If you are a fan of MLB The Show you have without a doubt noticed the prominent integration of Diamond Dynasty related item rewards in virtually every facet of the game this year. The improvements made, have changed the mode for the better and Diamond Dynasty is definitely worth a dabble for casual and hardcore gamers alike.

Today SGO team member Brett Barrett and I came together to bring you a quick guide to building a competitive lineup regardless of what your budget may be. We are focusing on players who have proven to get the job done throughout dozens of DD games played amongst the two of us and perhaps play better than their overall rating or price suggests.

We will kick this series off with position players, providing you with one budget player at each position, including a DH/Pinch hitter. Stay tuned in to SGO in the each day as the series continues with the Top 5 Low budget Starting Pitchers and Top 5 Bargain bin relievers.

Catcher

Erik Kratz – C – 77 Ovr.

Price: 90 Stubs Kratz won’t blow you away with incredible fielding or contact stats but he also won’t kill you if needing to rely on him. For his price point, he has some of the best power numbers (74 versus both right AND left handed pitchers) and is far from an automatic out. He is best suited hitting in the bottom 3rd of your lineup and has the potential for the big fly anytime he’s in the batters box.

1st Base

Mark Teixeira – 1B – 80 Ovr.

Price: 499 Stubs Mark Teixeira was never a guy that lacked talent. His susceptibility to injuries however made his stint with the Yankees less than memorable. Luckily injuries are not something we need to worry about in Diamond Dynasty, making Tex a viable option at first base. His 77 Power vs. Right and 70 Pwr. against lefties coupled with a discipline rating of 84 makes him a decent threat in or around the 5 hole. His fielding is also outstanding at 87 and he has proven to come through with clutch hits from time to time.

2nd Base

Brandon Phillips – 2B – 81 Ovr.

Price: 360 Stubs Brandon Phillips has been one constant for many years in the Reds infield and is about as reliable at it gets. He is a Silver tiered card rated at 81 and currently is going on the market for a very affordable price. His fielding is impeccable at 88 coupled with decent contact, vision (80) and clutch (90) making him one of the more affordable big name players available.

Shortstop

Erick Aybar – SS – 82 Ovr.

Price 500 Stubs Erick Aybar is one of those guys that you can plug into your lineup and never have to worry about the position again. He is an above average fielder (84) with good contact (72 vs right, 78 vs left) and is also an excellent bunter. We have found him to be at his best in the 2 spot or further down in the lineup batting 7th. I have seen his price fluctuate between 500 and 700 stubs but even at that price he is as solid of a baseball player as it gets.

3rd Base

Martin Prado – 3B, 2B, LF, RF – 79 Ovr.

Price: 180 Stubs Martin Prado is a super utility player not to be overlooked. He has a monster contact rating against lefties (95) and respectable Contact vs right (72).

His vision (90) and arm strength (86) make him one of the more underrated players on MLB 15 The Show. He is what scouts call a professional hitter and is also suited best hitting behind a speedster or towards the bottom of the lineup. His versatility just adds to his appeal making him one of the best “bang for the buck” plays currently available.

Center Field

Michael Bourn – CF, LF, RF – 81 Ovr.

Price: 409 Stubs Bourn is a decent hitter and above average fielder (86). He can play all 3 outfield positions and has good speed (79) with a surprisingly high clutch rating (85).

He can be a viable lead off man or serve as a solid number 8 hitter to try to get on base with the pitcher batting next.

Left Field

Eric Young Jr. – LF, CF, RF, 2B – 77 Ovr.

Price: 270 Stubs Eric Young Jr. makes for a great lead-off hitter or pinch runner and is another one of those super utility players. Being able to play all outfield positions AND 2nd base with a good fielding rating of 83 make him as close to a must have player as it gets. His price is very affordable and did we mention that ALL his base running attributes are maxed out at 99 Overall?

Right Field

Nori Aoki – RF, LF – 79 Ovr.

Price: 140 Stubs Aoki also has some history as a lead-off man and is just a solid, solid hitter all around. His contact vs left (93) and vision (95) are world class and he will also not kill you against righties with a respectable 75 contact rating. He has decent speed but don’t expect him to throw the base-runner out at 3rd from right field as his fielding and arm strength are decent at best. Still he remains one of the cheapest good hitters on the market.

Designated Hitter / Pinch Hitter

Mark Trumbo – RF, LF, 1B – 77 Ovr.

Price: 139 Stubs Although there is no DH in Diamond Dynasty, we wanted to include one bonus selection. You are certain to need some players on your bench and a 4th outfielder is always a must. Mark Trumbo fits the mold. At 139 Stubs he has the best power (92 vs right, 77 vs left) in his class and much like Young Jr. is as close to a must as you can get. He can serve as a cleanup hitter against lefties and seems to always be good for a pinch hit when relied upon.

We hope that we could help you guys in constructing a good enough lineup to compete even with some of the more star studded teams. At a total price point of 2,587 Stubs or roughly $2.50 worth of virtual currency at the time of this article, it proves that a solid team can be build on any budget. Please make sure to check out TD Barrett’s video above for a detailed look at the players featured and subscribe to his channel for more MLB 15 The Show content.

Thanks for reading our MLB 15 The Show Diamond Dynasty Tips and please stay tuned to SGO for all the latest news, reviews, tips and guides to all your favorite sports games. As always, please comment, like and share below and tell us what you think!