MLB The Show 26 Retro Collection Cedric Mullins Review: The 98-Rated Debut of the Year

A patch dropped in MLB The Show 26, servers promptly crashed from a DDoS attack, and the whole day felt like chaos. But once things stabilized, one card rose above the noise: Retro Collection Cedric Mullins. After running him through several online games, he's easily the best center fielder you can plug into your lineup. He delivers power, average, elite defense, and the kind of presence that tilts games in your favor.

1.  How to Get Him

Mullins requires 13 specific cards from the June Spotlight programs. It's a meaningful investment in stubs or grind time, but the payoff is massive. If you've been stockpiling Spotlight cards, you may already be close.

2.  Card Highlights

- Position: Primary center field, fully functional in left and right

- Defense: Diamond shield, 80 speed, quick reactions, excellent range

- Offense: High contact from both sides, decent power, maxed-out clutch

- Arm: 70 strength — his lone limitation, easily offset with good positioning

3. Hitting: A Swing Built for Any Difficulty

Mullins’ swing is compact, fast, and offers a forgiving timing window. In his debut game, he turned on a hanging slider and sent it off the batter’s eye — a statement shot. A second home run followed later that same game. By the next matchup, opponents started pitching around him, refusing to throw strikes. That’s the ultimate sign of respect in Diamond Dynasty. Against lefties, he stays short, spoils tough pitches, and waits for mistakes. He dictated those at-bats instead of merely surviving them.

4.  Defense and Baserunning

In center, Mullins is a vacuum. His speed and diamond defense let him chase down gappers and make over-the-shoulder grabs look routine. Even when I slid him to right field, he tracked balls well and hit the cutoff man. The 70 arm won’t gun down many runners, but smart pre-pitch positioning means he rarely needs to. On the bases, his speed turns singles into doubles and forces rushed throws.

5.  A Strong Partner: Zack Gelof

While chasing the Spotlight cards for Mullins, don’t overlook Athletics infielder Zack Gelof. His slap swing takes a few at-bats to click, but once it does, the results arrive. In one game alongside Mullins, he broke out with a clutch two-run homer. He's an affordable secondary piece that adds infield depth.

6.  The Intangibles

Mullins brings an intimidation factor no stat can measure. When opponents work around him, their game plan collapses, counts run deep for hitters behind him, and rallies ignite. That psychological edge changes matchups.

7.  Final Verdict

Cedric Mullins is plug-and-play perfection. His swing is effortless, his defense locks down the outfield, and he delivers in clutch moments. The Retro Collection price might make you pause, but don't overthink it — with cheap MLB The Show 26 Stubs, completing the set is more affordable than it first appears. He's a true anchor who will hold your outfield through the All-Star content and beyond. Slot him in and watch the home runs pile up.