The April Spotlight grind is simple if you do it in the right order. Elly De La Cruz is the must-get free reward. Jose Soriano is the smart collection target. Chipper Jones is the expensive luxury card. Do not burn stubs before checking your pack pulls and market prices.

• MLB The Show 26 April Spotlight Fastest Completion Path
• How to Get 94 Elly De La Cruz Fast
• Best Way to Finish April Spotlight Missions
• Do Moments First
• Grind Rookie CPU for Hits and XP
• Use Relievers for Strikeout Missions
• Ben Rice Program Guide
• Should You Play the April Spotlight Event?
• April Retro Lightning Collection: Best Stub Strategy
• Jose Soriano Review: Best Value Collection Reward
• Chipper Jones Review: Great Card, Bad Timing for Most Players
• Best April Spotlight Pack Cards to Keep
• Buy, Sell, or Lock In?
• Best Priority Order
• FAQ
• Is Elly De La Cruz free in MLB The Show 26?
• What is the fastest way to complete April Spotlight programs?
• Should I do the Extreme Moment?
• Is Ben Rice worth using?
• Is Jose Soriano worth collecting?
• Is Chipper Jones worth it?
• Should no-money-spent players chase Chipper Jones?
• Who is the best cheap alternative to Chipper Jones?
• Summary

↖ MLB The Show 26 April Spotlight Fastest Completion Path

Start with guaranteed progress. Then stack missions. Do not waste time forcing the Extreme Moment unless you are clearing it quickly.

If you are behind on earlier April drops, repeat this same loop. Moments first. Rookie CPU second. Event third. Collections last.

↖ How to Get 94 Elly De La Cruz Fast

94 Elly De La Cruz is the free April Lightning reward. You do not need to buy the expensive pack cards for him.

You need the final reward cards from the April Spotlight programs.

Elly is worth the grind.

He gives you:

• Switch-hitting
• Shortstop eligibility
• Strong contact
• Usable power
• Good arm strength
• Good speed
• Huge defensive reach because of his frame

The speed is lower than many players expected, but the card still plays. For no-money-spent squads, he is an automatic priority.

↖ Best Way to Finish April Spotlight Missions

The key is mission stacking. Do not play separate games for separate objectives unless the game forces you to.

↖ Do Moments First

Normal Moments are the best starting point. They are quick and predictable.

The Extreme Moment is optional. If it takes more than 10–15 minutes, leave it. Rookie CPU grinding is usually faster.

Your goal is progress per minute. Not ego per attempt.

↖ Grind Rookie CPU for Hits and XP

For stat missions, use Play vs CPU on Rookie.

Best setup:

• Use a small custom stadium
• Use high elevation if available
• Stack your lineup with Spotlight cards
• Bat required players near the top
• Replay if you need more plate appearances

If you need 20 hits, this is the cleanest route. On Rookie, a stacked lineup can finish it in one game.

↖ Use Relievers for Strikeout Missions

Reliever strikeouts are faster than pitcher innings.

Rotate bullpen arms before they get tired. On Rookie, CPU hitters chase enough that 12 strikeouts is very manageable.

↖ Ben Rice Program Guide

Ben Rice is the key final reward from the last April Spotlight drop. He also plays well enough to use, especially on All-Star and below.

Ben Rice is the prize. The low vision hurts on higher difficulties, but the bat is real. If you need a free lefty power option with catcher secondary, use him.

↖ Should You Play the April Spotlight Event?

Yes, if you still need packs, XP, or collection help.

The Event is not always faster than Rookie CPU, but it gives better value.

Best use case:

1. Finish easy CPU missions first.

2. Check which Spotlight cards still need XP.

3. Use those cards in the Event.

4. Sell expensive pulls unless you are close to Chipper.

↖ April Retro Lightning Collection: Best Stub Strategy

The collection has three main checkpoints:

Do not auto-lock cards. Check prices first.

If a card is selling for 50,000–70,000 stubs, locking it in for Chipper is a real commitment. Those stubs could go toward Live Series, roster upgrades, or future content.

↖ Jose Soriano Review: Best Value Collection Reward

Jose Soriano is the collection target most players should care about.

He brings:

• Outlier sinker
• Strong pitch mix
• Good clutch
• Ranked Seasons viability
• Better value than Chipper for most accounts

If your rotation needs help, Soriano is worth pushing for. He is the realistic target before the collection becomes expensive.

↖ Chipper Jones Review: Great Card, Bad Timing for Most Players

Chipper Jones is good. That is not the issue.

The issue is price.

He gives you:

• Switch-hitting
• Elite swing
• Great contact
• Usable power
• Solid third-base defense

But the collection can cost well over 200,000 stubs depending on the market.

Chipper is a luxury. Not a must-have.

If you pulled several expensive Spotlight cards, completing him makes more sense. If you need to buy most cards from scratch, wait.

↖ Best April Spotlight Pack Cards to Keep

Not every pack card deserves a lineup spot. Some are collection filler. A few are actually useful.

Vargas is the standout value card. If his swing works for you, he can save a massive number of stubs compared to Chipper.

↖ Buy, Sell, or Lock In?

Use this table before making a collection mistake.

The safest play is simple: earn free cards first, open packs, check prices, then decide.

Never lock in expensive cards just because the collection is new.

↖ Best Priority Order

For most players, the April Spotlight priority list should look like this:

This keeps your team improving without wrecking your stub balance.

↖ FAQ

↖ Is Elly De La Cruz free in MLB The Show 26?

Yes. 94 Elly De La Cruz is free through the April Spotlight collection. Complete the April Spotlight programs, collect the final rewards, and unlock him.

↖ What is the fastest way to complete April Spotlight programs?

Do normal Moments, skip the Extreme Moment if it drags, then grind Rookie CPU with a lineup full of Spotlight players. Use the Event only when you need extra XP or packs.

↖ Should I do the Extreme Moment?

Only if you can finish it quickly. If it takes more than 10–15 minutes, move on. Rookie CPU missions are more consistent.

↖ Is Ben Rice worth using?

Yes. Ben Rice has strong power and catcher secondary. His low vision and defense are problems, but his bat is good enough for many lineups.

↖ Is Jose Soriano worth collecting?

Yes. Jose Soriano is the best value target in the Retro Lightning collection. The outlier sinker makes him useful in Ranked.

↖ Is Chipper Jones worth it?

Only if you have the stubs or already pulled several collection cards. Chipper is excellent, but the cost is high. Most players should wait or stop at Soriano.

↖ Should no-money-spent players chase Chipper Jones?

Usually no. NMS players should prioritize Elly, Ben Rice, and possibly Jose Soriano. Selling expensive pulls is often smarter than locking them in.

↖ Who is the best cheap alternative to Chipper Jones?

Elehuris Vargas. He is a switch hitter with strong contact and multiple positions. He is not Chipper, but he is much cheaper and very usable.

↖ Summary

Get Elly De La Cruz. He is free and worth it.

Grind the programs in this order: Moments → Rookie CPU → Event → Collections.

Target Jose Soriano if you need pitching. Treat Chipper Jones as a luxury card, not a required card. If the collection cost is too high, use Elehuris Vargas, keep your stubs flexible, and wait for the market to settle.