MLB The Show 19 Diamond Dynasty Ratings Predictions for August 16 Update

Every other Friday, San Diego Studio pumps out a new batch of content for Diamond Dynasty, highlighted by a roster update altering the ratings of player cards in MLB The Show 19. Diamond Dynasty players have become accustomed to investing in players that they believe are in for a ratings bump in the hopes of flipping those cards after the update for major stub gains.

The players listed in this article are by no means guaranteed to get ratings bumps on Friday, but given their current production on the field they are strong candidates for consideration.

Ratings are represented by an aggregate representation of a player’s production over two calendar years. For that reason, two or three weeks of solid performance won’t guarantee a bump, but it does not hurt.

In this series, we will highlight six players, three pitchers and three hitters, most deserving to get ratings upgrades. Only players making the jump from one tier to another (bronze to silver, silver to gold, or gold to diamond) will be showcased. In general, players jumping from one tier to the next is where investment gains are most prominent.

I will try to stay away from repeating the same players in projections on a bi-weekly basis.

Two weeks ago, I hit 83 percent of my picks (five out of six). Still looking for that immaculate week!

Pitchers

Bronze To Silver

• Chase Anderson – Milwaukee Brewers RHP
• Prediction: 74 Bronze to 75 Silver

Anderson is one of the more underrated pitchers of the 2019 campaign. The Brewers have had a difficult time pitching this season, but Anderson is not one of the warts.

Since June 26, Anderson is sporting a 2.63 ERA and a very impressive 1.04 WHIP. His season ERA of 3.70 holds weight as well.

Anderson doesn’t get a ton of respect from SDS in K/9 or HR/9, though both have been very impressive in 2019. He’s allowed just six home runs over his last 57 innings pitched, and his 8.49 K/9 represent a career high.

Anderson should see noticeable bumps in both areas, and a jump to silver this week.

Silver To Gold

• Sonny Gray – Cincinnati Reds SP
• Prediction: 79 Silver to 80 Gold

I’m going back to back, here.

Sonny Gray’s numbers continue to plummet, even with the upgrade he received two weeks ago. His ERA is down 0.19 points since the last update. In the 13 innings he’s pitched since August 2, Gray has allowed zero earned runs and struck out 14 batters. He’s given up just six hits and his WHIP during that time is a minuscule 1.00.

Gray has clearly developed back into a gold-tier pitcher and should be rewarded as such. The Cincinnati Reds did a masterful job of acquiring the pitcher after his struggles with New York, though he’s made it clear the time in the Big Apple is not representative of the pitcher he is.

Gray should see another small bump in H/9 and K/9 this week, jumping him up a tier into that gold designation.

Gold To Diamond

• Luis Castillo SP
• Prediction: 82 Gold to 85 Diamond

This is a pretty brutal week to predict a gold to diamond jump for any given pitcher, but if I were to make a stretch prediction, Castillo would be my guy. If not this week, most certainly by the end of the year.

Castillo has sneakily been one of the best pitchers in the National League this year that nobody is talking about. His 2.69 ERA represents one of the best in all of baseball this year for starting pitchers, and his 172 strikeouts in 143 innings represent the elite of the elite.

Castillo’s stuff is absolutely nasty, but with that comes walks. His 66 walks in 143 innings is not very strong. One could say he’s effectively wild in that sense. For this exercise, given the strength of every other category, we’re going to say he gets the bumps necessary for gem status.

I’ll predict a +8 to H/9 and a +8 to K/9 this week, jumping Castillo to an 85 overall.

Hitters

Bronze To Silver

• Gio Urshela – New York Yankees 3B
• Prediction – 74 Bronze to 77 Silver

Urshela has undoubtedly been one of the biggest surprises of the 2019 MLB season. Now slashing .328/.373/.587, Urshela has reinvented himself by improving on literally every statistical category of his career averages. In fact, Urshela has been so good some are clamoring for the Yankees to use Miguel Andujar as a trade chip this offseason to acquire pitching.

Regardless of what happens, Urshela has earned himself a big pay day after this season, wherever he ends up playing as he is due to become a free agent.

Urshela will receive a big bump in PWR vs. R on this next update, and should receive a sizable bump in CON vs. L and PWR vs. L as well. He’s a legitimate 3B and will be awarded by SDS as such.

Silver To Gold

• Trey Mancini – Baltimore Orioles LF
• Prediction: 78 Silver to 80 Gold

I can easily see Mancini jumping two spots to a gold card this week. This would give Baltimore its first gold card all season, which is, well, something — but not entirely surprising.

Mancini is hitting .289 vs right-handed pitching and is really mashing the ball. It’s not too difficult to imagine Mancini receiving a bump in the VIS category, as well as a well-earned bump in PWR vs. R. His 27 home runs this year are going to lead to a new career high, and his .344 OBP is also a new bar for his career.

Gold To Diamond

• Trevor Story – Colorado Rockies SS
• Prediction: 84 Gold to 85 Diamond

Many have been waiting all season for Trevor Story to go diamond, and I believe this is the week we see it happen.

Since the August 2 roster update, Story has been mashing the hell out of the ball. His .325/.386/.775 slash over the last two weeks is gaudy, and his four home runs and nine extra-base hits speak for themselves.

Story didn’t get much love when defensive ratings were adjusted four weeks back, but he could still use a bump considering his massive defensive improvements in 2019. His PWR vs. L is still too low given his performance this season. I would expect a bump to diamond this week, and he should stay there for the foreseeable future.