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Check out the best hitters and aces you should add to your team before Opening Day
Author:
Joshua Khan
Publish date:
Sony
Check out the best hitters and aces you should add to your team before Opening Day
Spring is finally upon us and so is MLB The Show 23. San Diego Studio’s dedication to the grind lives on as The Show 23 is a perennial sports title that is built a bit different with new cover stars (Jazz Chisholm Jr., Derek Jeter), new legends (Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa), updates to both fielding attributes and animations, a new “Storylines” mode that introduces eight Negro League players and their stories, and a reworked Diamond Dynasty mode that’s all about theme teams.
This year’s edition of Diamond Dynasty taps into Sets and Seasons and the concept of earning progress towards 95-99 overall players all year long, and their first program puts an international twist on card collecting with the 2023 World Baseball Classic. The new World Baseball Classic Program features new Moments, a themed Conquest map, national uniform items, “Around The World” packs, and flashback player items that can be earned through Events, Ranked Seasons, and LTDs such as Chase Pack Set One – including Japan’s Yu Darvish, Venezuela’s Salvador Perez, Team USA’s Trea Turner and Mookie Betts, and this year’s WBC MVP Shohei Ohtani.
The inclusion of the World Baseball Classic adds 100+ players from over 20 different countries, so here’s a quick cheat sheet on the best hitters and aces you should add before Opening Day.
MLB The Show 23: Best WBC Cards
Cristian Javier (SP) – Dominican Republic
After pitching the third no-hitter in MLB postseason history and agreeing to a five-year, $65 million extension with the Houston Astros, Javier earned his first World Baseball Classic win – throwing four scoreless innings versus Nicaragua. “El Reptil” is known for being cold-blooded, with a 3.05 ERA in 78 career MLB appearances, and his 95 overall card is a must due to Outlier I and Break Outlier pitching quirks that go hand-in-hand with a 99 break rating on both his fastball and slider.
Devin Williams (CP) – Team USA
The Missouri native was in midseason form for Team USA as the Brewers’ reliever struck out six in 3.1 innings – with two Ks against Japan in the championship game. His 99 OVR WBC card is one of five boss cards in the Season 1 XP Reward Path and while his pitch mix doesn’t feature a sinker or a circle-change, it does include a screwball that’s designed to imitate his gravity-defying changeup, “The Airbender”. The best part? Williams rocks max 125 H/9 and 125 pitching clutch.
Francisco Lindor (SS) – Puerto Rico
Francisco Lindor is still doing Francisco Lindor things. The 29-year-old vet recorded 26 HRs, 107 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases for the Mets in 2022 before hitting .450 in the World Baseball Classic, with an inside-the-park home run against the Dominican Republic. Lindor’s switch bat is glitchier than ever and his 99 OVR is fitted with hitting that tops 100 at Parallel Three, a diamond fielding badge at three positions (SS/2B/3B), and active quirks such as Pinch Hitter and Road Warrior.
Harry Ford (C) – Great Britain
Two weeks removed from his 20th birthday, Mariners prospect “Sir” Harry Ford led Great Britain in their first appearance in the World Baseball Classic and mashed two home runs as a tribute to his parents’ heritage. Ford has everything you want in a catcher – contact, power, and a high clutch rating – but his speed (81) and arm strength (88) make him an A+ option at his position.
Kensuke Kondoh (RF) – Japan
The No. 2 hitter for Samurai Japan set the table for his teammates (Ohtani, Yoshida) and created offense on his own, hitting .346 with four doubles and eight walks. The f*ckuoka SoftBank Hawks outfielder is renowned for recording more walks (609) than strikeouts (567) in an 11-year span in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and his debut card in The Show 23 makes him a versatile threat who can play six different positions. Kondoh could use more power, but his swing plays.
Ketel Marte (2B) – Dominican Republic
“The Pike'' was limited to just eight at-bats in March’s World Baseball Classic – including an RBI double against Israel – and while his career has been plagued by hamstring injuries, his swing is sweeter than dulce frío. Marte’s WBC card rivals last year’s 2nd Half Heroes Headliner with 125 contact against lefties, 118 vision and 114 clutch, and fielding that adds flexibility at 2B/SS/OF.
Mike Trout (CF) – Team USA
Mike Trout is still your favourite baseball player’s favourite baseball player. After quietly launching 40 home runs in less than 120 games in 2022, the 31-year-old legend fulfilled his role as captain of the United States and placed second on the team with seven RBIs in seven games – including a three-run blast against Canada. A 99 OVR Trout is hard to come by and this Team USA one is special with 125 power against righties, 95 speed, and fielding that hits diamond at Parallel Five.
Munetaka Murakami (3B) – Japan
Formally known as the “Babe Ruth of Higo”, Murakami-sama is as the best non-MLB power hitter in the world as he knocked 56 home runs in 141 games for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. The 23-year-old’s bat never really cooled off in the World Baseball Classic – as he hit a walk-off, two-run double against Mexico and launched a first-pitch solo shot against USA – and his debut in The Show matches it with 125 power against righties and lefties.
Nicky Lopez (3B) – Italy
The 28-year-old Royals infielder repped Italia to the fullest, slashing .474/.524/.632 in five games with seven RBIs and a stolen base. Lopez is a bit of a wildcard due to other options at third and second (Gio Urshela, Yoan Moncada), but his 108 vision is a bonus for contact builds and even though it’s still early on, he’s one of two WBC cards with diamond fielding (90+) at 3B/2B/SS.
Nolan Arenado (3B) – Team USA
Fact: Nolan Arenado absolutely rakes. The perennial NL MVP candidate and 10-time Gold Glove Award winner hit .293 with 30 home runs, 42 doubles, and 103 RBI for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2022 and followed up his run with a tournament-leading 10 hits before leaving the WBC after an injury via hit-by-pitch. His offensive attributes and speed are low for third base, but his ferocious swing plays above with quirks like Dead Red, Unfazed, Fighter, Stopper, and First-Pitch Hitter.
Randy Arozarena (LF) – Mexico
Randy Arozarena is indeed him. The Tampa Bay Rays outfielder dubbed “Playoff Randy” etched his place in WBC history after electing to represent Mexico and stealing hearts with highlight reel grabs, big game doubles, cowboy boots, and a celebration like no other. His 99 OVR card is the final reward in The Show 23’s World Baseball Classic Program and it locks down left field with power against lefties, quirks such as First-Pitch Hitter, and diamond fielding at LF, CF, and RF.
Robinson Cano (2B) – Dominican Republic
“Don’t You Know?” still has one of the prettiest swings in baseball and his new 97 overall card for República Dominicana is proof. The 40-year-old didn’t see much action in this year’s tournament with two at-bats in two games, but his WBC card is a lite version of his 2010 Retro Finest Series – pinning favored hitting splits (114/91, 98/96) to a glove that’s gold everywhere at Parallel One.
Roki Sasaki (SP) – Japan
As baseball fans already know, Roki Sasaki is a wizard on the mound. The 21-year-old starter for NPB’s Chiba Lotte Marines threw a perfect game on April 10th, 2022 – tying the league record for strikeouts (19) while setting a new one for consecutive Ks (13) – and his dexterity carried over to the WBC as Sasaki’s appetite for 100 mph fastballs steered Japan to their third championship in tournament history. He wasn’t as dominant as he’s been, but his first 99 OVR in MLB The Show is as it pairs 109 H/9 and 112 pitching clutch with 99 break on his sinker, four-seam, and forkball.
Yu Chang (1B) – Chinese Taipei
As a native of Taiwan, Red Sox infielder Yu Chang found a groove at the World Baseball Classic, hitting .438 with two home runs and eight RBIs while being named Pool A’s Most Valuable Player. Chinese Taipei’s breakout star earned his roster spot for MLB Opening Day and his WBC card pays homage to his versatility with 104 clutch, 81 speed, and diamond fielding at Parallel Two.
