MLB The Show 26 Ketel Marte guide: how to get the 96 overall second baseman for about 100k

Ketel Marte just dropped as a 96 overall second baseman, and this card looks absolutely insane. If you want him on your squad without overspending, the good news is that he can be built for around 100k stubs if you do the offline grind the right way.

The key here is simple: 27 cards are needed total, and 18 of them can be earned for free. That means you only need to buy a small number of cards if you follow the most efficient path with MLB The Show 26 Stubs.

1. Start with programs

The easiest place to begin is the program missions. These tasks can be completed with any player and can be stacked with other modes, which is the best way to save time.

Main missions to focus on:

47 bases

18 strikeouts

31 hits with players

While grinding these, you should also work on Conquest and Diamond Quest at the same time. That way, every game counts toward multiple goals.

Rewards from this step:

XP

Packs

5 players

1 deluxe pack

Matt Carpenter

This alone already gives you a strong chunk of progress and some extra cards toward Ketel Marte.

2. Do events while progressing

Events are another easy way to add value while you grind.

What you get:

10,000 XP for 10 stars

Gleyber Torres

1 deluxe pack

By combining programs and events, you already have:

6 free players

plus a deluxe pack on top

That is a huge boost before you even touch the deeper grind.

3. Knock out Diamond Quest

Diamond Quest should absolutely be on your checklist.

Best approach:

Play on the highest difficulty possible

Go straight to the stronghold

Finish the game quickly if you want efficiency

If you prefer to play the full mode, that is fine too, but the important part is to complete it.

Why it matters:

You can earn 2 strong cards

Those cards help reduce the number you need to buy

They count as 2 more free players

This is one of the cleanest ways to cut the cost of Ketel Marte.

4. Work through Conquest

Conquest is another major piece of the grind.

Why you should do it:

It gives you more games for mission progress

It helps build PXP

It can reward additional packs

Notable rewards:

1 deluxe vintage pack

1 deluxe choice pack

1 regular deluxe pack

93 Nolan Arenado

Even though this Conquest map looks a bit long, it pays off because it creates more chances to finish missions and pull useful cards.

5. Mini Seasons is the long game

Mini Seasons is where a lot of the long-term value comes from, especially because you will need to use vintage players.

Mini Seasons objectives mentioned:

10 strikeouts with any relief pitcher

2 saves with Match Strom

Reach base 6 times with Abaniel

Extra base hits for a headliners pack

22,000 player XP with any player

10,000 player XP with vintage series players for another deluxe pack

If you complete the vintage player XP task, that is another huge reward, but even if you skip that specific step, Mini Seasons still helps a lot.

Extra note:

This is also a double XP weekend, so the value of grinding games right now is even better.

6. Free card total breakdown

Here is the clean math for the grind:

If you complete the main offline content:

Programs

Events

Diamond Quest

Conquest

That gets you to 13 free players.

If you also count the vintage packs and other rewards:

You can get up to 16 free players

Add collection rewards:

Joc Pederson

Himenez

Now you are up to 18 free cards total.

Since Ketel Marte needs 27 cards, that leaves you with only 9 cards left to buy.

7. What buying the remaining cards costs

If you go to the marketplace and filter for vintage, you will find some cards around the 4k to 5k range.

Estimated cost:

Around 104,000 stubs total for the remaining 9 cards

That is the reason this card is so attainable. A lot of the expensive work is replaced by free offline progress.

8. Best way to finish the grind

If you want the fastest route, do this:

Start with missions

Stack them with Conquest or Mini Seasons

Do Diamond Quest along the way

Save events for later if you prefer multiplayer with a stronger lineup

Buy the lower-tier vintage cards first

Put them into your lineup so you can start earning PXP immediately

That last part is important. Buying cheap cards early lets you use them in your lineup right away, which speeds up the rest of the grind.

Final thoughts

Ketel Marte looks like one of the best second basemen in the game, and this is exactly the kind of card worth chasing. If you do all the offline work, the cost stays around 100k stubs, which is a great deal for a 96 overall monster.

If you skip most of the offline grind, the price jumps fast, so the smartest move is to stack your missions, grab the free cards, and buy only the cheapest remaining pieces with buy MLB The Show 26 Stubs.

This is one of the best no-money-spent routes right now.