MMOEXP-Apple Conquest in MLB The Show 25: Full Map Guide and Secret Rewards

MLB The Show 25 continues to refine and expand its Diamond Dynasty experience, and one of the earliest pieces of single-player content players gravitate toward every year is Conquest. This mode combines strategy-map progression with baseball gameplay, giving fans the chance to earn packs, MLB The Show 25 Stubs, XP, and special player items simply by working their way through themed challenges. The Apple Conquest map, one of the standout early maps for MLB The Show 25, offers an excellent mix of difficulty, replayability, and hidden rewards that many players overlook on their first run.

If you want a head start on Diamond Dynasty without swiping your card or grinding Ranked Seasons, Apple Conquest is one of the best ways to build both your lineup and your inventory early in the game. This guide breaks down everything you need to know: how to dominate the map quickly, the best route to clear territories, and most importantly, all the hidden rewards scattered across the board.

What Is the Apple Conquest Map?

The Apple Conquest map is part of the early-season Diamond Dynasty content in MLB The Show 25. Like other Conquest maps, players must capture enemy territories, steal fans, defend strongholds, and ultimately control the entire board. The Apple theme is a nod to the iconic “Big Apple,” and the map itself features a stylized layout based on a large apple shape with strategic offshoots that hide packs, stubs, and player items.

What makes this map particularly appealing is that it is quick, relatively forgiving for new players, and absolutely packed with hidden rewards. Completing it early gives you a powerful jump on Team Affinity, program progress, and lineup depth without requiring online play.

Best Strategy for Completing the Apple Conquest Map Quickly

Efficiency is key. The most important factor in Conquest is minimizing the number of turns you spend while maintaining enough strength to challenge strongholds without repeated fan-stealing missions.

Step 1: Expand Immediately Toward Nearby Empty Tiles

At the start, your stronghold will be surrounded by several free territories. Use your first few turns to capture these without resistance. This increases your fan generation each turn and builds a strong base for expansion.

Step 2: Focus on One Stronghold at a Time

Apple Conquest features several team strongholds, but not all of them require the same amount of preparation. Conquest veterans typically follow this route:

Expand upward and take the closest stronghold first.

Sweep horizontally across the map, capturing empty tiles while avoiding unnecessary fights.

Move downward or inward to surround enemy strongholds before attacking.

This ensures you keep your fan count high and avoid running into unwinnable matchups.

Step 3: Always Simulate Wisely

While MLB The Show 25 revamped simulation logic slightly, the fundamentals have not changed. Sim victories are more consistent when you:

Attack with at least three times the fans of the defender

Avoid simming stronghold captures

Consolidate your fans before major battles

Human-played games still produce the most reliable results, so save your controller skill for stronghold takeovers.

Step 4: Save the Hardest Stronghold for Last

One corner of the Apple Conquest map usually contains a stronghold with more concentrated enemy fans. It is best to leave this area until you have complete control of the rest of the board. Once you surround the final stronghold and build fan density, the match becomes much easier.

Hidden Rewards in the Apple Conquest Map

As with previous years, MLB The Show 25 packs several mystery rewards into hidden squares across the Apple map. These hidden tiles encourage exploration and ensure that players who fully conquer the board walk away with significantly more than the base rewards.

While SDS may update or adjust exact tile placements during the year, most players will encounter the following categories of hidden bonuses during their run:

Standard Packs

Standard Packs make up the bulk of the Apple Conquest hidden rewards. These packs are extremely valuable early in Diamond Dynasty because even low-tier golds can sell for several thousand stubs during launch weeks.

Ballin' Packs

Ballin' as a Habit packs are premium-level packs that guarantee gold or better. Finding even one or two during your Conquest run can significantly improve your team or give you strong sellable assets.

Team Affinity Progress Items

Some tiles may provide TA vouchers or direct points toward your chosen division programs. This is particularly useful early in the year, as Team Affinity cards are some of the best no-money-required upgrades in MLB The Show 25.

Prospect and Future Stars Cards

A handful of maps in previous versions of the game rewarded themed prospect cards, and MLB The Show 25 continues this trend. These cards may not be high-end, but they boost squad depth and help with collections.

Stubs

Stub drops vary, but they generally range between 300 to 1,000 stubs per tile. Combined with pack pulls, this can easily add up to several thousand stubs from one full clear.

XP Boosts and Program Progress

The Apple Conquest map also contributes directly to your Season 1 Program XP and other limited-time events. Even a single clear can push you significantly further along your reward track.

Tips for Maximizing Your Rewards

Finishing the Conquest map is only part of the value. If you want every pack and every possible advantage:

Complete the Entire Map, Not Just Strongholds

Capturing every tile is the only way to uncover all hidden rewards. Rushing straight for strongholds may speed up the process, but you will sacrifice dozens of packs and thousands of stubs.

Use Conquest as a Warm-Up for Ranked or Battle Royale

Conquest games are short, focused, and low-pressure. They are ideal for warming up your hitting eye, practicing pitching patterns, and adjusting your timing before jumping into online play.

Replay the Map Later for Additional Progress

While hidden rewards do not respawn, the Apple Conquest map still awards XP and seasonal program progress every time you complete it. Replaying it during double XP events is an efficient grind.

Pair Conquest Progress with Daily and Inning Missions

Many missions require hits, strikeouts, home runs, or innings with specific card types. Conquest is the easiest environment to grind these while also earning packs.

Why Apple Conquest Is Worth Completing Early

MLB The Show veterans understand that early progress in Diamond Dynasty has a cascading effect. Completing the Apple Conquest map in the first days or weeks gives players several advantages:

A boosted overall team rating

A wider pool of sellable cards to fund upgrades

Faster access to Team Affinity rewards

Early XP that pushes you ahead on the seasonal program

A strong inventory foundation for collections

Because Conquest costs no stubs, requires no online play, and scales smoothly for new players, it remains one of the most efficient early-game grinds in MLB The Show 25.

Final Thoughts

The Apple Conquest map in MLB The Show 25 is more than just a simple single-player challenge. It is a crucial stepping stone for every Diamond Dynasty player who wants to build a competitive squad without dropping money or relying on online matchmaking. Packed with hidden rewards, stubs, packs, and XP, this map offers tremendous value for the time invested.

Whether you are a casual fan looking to flesh out your roster or buy MLB The Show Stubs a dedicated Diamond Dynasty grinder pushing for an early collection advantage, clearing the Apple Conquest map early will pay dividends throughout the entire season.