phillies’ leadoff man started off 2017 with a bang, as he homered in his first at-bat of the season. Hernandez only has a 75 speed rating in The Show, but hopefully the people responsible for ratings watch a game soon and see that he should be at least a 90, which would obviously boost his card. Hernandez led the NL in triples last season.
Odubel Herrera | Phillies CF | Silver (82 overall)
It’s only been one game, but Odubel Herrera (AKA El Torito) has started just as hot this season as he did in 2016. Herrera walked twice and hit a double on Opening Day, and will have plenty of scoring opportunities for the Phillies in the three-hole.
Aaron Judge | Yankees RF | Common (68 overall)
Have you seen Aaron Judge? He’s 6’7”. And wears number 99. For the Yankees.
Howie Kendrick | Phillies LF |Bronze (76 overall)
Kendrick rounds out the top-three of the Phillies lineup on this list. The 33-year old simply hits, as he started the season 3-3 and should play almost every day at the two-spot in the Phillies’ lineup.
Dallas Keuchel | Astros SP | Gold (87 overall)
I didn’t think Keuchel would be rated this favorably to start the season after he compiled a 4.55 ERA in 2016, but those responsible for the ratings must have put a lot of weight on his 2015 Cy Young Award. Keuchel already started the season by tossing seven shutout innings for Houston, and a bounce back would cause his rating to go no where but up.
Manuel Margot | Padres CF | Bronze (70 overall)
San Diego’s young and talented centerfielder got off to a solid start by going 1-4 with an RBI in the first game of the season, which is impressive because Clayton Kershaw was on the mound for the Dodgers. Margot should be bought in DD before people catch on to him.
Shelby Miller | Diamondbacks SP | Bronze (74 overall)
One of the top young pitchers in baseball, Miller struggled mightily in his first year for Arizona after being acquired for Dansby Swanson (more on him later). The now 26-year old had a 6.15 ERA last season, but he had a 3.02 ERA in 33 starts the year before in Atlanta, and had a 3.06 ERA in 2013 with the Cardinals. The potential is clearly there for Miller, and his rating will shoot up if his ERA gets back towards 3.00.
Yoan Moncada | White Sox 2B | Bronze (78 overall)
The new talent for the White Sox has been represented well so far on this list, and Moncada is arguably the best of them all. The 21-year old Cuban infielder was the main piece of the Chris Sale trade this offseason, and should get called up to the big-leagues sooner rather than later. Moncada’s already rated very favorably for a guy that only has 19 career at-bats, but that just shows his great potential.
Mitch Moreland | Red Sox 1B | Bronze (74 overall)
Moreland has been a decent producer throughout his career, but his numbers could really take off in the middle of the Red Sox lineup. The veteran is batting fifth to open up the season, and has great players before and after him in the order.
Yasiel Puig | Dodgers RF | Bronze (79 overall)
Puig has had a couple of disappointing seasons since a hot start to his career, but he’s still just 26, and played a lot better in 2016 after he was sent down and called back up. Puig does have to hold off a talented Dodgers bench for playing time, but he is pretty cheap right now on Diamond Dynasty for his potential.
Hunter Renfroe | Padres RF | Common (67 overall)
San Diego is going all-in with a youth movement, and that includes Renfroe batting fourth and playing right field to start the season. If his time in the majors last year was any indication, Renfroe is ready to be great; he was 13-for-35 (.371) with 4 HR and 14 RBI in just 11 games in 2016.
Pablo Sandoval | Red Sox 3B | Bronze (74 overall)
Shortly after starting off last season by being benched for weight issues, Sandoval was ruled out for the year because of a shoulder injury. He’s back, though, and should be in the lineup often for the Red Sox at third base. Sandoval’s rating should only go up from where it is now.
Miguel Sano | Twins 3B | Silver (81 overall)
Is this the year Sano finally breaks out? The power-hitting 24-year old hit 25 bombs last season, but the Twins are looking for more consistency and for him to improve on his .236 average. Sano got off to a good start in 2017, going 1-for-3 with a two-run homer, a walk, and two runs scored.
Kyle Schwarber | Cubs LF | Bronze (76 overall)
Schwarber is one of the more… unorthodox… leadoff hitters in recent memory, but Joe Maddon has his ways. Getting on base to start games could lead to plenty of runs scored thanks to Kris Bryant and company, and batting first will also give Schwarber more at-bats, and hopefully more numbers.
Dansby Swanson | Braves SS | Bronze (77 overall)
Perhaps the best buy-low on the whole list, the Braves shortstop has a smooth glove to go along with a bat that could make him a consistent .300 hitter. Swanson hit .302 in 145 plate appearances last season, and shouldn’t have a ton of pressure on him for a team that isn’t ready to compete.
Vince Velasquez | Phillies SP | Bronze (77 overall)
Velasquez is not only electric in real-life, as evidenced by his 16-strikeout shutout last season, but also plays great in The Show. The main problem for the 24-year old is running up his pitch count and allowing things to snowball into a big inning, but VV looks unhittable when he’s on his game.