How Potential Ratings Actually Work in MLB The Show 26 Franchise Mode

Franchise Mode in MLB The Show 26 is all about building your team and leading them to victory throughout the season. But there’s a statistic that often catches players off guard: the potential rating. If you open the Trade Hub in Franchise Mode, you’ll see a player’s current OVR and a potential rating in front of it. But what does that potential rating signify? And how much weightage should you give it?

Potential Ratings have started playing a big role in determining which players you should prioritize. People might tell you to go with fresh talent over an experienced veteran just because of their potential rating. So let me explain what exactly potential ratings are, and how they work in MLB The Show 26 Franchise Mode.

What Are Potential Ratings In MLB The Show 26?

Image: San Diego Studios

Potential Ratings are letter grades given to players depending on the potential the game sees in them. For example, a young player at 80 OVR but a potential rating of A could easily go the distance and slip into the 90s. The letter grades start from A (the highest) and go all the way to F. E is skipped in between for some unknown reason.

Here’s a rough estimation of what each grade represents:

The grade shows you the max potential a player has, corresponding to the OVR they can reach with proper training. Now, is this a fixed deal? No. Potential ratings do change over time depending on the player’s performance in Franchise Mode. While changes like A to D are rare, you’re bound to see players increase or decrease one or two grades over the course of the season.

You might be thinking, why would someone even go for a player under B grade? Well, similar to overall ratings in MLB The Show 26 , a higher potential rating makes the player more valuable, hence increasing his market value. If you’re looking for someone to fill your roster temporarily, going for a lower potential rating does no harm.

Should You Consider Potential Ratings While Trading?

Yes, definitely. Potential ratings are a great way to judge how far a player can go, if given the proper guidance. While it’s not set in cement, it’s always better to take a chance on someone with high potential rather than being stuck with someone who won’t see much improvement.

These ratings also impact the speed of development in Franchise Mode. A player in the mid-70s with a B grade will improve much more slowly than a player around 70 with an A grade. This is why you should also take into account their contracts and your staffing capabilities. If they only have a 1-year contract, either make sure you extend it or skip them over. Training takes time.

Potential ratings can also buffer OVR nerfs. Players with good potential ratings are less likely to be impacted by significant nerfs to their OVR since the game still expects them to do well. This is important for older players, since their performance does drop slightly every season.

Now, how important are Potential Ratings when using the Trade Hub? This is a pretty subjective question, but I’d recommend giving it as much, if not more, priority than the overall rating. I’ve said it again and again, but players with high potential ratings can get you much farther compared to someone who stays near the same OVR range.