PXP, Parallels & Mods Guide for MLB The Show 26

What Are PXP, Parallels, and Mods?

MLB The Show 26 brings one of the biggest shakeups to Diamond Dynasty card progression in years. The PXP system has been around since MLB The Show 22, but 2026 adds an entirely new layer called Mods that fundamentally changes how you build your roster.

Here's how the pieces fit together:

• PXP (Player XP) is the progression currency in Diamond Dynasty. Every stat you record with a card — hits, home runs, strikeouts, innings pitched — earns PXP for that specific card. The more you use a card, the more PXP it accumulates.
• Parallels are upgrade tiers (I through V) unlocked by hitting PXP thresholds. Each parallel adds +1 to every attribute on the card, stacking up to +5 at Parallel V.
• Mods are new in 2026 — customizable attribute boosts layered on top of your parallel level. You unlock them by hitting both a PXP threshold and specific in-game stat requirements. Only one mod can be equipped per card at a time.

Use ShowZone's PXP Calculator to estimate how many games it'll take to hit your target parallel, and browse every available mod on our Parallel Mods page.

Parallel Thresholds

Every card in Diamond Dynasty starts at base level. As you accumulate PXP, you unlock parallel tiers that permanently boost every attribute on the card:

• Parallel I — 500 PXP → +1 to all attributes
• Parallel II — 1,500 PXP → +2 to all attributes
• Parallel III — 3,000 PXP → +3 to all attributes
• Parallel IV — 6,000 PXP → +4 to all attributes
• Parallel V (Superfractor) — 10,000 PXP → +5 to all attributes

These boosts are cumulative and permanent. A Parallel V card has +5 across the board — no choices required, just play. Note that thresholds are higher than MLB The Show 25 — San Diego Studio lowered them last year but raised them again for 2026.

Important: Individual attributes are hard-capped at 125, even with parallel boosts. A card with 122 Contact Right at base will cap at 125 at Parallel III, not 127. The displayed overall is also capped at 99 — which is exactly why ShowZone's True Overall™ rating system exists, to reveal the real differences between cards that the in-game cap hides.

How to Earn PXP

You earn PXP by playing Diamond Dynasty modes and recording stats with a specific card. Every at-bat, every inning pitched, every stolen base — it all counts.

PXP Per Stat — Hitters

Plate Appearances got a significant buff this year — up from 15 PXP in MLB The Show 25 to 40 PXP. Every time your card steps to the plate, it's earning PXP regardless of the outcome.

PXP Per Stat — Pitchers

Innings Pitched is the bread and butter for pitching PXP. At 40 PXP per inning on Legend difficulty (3.0× multiplier), that's 120 PXP per frame. A complete game on Legend earns 1,080+ PXP from innings alone.

PXP Multipliers

Not all PXP is equal. Two types of multipliers stack on top of your per-stat earnings.

Difficulty Multipliers (Single-Player)

Online Multiplier

Playing online (Ranked Seasons, Events, Battle Royale) applies a 1.5× multiplier to all PXP earned. This stacks with the difficulty of the online game, which is typically All-Star or higher depending on your rating.

Example Calculations

• Home Run on Rookie: 40 × 1.0 = 40 PXP
• Home Run on Legend: 40 × 3.0 = 120 PXP
• Home Run online at All-Star: 40 × 1.8 × 1.5 = 108 PXP
• Complete Game on Legend: (9 innings × 40 × 3.0) + (1 CG × 25 × 3.0) = 1,155 PXP

Use ShowZone's PXP Calculator to run your own scenarios and estimate exactly how many games you need to reach any parallel level.

How Mods Work

Mods are the biggest new addition in MLB The Show 26. Once you hit a PXP threshold and complete the stat requirements for a specific mod, it unlocks on that card. You can then equip it from the player card screen.

Mod Tiers

Mods come in three tiers, each requiring a higher PXP level and progressively harder stat milestones:

Silver Mods — Unlock at Parallel I (500 PXP). Four options per position with modest boosts. No additional stat requirements — they're available as soon as you hit Parallel I.

Gold Mods — Unlock at Parallel III (3,000 PXP) plus stat milestones like hits, home runs, or strikeouts. Sixteen hitter options and nine pitcher options. Gold mods are the sweet spot for most players — 3,000 PXP is reachable without an extreme grind, and the stat requirements are manageable.

Diamond Mods — Unlock at Parallel V (10,000 PXP) with steep stat requirements. The biggest boosts in the game — up to +20 Speed/Steal or +10 K/9. Save Diamond mod grinding for the cards you plan to use all year.

Key Rules

• Only one mod per card. You pick one mod and it replaces any previously equipped mod.
• Mods are additive. If your card is at Parallel III (+3 all attributes) and you equip a Gold Contact mod, you get the +3 from parallels plus the full mod boost on top.
• Stat requirements stack with PXP. You don't have to re-grind stats after hitting a PXP threshold — the stats you accumulated along the way count.
• Mods override parallel boosts when equipped. The mod's boost path replaces the standard parallel attribute spread, so choose wisely.

Browse every available mod by position, tier, and focus on ShowZone's Parallel Mods page.

Mod Categories

Each mod focuses on a different attribute family. Here's what the four main Silver-tier categories look like (Gold and Diamond versions scale these boosts significantly higher):

Contact Mods

Boosts Contact Left, Contact Right, Vision, and Clutch. Best for table-setters and high-average hitters who need to make consistent contact.

Power Mods

Boosts Power Left and Power Right. Best for sluggers and cleanup hitters who need to drive the ball out of the park.

Fielding Mods

Boosts Fielding, Reaction Time, Blocking, Arm Strength, and Arm Accuracy. Best for premium defensive positions — catcher, shortstop, center field.

Speed Mods

Boosts Speed and Steal. The Diamond-tier Speed mod gives up to +20 Speed and +20 Steal — enough to turn a moderately fast card into a legitimate baserunning threat.

Best Tips for Earning PXP Fast

1. Play on Legend or G.O.A.T. difficulty offline. The 3.0-3.5× multiplier makes every stat worth triple or more. Even if games take longer, the PXP per game is dramatically higher.
2. Play full 9-inning games. Quick counts and shorter games earn less PXP. The more plate appearances and innings your cards see, the more PXP they accumulate.
3. Use your target cards in Conquest. Conquest is one of the most efficient PXP farming modes because you play 3-inning games on your chosen difficulty. Stack your lineup with the cards you want to parallel and grind stronghold games on Legend.
4. Don't sleep on online play. The 1.5× online multiplier is significant. Events and Battle Royale are great for PXP because you're playing at All-Star+ difficulty with the online bonus — and the games are shorter than Ranked Seasons.
5. Equip Silver mods immediately. At just 500 PXP with no stat requirements, every card that reaches Parallel I has an unequipped Silver mod sitting on it. Free boosts — make sure you're equipping them.
6. Use ShowZone's Mission Optimizer. The Mission Optimizer helps you find cards that complete the most program missions at once. Stack your lineup with cards that grind PXP and complete missions simultaneously.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many games does it take to reach Parallel V? It depends on difficulty, game length, and performance. A typical 9-inning game on Legend earns roughly 500-800 PXP for a hitter who gets 4 plate appearances with a couple of hits. At that rate, Parallel V takes roughly 15-20 full games. Use ShowZone's PXP Calculator for a personalized estimate.

Do parallel boosts apply in online play? Yes. Parallel boosts and equipped mods are active in all Diamond Dynasty modes — Ranked Seasons, Events, Battle Royale, and offline.

Can I change my equipped mod? Yes. You can swap mods at any time from the player card screen. You don't lose the previously equipped mod — it stays unlocked. You just can only have one active at a time.

Do PXP and stats carry over between game modes? Yes. PXP earned in Conquest counts the same as PXP earned in Ranked Seasons or Events. All Diamond Dynasty modes contribute to the same PXP and stat counters per card.

What happens to my parallels and mods at the end of the year? PXP, parallels, and mods are specific to the current year's game. They do not carry over to next year's title.

Where can I see all available mods? Browse every mod by position, tier, and focus on ShowZone's Parallel Mods page. You can compare boosts side by side and plan which mods to target for your core lineup.