Protect Your MVPs: Untouchable Players in MLB The Show 26

Understanding the “Untouchable” Status

How It Works:
Each team can mark up to 20 players as Untouchable. Once tagged, the AI will rarely, if ever, accept a normal trade for these players. However, this status isn’t permanent. It changes over the season depending on team standings, strategy, and roster needs.

Cost of Acquisition:
If you try to trade for an Untouchable player, be ready to give up a massive package of top prospects. The game makes it clear that these players are the core of a franchise.

Player Strategy:
As a user, you can also tag your stars as Untouchable to prevent the CPU from including them in multi-player trade proposals or lowball offers. This is especially important for protecting young, high-potential players or veteran superstars.

Top Untouchable Players in Franchise Mode

The CPU usually protects these players because of their high trade value, youth, and long-term potential:

Player Team Why They’re Untouchable
Shohei Ohtani Dodgers Dual-threat superstar; elite hitting and pitching utility.
Paul Skenes Pirates Young ace with 90+ OVR and “A” potential.
Bobby Witt Jr. Royals Perfect 5-tool shortstop with long-term simulation value.
Aaron Judge Yankees Cover athlete with the highest hitting ratings in the game.
Konnor Griffin Pirates No. 1 overall prospect; often untouchable at franchise start.
Tarik Skubal Tigers Reigning AL Cy Young winner; top-rated Live Series starter.
Tips for Managing Untouchables
Watch the Rumor Board:
Use the Trade Hub to track players who might lose their Untouchable status if their team becomes a “seller” before the July 31st trade deadline.
Target Non-Top 100 Prospects:
Most Top 100 prospects start the season untouchable, but many are added to the trade block in the first few weeks. Focus on these for realistic trade opportunities.
Use All 4 Trade Slots:
Trades now take several in-game days to process. Send multiple offers at once to maximize your chances of landing high-value players while waiting for responses.
Protect Your Core:
Tag your young stars and top veterans as Untouchable to avoid accidental trade inclusion. This helps maintain a strong, competitive roster over multiple seasons.

In MLB The Show 26, understanding Untouchables is critical for building a dominant franchise. Protect your MVPs, watch the trade market carefully, and make strategic offers. Master this mechanic, and your team will stay stacked for years to come.