Not every single legend in MLB The Show needs to be an actual legend. In my opinion, there is plenty of room for random players that have appeared in the Bigs who would be either fun or funny if they were included.
Here are 10 random players it would be fun to see in MLB The Show 25 Diamond Dynasty mode
Random Players That Would Be Fun To See In MLB The Show 25 Diamond Dynasty
Robin Ventura
Robin Ventura had about as solid of an MLB career as one could hope to have. Beginning his career with the Chicago Whitesox in 1989, the California-born third baseman would have a lengthy 15-year career that also included stops with the Mets, Yankees, and the Dodgers. The guy basically played exclusively in the biggest sports cities the country has to offer.
And his career wasn’t bad either, with Ventura’s career slashes being .267/.362/.444/.806. However, Ventura isn’t known for his consistent hitting and great glove at the hot corner. Instead, he’s known for taking a beating from the 46-year-old Nolan Ryan back in 1993.
With Nolan Ryan already in the game, maybe Ventura can be added so Diamond Dynasty players can give him the obligatory bean each time up.
Tim Lincecum
OK, maybe recommending Tim Lincecum — arguably one of baseball’s best pitchers at one point — isn’t exactly random. But the guy is one of the strangest MLB players in the last few decades. Not only did the former Giants ace win three World Series championships, hit an unbelievable peak, then have one of the biggest drop-offs in baseball history, Lincecum was also known for his wild, herky-jerky pitching motion which many attribute to the injuries he faced after his small peak.
Lincecum would not only be a welcome addition for Giants fans, but likely a fan favorite in Diamond Dynasty due to his ridiculous motion that would surely throw players off each time.
Coco Crisp
He won’t go down among the greatest in MLB history or anything. But Coco Crisp surely has one of the funniest names you’ll ever see on a lineup card! Having received his nickname following a comedic insult from his sister growing up, Crisp forged a respectable career in Major League Baseball and was known for his range in center field, as well as being one of the most effective base-stealers of his generation/
Coco’s top-notch defense and steady bat helped with the Boston Red Sox’s World Series-winning campaign. So long as there aren’t any birds around, Coco should be a fun player to use in Diamond Dynasty.
Munenori Kawasaki
While Munenori Kawasaki’s penchant for slap hitting and middle-infield defensive prowess never quite translated from NPB to the Majors, he did accomplish one thing — he put a smile on the face of any person he came in contact with.
Known for his jovial personality and hilarious interviews, Kawasaki quickly became a fan favorite with the Toronto Blue Jays and one of baseball’s most endearing figures. He never won a batting title, a Gold Glove, or even eclipsed a batting average of over .258 in any season where he played more than 50 games. But for some reason, the sport feels worse without him in it.
SDS, give the man a Captain card!
Carl Pavano
The New York Yankees are no stranger to bad contracts. Jacoby Ellsbury, Kei Igawa, Brian McCann — the list goes on. But I’d wager there is no worse contract than the one the Yanks gave Carl Pavano. A key part of the Florida Marlins during their 2003 World Series-winning campaign, Pavano was a hot free agent going into the 2005 season. Ultimately, he chose to suit up in Pinstripes. The only problem is, injury problems and a seemingly lazy attitude quickly turned him into Public Enemy No. 1 in the Bronx.
Over four years, Pavano only pitched 26 games for the Yankees. 26!!! It got so bad, that the usually calm and straight-laced Yankee captain of the time, Derek Jeter, literally insulted him for not playing. To add insult to injury, the MRI machine the Yankees used was brutally renamed as the “Carl Pavano Memorial MRI Tube.”
Just for the LOLZ, it would be funny to have a Pavano card in MLB The Show 25, with the caveat being he can only pitch one game per season.
Mark Prior
Mark Prior is one of the biggest cautionary tales in baseball of what happens when a pitcher is run into the ground. A highly-touted first-round prospect, Prior made his MLB debut for the Chicago Cubs in 2002 and quickly became one of their premier pitchers. He followed that up with a brilliant 2003 season in which he finished in the top-five in both Cy Young and MVP voting. But it was all downhill from there.
After throwing a ridiculous 211 innings in 2003 — not including the innings he threw in the Cubs’ ill-fated 2003 postseason — Prior would struggle with injuries and be out of MLB by 2007. He also had the unfortunate distinction of being on the mound during one of the most notorious and controversial incidents in baseball history.
Up three games to two in the 2003 NLCS against the Marlins and being 5 outs away from their first World Series appearance since 1945, the Cubs had a monumental collapse and forfeited their 3-0 lead after a collection of whacky plays and boneheaded errors. On a Luis Castillo fly ball into foul territory, left fielder Moises Alou was allegedly interfered with by Cubs fan Steve Bartman, preventing a crucial second out. From there, the laboring Prior was left in where Marlins hitters were able to capitalize on his diminished stuff. On top of that, the typically sure-handed shortstop Alex Gonzalez booted what would’ve been a tailor-made double play. The Cubbies would lose the game 8-3 and ultimately drop Game 7 to the Marlins, who eventually won the Series that year.
As a concession of sorts, maybe SDS can hook us up with a Prior card that represents his peak. Because boy, what a sour career otherwise.
Fernando Rodney
Baseball is a lot more fun than it used to be these days. Bat flips, celebrations, and any kind of enthusiasm were once taboo in the traditionally straight-laced culture of baseball. It might be tough to make the case that Fernando Rodney was the reason for the game eventually loosening up, but he certainly was one of the reasons.
Known to tilt his cap when pitching, Rodney was one of the more dominant relief pitchers in the early 2010s, finishing off each save with his signature “arrow” celebration. Despite his rather stoic demeanor, Rodney made baseball fun in a time when it was still hanging on to pointless traditions and unwritten rules when it came to such things. Even if his peak was rather short-lived, he’s still notable.
Hook the man up, SDS!
Mark Bellhorn
Mark Bellhorn is not likely to be in any baseball savant’s “best-of” lists. But he played arguably one of the biggest parts in making baseball history and reversing one of baseball’s longest-surviving curses. In 2004 with the Boston Red Sox, Bellhorn hit a solid .264, slugging 17 homers and driving in 82 runs. Not bad for a utility infielder. But it was his interesting postseason performance that made history.
Despite his batting average being a lowly .191 throughout the 2004 postseason, Bellhorn was as clutch as can be. In Game 1 of the ALCS, he broke up a Mike Mussina perfect game in the 8th. He also played a role in the Sox’s historical comeback from a three-games-to-none deficit, hitting a massive three-run shot in Game 6, and a solo shot in Game 7. And in Game 1 of the World Series, he hit a two-run shot in the 8th inning that would eventually be enough to lead the Sox to a win.
The Sox eventually swept the St. Louis Cardinals, winning their first World Series in 86 years and breaking the famed “Curse of the Bambino.”
Rube Waddell
Baseball has had no shortage of oddballs in its history. Zack Grienke, Enrique Hernandez, Max Scherzer — the list goes on. But none are as unpredictable as Hall of Famer Rube Waddell reportedly was. Looking purely at the numbers, Waddell was one of the most dominant pitchers of the early-20th century, with a career ERA of 2.16 and 2,316 K’s. But it’s not his dominance that he’s known for, but rather his erratic behavior.
During his career, Waddell was known to do odd things such as chase after fire trucks, be distracted by shiny objects, or even leave games to go fishing. He also reportedly once fought a teammate on a train for wearing a straw hat.
I don’t know how any of this can possibly be emulated in MLB The Show. But I desperately want to see someone try.
Mike Redmond
Being a backup catcher is a pretty thankless job. More often than not, they’re pretty useless with a bat in their hand and mediocre with the glove. But Mike Redmond defied all stereotypes about backup catchers over the course of his 17-year career.
Let me give you some career slashes: .287/.342/.358, with a career OPS of .700. He was also excellent behind the plate. Does that shout backup catcher to you? Unbelievably, he was also on that 2003 Marlins team. What is it with that team and random players?
Including Redmond in the game would be a nice tip of the cap to backup players everywhere, especially those who got the job done more often than not when they were called upon.
This was my list of random players. What’s yours? Let us know in the comments!
Published: Feb 28, 2025 4:44 PM UTC