MLB The Show 22 dropped its annual Finest of the Franchise program, taking the best player from each team (for the most part) and selecting them as the “finest” of the 2022 season. The program contains 30 Finest cards, although there are actually more than 30 available through different means.
Below, you’ll find everything you need to know about The Show 22’s Finest of the Franchise program. This will include an overview of the 30 Finest cards available in the Choice Packs and other goodies you will find along the way.
Finest of the Franchise program
Finest of the Franchise is another expansive program that, like the Fall Stars program before it, has an experience cap of 1,000,000 points (89 levels). The program focuses on not only this season’s finest players, but also on those from the past.
Remember to check the Daily Moments, a new one added at noon Pacific. Every moment is worth it 3,000 experiences. They present a quick and easy experience. Usually, each Daily Moment lasts three days, but for now, it appears they are lasting longer than the last few of the previous program said they expire on October 31 even though they were November moments.
From there, move to the Featured Program Moments. These moments are focused on the 30 players selected as the Finest in The Show 22 (more below). They’re slightly more difficult than the daily ones, but like those, nabs you 3,000 experience for each completed moment. This means you can run through the 30 and earn over 90,000 experienceswhich is enough to nab you your first two Finest packs.
Next, there are 30 Legend & Flashback missions for you to complete. These are not the 30 Finest of 2022, but rather those from the past. You’ll unlock these in the Classics pack, choosing three per pack. You’ll earn your first at 25,000 experience and last at 145,000 experience. Unfortunately, that’s only enough for eight packs, meaning you’ll earn 24 of 30 cards. You have to earn 250 parallel experience for position players and 500 for pitchers. You’ll unlock a ninth Classics pack by simply playing one game as well, giving you 27 of 30 cards. Each mission is also worth 3,000 experience, nabbing you a total of 72,000 experience points and an extra 1,000 for playing a game.
Here is a list of all of the Legend & Flashback Finest players for these missions in order that they’re listed in packs:
- 2020 Jose Iglesias (97 OVR, SS, Baltimore Orioles)
- 2020 Alex Verdugo (97 OVR, RF, Boston Red Sox)
- 2019 DJ LeMahieu (99 OVR, 2B, New York Yankees)
- 2019 Charlie Morton (97 OVR, SP, Tampa Bay Rays)
- 2020 Lourdes Gurriel, Jr. (99 OVR, LF, Toronto Blue Jays)
- 2020 Brad Hand (98 OVR, CP, Cleveland Guardians)
- 2020 Tim Anderson (99 OVR, SS, Chicago White Sox)
- 2019 Matthew Boyd (94 OVR, SP, Detroit Tigers)
- 2020 Salvador Perez (99 OVR, C, Kansas City Royals)
- 2021 Jorge Polanco (99 OVR, 2B, Minnesota Twins)
- 2021 Kyle Tucker (99 OVR, RF, Houston Astros)
- 2020 David Fletcher (99 OVR, SS, Los Angeles Angels)
- 2020 Liam Hendricks (99 OVR, CP, Oakland Athletics)
- 2021 Mitch Haniger (99 OVR, RF, Seattle Mariners)
- 2020 Lance Lynn (99 OVR, SP, Texas Rangers)
- 2019 Ozzie Albies (98 OVR, 2B, Atlanta)
- 2020 Miguel Rojas (99 OVR, SS, Miami Marlins)
- 2021 Zack Wheeler (99 OVR, SP, Philadelphia Phillies)
- 2021 Marcus Stroman (99 OVR, SP, New York Mets)
- 2019 Anthony Rendon (99 OVR, 3B, Washington Nationals)
- 2021 Frank Schwindel (99 OVR, 1B, Chicago Cubs)
- 2021 Jesse Winker (99 OVR, LF, Cincinnati Reds)
- 2020 Devin Williams (99 OVR, RP, Milwaukee Brewers)
- Jacob Stallings (99 OVR, C, Pittsburgh Pirates)
- 2019 Jack Flaherty (97 OVR, SP, St. Louis Cardinals)
- 2019 Ketel Marte (98 OVR, CF, Arizona Diamondbacks)
- 2021 CJ Cron (99 OVR, 1B, Colorado Rockies)
- 2021 Walker Buehler (99 OVR, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers)
- 2020 Drew Pomeranz (97 OVR, RP, San Diego Padres)
- 2021 Brandon Crawford (99 OVR, SS, San Francisco Giants)
Choose your 27 wisely and know that experience.
Conquest, Showdown, and Collections
Like with previous programs that focused on all 30 teams, there will be at least three Conquest maps. Following the same order, the first available map focuses on the American League East and is “Ducks on the Pond.” The goals aren’t turn-sensitive and are pretty straightforward, making this a good place to find parallel experience for your missions. Finishing off all goals of the Conquest map will earn you 45,000 experience points.
There are many cards you can collect and add to the program, that is, if you haven’t already added to them in previous programs. The top of the list includes Finest cards from the Goats and Ghouls side program, Joe Nathan through Miguel Cabrera.
The second sampling includes those from the ongoing 2022 Postseason side program with presumably one more card to add after the World Series concludes. These include Trea Turner, Teoscar Hernandez, and Harrison Bader. Then, if you still have Finest cards from the Extreme program, you can add them here. Remember that cards already collected previously cannot be added.
Adding the cards from Nathan through Bader adds 10,000 experience each for a total of 90,000 available experience. If you add any of the Extreme cards, those will add 30,000 experience points.
There is no Showdown yet, but there will be one most like after the conclusion of the World Series and the Postseason program.
Finest of the Franchise cards
There are 30 Finest cards, separated into five each for each of the six divisions. You’ll earn your first Choice Pack at 50,000 experience and your last at 400,000 experience.
You’ll start in the American League and go from East to Central to West, following the same pattern for the National League. Unlike previous years, all cards are 99 OVR. Your first pack will consist of catcher Adley Rutschman (Baltimore), shortstop Xander Bogaerts (Boston), starter Nestor Cortés, Jr. (Yankees), starter Shane McClanahan (Tampa Bay), and first basemen Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. (Toronto)fresh off of winning his first Gold Glove.
In the Central, you’ll have a choice between third basemen José Ramírez (Cleveland), starter Dylan Cease (White Sox), starter Tarik Skubal (Detroit), shortstop Bobby Witt, Jr. (Kansas City), and reliever Jhoan Durán (Minnesota).
In the West, are a slew of young hitters and one stalwart who may make the Hall of Fame. That potential Hall of Famer is second basemen José Altuve (Houston). He’s joined as a 2022 Finest by right fielder Taylor Ward (Angels), catcher Sean Murphy (Oakland), scintillating rookie center fielder Julio Rodríguez (Seattle), and center fielder Adolis García (Texas).
Moving to the “senior circuit,” you’ll start with the East and another scintillating rookie in starter Spencer Strider (Atlanta). He’s joined by perhaps the biggest breakout pitcher of the year starter Sandy Alcántara (Miami), first basemen Pete Alonso (Mets), starter Aaron Nola (Philadelphia), and first basemen Joey Meneses (Washington).
The Central Finest offerings include shortstop Nico Hoerner (Cubs), starter Hunter Greene (Cincinnati), right fielder Hunter Renfroe (Milwaukee), center fielder Bryan Reynolds (Pittsburgh), and third baseman Nolan Arenado.
In the National League West, breakout youngster right fielder Daulton Varsho (Arizona) leads the way. He’s joined by closer Daniel Bard (Colorado), first basemen Freddie Freeman (Dodgers), third basemen Manny Machado (San Diego), and starter Logan Webb (San Francisco).
Finest of the Franchise Collection
With the addition of the Finest, there is a new Legends & Flashbacks Collection program focused on this year’s cards. You can actually add four more 2022 Finest through this Collection! However, if you focus on only the ones earned through the program, you’ll only be able to add one more.
That first card for collecting 15 Finest of 2022 is center fielder Byron Buxton of Minnesota. He’s maxed out (125) in both power categories and has 99 Speed to go along with nearly perfect defensive attributes with only 96 Arm Accuracy the “low” point.
At 20 collected, you’ll unlock starter Max Scherzer of the Mets. He’s maxed in Pitch Break (99) and has four 100+ attributes. He also carries 12 player quirks which includes quirks for his four-seamer, slider or slurve, and circle change.
At 25 collected, you’ll unlock closer Edwin Díaz of the Mets, although it’s unclear if you also unlock his entrance music. Díaz maxes out on six pitching categories: 125 for three and 99 for three others. Aside from Stamina, his 96 Walks per 9 Innings and 92 Pitch Control are his “weak” spots.
Finally, when you collect 30, you’ll unlock first basemen Paul Goldschmidt of St. Louis. The MVP-candidate is a hitting fiend with 125 maxed attributes in three categories and every other non-bunting category at least 97, with 97 Plate Vision the only under a 110 rating. He also plays great defense at first, although he doesn’t have the strongest arm with 60 Arm Strength.
There is also one other Finest card you can unlock that will take a bit of luck. If you purchase the 50 pack box, you’ll receive a Chase Set Pack 5, now updated with a chance to pull starter Corbin Burnes. The 2021 Cy Yong winner had another great season, reflected in his attributes. The only attributes under 99 are his 93 Pitch Control and 90 Home Runs per 9 Innings. He packs 99 Velocity and 99 Pitch Break, making all of his pitches deadly since they all have movement. He has 13 quirks and a five-pitch repertoire.
Now you know everything about MLB The Show 22’s Finest of the Franchise program. Which of the Finest cards will you add to your collection?