Free Mookie Betts Diamond and Fresh Start Pack Available Now on MLB The Show 24

SDS just released an exciting new choice pack that brings some interesting Hyper Series players to Diamond Dynasty. The Fresh Start Pack, featuring players who are starting anew on a different team this season, has a bit of something for everyone. 

Plus, we are looking at a free Diamond card in the form of Rookie Mookie Betts, which could be fun for Red Sox fans.

Let’s dive into what to expect from these fresh developments in MLB The Show 24.

Fresh Start Choice Pack

As the name suggests, this choice pack features players who switched teams in the off-season. 

With a mix of strong hitters and mean pitchers across both the Base and Rare rounds, there are a few good options to boost your team. Each Base player is 89 OVR, while the Rare round features 92 OVR players.

The Fresh Start Choice Pack costs 40k stubs and can be bought a maximum of three times.

Base Round

Rhys Hoskins

Rhys Hoskins kicks us off in the Base Round, and at first glance, he could honestly be a fun little pick. With 90 and 100 POW against righties and lefties, respectively, the new Brewers 1B packs a punch with the bat.

Vision is somewhat low, though, but not low enough to benefit from the Byron Buxton captain boost. Other factors that prevent him from being a tip-top option are low contact against right-handed pitchers and those awful arm strength and speed stats. 

So, while I wouldn’t dream of having him in the outfield, he makes for a decent first-base platoon option.

Michael King

San Diego may be his new home, but Michael King carries the same prowess that saw him win over the Yankees fans. He’s pretty good as a starting pitcher, but his stamina concerns me a bit. The 83 rating might not cut it if you find yourself pitching deep into games. 

Speaking of pitching, King brings two fastballs, a slurve, and a circle change to the table, along with a break outlier. Again, this is a solid set, but I personally would have loved to see some more variations for an SP. For instance, I would have liked to see five pitches, maybe a different fastball or breaking ball, to mix things up. 

But, if we try not to nitpick too much, you can’t do much wrong with a pitcher boasting 80+ ratings across his /9s. He may not be the best starter out there, but at roughly 18k stubs, you get good value for your starting rotation.

Tyler O'Neill

O’Neill is simply a beast in the outfield, and his defensive stats back that up. Plus, he can benefit from the Byron Buxton captain boost, which makes him an even better pick. 

Thanks to the boost, you can expect upwards of 90 POW against both lefties and righties. Therefore, for those incredible power and defense stats alone, he is worth a shout.

Is there any reason you would not want to consider him? Well, the contact stats do leave a bit to be desired especially as you move toward the higher rankings like HOF and Legend. But, if you’re just starting out or even playing at the Veteran or All-Star level, you are looking at an incredible outfielder option.

Chris Sale

The seven-time All-Star, now with the Braves, brings a fairly lethal pitching arsenal to the diamond. Because of his deceptive pitching motion alone, you can play him at almost all difficulty levels as a solid SP. Those slow sliders across the body will be tricky to read for most players unless they are really good at the game.

Honestly, that last bit might be the only “con” here. With a price tag of approximately 18k stubs with 80+ /9s, Sale is a good enough option. Also, did I mention he has a 99 break on each of his four pitches?

As long as you aren’t playing against top-tier opposition and know how to control his pitches effectively, you can cruise with this card.

Jorge Polanco

The switch hitter, now with the Mariners, offers good swing and excellent contact against both kinds of pitches. He is yet another player who doesn’t get the Buxton captain boost, which could be a deal-breaker for some of us. 

Plus, his defensive abilities aren’t anything to get too excited about. However, with a Clutch rating of 100, I see him as a really nice 2B option at all ranks.

Rare Round

Corbin Burnes

As one of the highest-rated pitchers in the game, Corbin Burnes’ stats speak for themselves. I mean, how do you ignore that 102 rating for H/9? The answer is you don’t, unless you are a beginner or are saving up and playing the long game.

The three-time All-Star, pitching for the Orioles this season, features an effective sinker-cutter combo. For this reason, his appeal stretches across all difficulty rankings, and even Legend players could struggle against him. In terms of what I don’t like as much, I think his K/9 and BB/9 could be higher.

Currently priced at around 100k stubs, I doubt Burnes will be accessible to most players. But, if you can afford him, definitely give him a shot because he works well at all levels.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Dodgers fans have huge expectations from their new Japanese signing, which is reflected in his debut Diamond card. I just feel like SDS missed a trick by maxing out his fastball at 97 mph because he certainly touches 99 mph on the diamond!

Aside from that small detail, I think his pitching profile makes him really good against all levels of opposition. The splitter and slurve combo will serve up some nasty swing that I imagine would especially bother novice players. 

I wouldn’t put him on the same level as Burnes, personally, but I’m excited to see how people fare with him. After all, he is a 92-rated pitcher with solid 80+ /9 ratings and a 96 pitch clutch rating - bags of fun!

Juan Soto

Rounding off the Rare cards is powerful Yankees hitter Juan Soto, who is particularly lethal against righties. With contact and power stats of 100 and 103, respectively, against right-sided pitchers, you have one of the best in the game in this department. 

Now, it’s worth noting that he doesn’t get the Buxton captain boost, and his fielding is below average for an outfielder. I imagine the only reason you’d play him in the outfield is if you lack better outfielders or if he’s just secured your DH spot.

But Soto being your DH is honestly understandable because his hitting profile is exquisite. He has TEN quirks, including Dead Red and Breaking Ball Hitter, which is always great to see. 

Of course, the big blocker for many players will be the price. But I have to admit, I can’t wait to try him as soon as his price goes down to a reasonable level. He is currently hovering around the 125k stubs mark in the marketplace. 

If you really want a big, strong hitter right now, though, Live Yordan Alvarez is a pretty good alternative. For less than 100k stubs, you get a well-rounded hitter who will arguably bring as much value to your team as Soto.

Free Rookie Mookie Betts

There’s not much to talk about here other than the fact that you get a solid freebie - yay! 

The stats are pretty much in line with what you’d expect from an 85 overall Rookie Mookie Betts card. Aside from the excellent contact, especially against lefties, and the decent fielding, this card doesn’t offer much else. You won’t find any quirks either, which is understandable given that the card depicts Mookie’s rookie season.

Unless you are building a Red Sox theme team, you’ll probably just add this to your Season 1 collection and quietly thank SDS for the Opening Day gift.

For the next four days, you can snap up this rookie card for free from the Show Shop.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I think each player in the Fresh Start Pack could have some kind of short- or long-term play in your team. They are all fun options that definitely feel like an upgrade over the Seoul Series choice pack, so SDS is moving in the right direction. 

Of course, whether you choose to invest in this pack comes down to your playing style. If you’re patiently waiting to get Babe Ruth or just saving up your stubs, you might not feel tempted here. But if you want to have fun with some cracking players, this pack is absolutely worth the shot.

Personally, I really like Chris Sale and Tyler O’Neill from the Base Round. Sale’s funky motion, combined with 99 break on all his pitches, makes him a lean, mean pitching machine. Meanwhile, O’Neill boasts excellent power and defense stats, which will only get better with the Buxton captain boost.

Among the Rare options, Juan Soto stands out to me with his hitting prowess and ten handy quirks. However, if you want an SP instead, Burnes is one of the highest-rated pitchers in the game, and you simply can’t go wrong with him.