Most Diamond Dynasty lineups end up chasing the same obvious cards, and yeah, it makes sense. Big power, outlier heat, shiny ratings. But that's also how players miss cards that actually make a team easier to run. The 91 Overall John Donaldson is one of those cards. If you're watching the market and trying to stretch your MLB The Show 26 Stubs On XBOX without wasting them on one-role players, he deserves a much closer look. He's not built like a typical endgame monster, but once you use him for a few games, the appeal clicks pretty fast.
He Saves a Roster Spot Without Feeling Forced
The big thing with Donaldson is simple: he gives you options. That sounds boring until you're deep into Ranked and every bench spot matters. He can start on the mound, give you innings, then move into center field while his stamina works its way back. You're not just waiting around for him to be useful again. He's still in the lineup. He's still running balls down. He's still taking at-bats. A lot of pitchers become dead weight between starts, but Donaldson doesn't have that problem. That's a huge deal over a long grind.
His Pitching Plays Better Than the Card Looks
On paper, some players might shrug at him. He doesn't have the kind of fastball that scares people before the first pitch. Still, his mix works if you're willing to pitch instead of just spam velocity. Change eye levels. Work the corners. Make hitters chase a little. That's where Donaldson gets nasty. Plenty of players have already found out he can handle competitive games, especially against opponents who sit fastball and refuse to adjust. He's the kind of starter who rewards calm pitch calling, not panic button throwing.
Center Field Is Where He Gets Weirdly Valuable
Once he leaves the mound, he doesn't feel like some awkward gimmick card. In center, his speed is good enough to cover real ground, and that matters with how many gap shots people hit this year. He won't turn into the best defender in the game, but he's reliable. At the plate, he's more of a table-setter than a masher. That's fine. Not every hitter needs to hit 450-foot bombs. Sometimes you just need a guy who puts the ball in play, steals a bag, scores from second, and keeps an inning alive when your power bats are coming up.
Captain Boosts Make the Card Feel Different
The card gets a real lift when you build around the right boost. Cool Papa Bell is the obvious one people talk about, because extra contact, speed, and range all fit Donaldson's job perfectly. Suddenly he's not just a cute two-way experiment. He becomes a usable center fielder who also happens to be a starting pitcher. That's rare value, especially when his price sits around the 40,000 to 45,000 stub range. For one purchase, you're covering multiple needs, and that's exactly the sort of thing smart roster builders care about.
The Smart Way to Use Him
The best routine isn't complicated. Start Donaldson in game one, move him to center for a few games, then hand him the ball again when his energy is back. It keeps your lineup flexible and stops your rotation from feeling stale. Shohei Ohtani will always get the louder reaction, and fair enough, he's Shohei. But if you want practical value before you buy MLB The Show 26 stubs for another big upgrade, Donaldson is the kind of card that can quietly make your whole squad work better.
