It is a great honor to be considered the face of baseball. And that is indeed a feeling Los Angeles Angels superstar, Shohei Ohtani, expressed as he was made the cover athlete for MLB The Show 22. With his performance, the decision to make Ohtani the face of MLB The Show 22 is indeed warranted. But now, we’re all wondering who would be the next cover athlete for MLB The Show 23?
1. Gerrit Cole
If the next MLB The Show cover is going to feature a pitcher, then the obvious choice would have to be the New York Yankees’ own Gerrit Cole. He seems like the next logical choice after Ohtani. Cole is just having the best season of his career. The former 2nd overall pick already went to the All-Star game in just his second year on the Yankees.
With his impressive starts, he has already proven that he is one of the best pitchers in baseball. In fact, Cole is currently the highest-paid pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was also one of only three starting pitchers to average at least 97 miles per hour on his fastball in season 2020.
2. Juan Soto
Another very good candidate for the next MLB The Show 23 cover athlete would be Nationals’ outfielder, Juan Soto. He is the very future of the game, being the youngest player to join the major leagues. He was a top prospect who just wasn’t given that much power, but he proved everyone wrong this season.
With his home runs, he contributed to helping the Nationals reach the World Series. He dominated the competition in his rookie season, becoming a three-time Rookie of the Month winner and finishing second in the Rookie of the Year voting.
3. Nolan Arenado
Another strong contender for the next MLB The Show 23 cover would be Rockies superstar, Nolan Arenado. He has long been one of the best players in the league, and he has been in the conversation for the best third baseman in all of baseball.
He also has been consistently producing year after year, so he does have the numbers to back himself up, plus his stellar defense. If there’s anything that can rival his hitting ability, it’s his stellar defense. And with his consistent MVP-caliber play, it has been a long time coming for him to be chosen as the next cover athlete.
4. Mookie Betts
Another strong contender for the next cover athlete would be former Boston Red Sox superstar and current Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder, Mookie Betts. He has been consistent in his MVP-caliber play this season and he even won the American League Most Valuable Player award. With his batting, his fielding, and his ability to get on base, he’s sure to be a great contender for the next face of baseball.
Final Thoughts
The next MLB The Show 23 cover athlete will have a lot to live up to since Shohei Ohtani was a huge success last year. It’s no easy feat to follow such an amazing player. But if anyone’s going to be the MLB The Show 23 cover athlete, then it’s bound to be one of the amazing players that made it onto this list. And with their stats and performance, they sure do deserve it.
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