Whether you're brand new to MLB The Show 25 Stubs the mode or looking to improve your NMS squad, here are the best strategies for building a competitive Diamond Dynasty team without dropping a dime beyond the cost of the game.

1. Prioritize Programs and Team Affinity

The heart of a no-money-spent grind lies in Diamond Dynasty's Programs and Team Affinity (TA). These are regularly updated content pipelines loaded with missions, Moments, and reward paths that offer free, high-quality players, many of whom are strong enough to stay in your lineup well into the season.

Some standouts from early Programs include:

Christian Moore (Pipeline Series, 82 OVR)- A versatile infielder with a strong bat, obtainable just by completing a few Moments.
Leodalis De Vries (Spring Breakout, 87 OVR)- A top-tier switch-hitting infielder you get by collecting other Spring Breakout players. A true community favorite.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Tokyo Series)- A free ace with a great pitch mix and solid stamina, available by completing the Tokyo Series program.

In Team Affinity, you'll find more free gems, including bullpen help and big bats:

John Franco (Mets)- A lefty reliever with a screwball and excellent splits vs. left-handers.
Justin Martinez (Diamondbacks)- A flamethrower with an outlier sinker, splitter, and slider.
Babe Ruth (Yankees)- An 85 OVR Babe Ruth with excellent hitting stats and quirks, available for free just by buy MLB The Show 25 Stubs grinding the Yankees' TA path.