Getting Started
MLB The Show 23 - Getting Started Guide for New Players
Welcome to MLB The Show 23! This guide is designed to help brand-new players survive their first hour, understand the basics, and avoid common pitfalls. Whether you're on PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch, we've got you covered.
First Hour Walkthrough (What to Do in Minutes 0–60)
1. Boot up and sign in. Choose your platform account (PSN, Xbox Live, Nintendo Account). The game will prompt you to agree to terms and set online preferences. You can skip online features for now.
2. Main Menu arrival. You'll see a flashy intro video; press any button to skip. The main menu has several tiles: Play, Road to the Show, Diamond Dynasty, March to October, Franchise, Online, Settings, and Store.
3. Start with the tutorial. Go to Play > Exhibition > Settings > Tutorial (or find "Show Tutorial" in the Play menu). The game offers a basic gameplay tutorial covering hitting, pitching, fielding, and baserunning. Complete it – it takes about 10 minutes and teaches the core mechanics.
4. Create your ballplayer (Road to the Show). From the main menu, select Road to the Show (RTTS). You'll be asked to create a character. This is not mandatory for all modes, but it's a great way to learn the game. Spend up to 15 minutes here.
5. Play your first exhibition game. Go to Play > Exhibition. Pick your favorite MLB team (or random) and the computer's team. Choose a difficulty: Dynamic or Rookie is recommended. Play 3 innings to get a feel for controls.
6. Explore Diamond Dynasty (optional). This is The Show's Ultimate Team mode. You can skip it in the first hour, but if you're curious, enter, open your starter packs, and build a basic squad. Don't spend real money yet.
7. Check Settings. Pause the game and go to Settings > Gameplay. Adjust camera: use "Catcher" for hitting, "Outfield" for pitching. Set hitting interface to Directional or Timing (easier than Zone for beginners). Turn on Hitting and Pitching Feedback so you see why you missed.
8. End your first hour by completing one full 9-inning exhibition game on Rookie. Try to get at least one hit and one out. Don't worry about winning.
Character Creation (Road to the Show)
If you choose to play RTTS, you'll be asked to build your ballplayer from scratch:
- Archetype: Pick a position (Pitcher, Catcher, Infielder, Outfielder). Each has different starting attributes.
- Appearance: Customize name, number, face, body type, batting stance, pitching windup. You can import a face scan via the MLB The Show companion app (optional).
- Equipment: Choose bat, glove, cleats, etc. These are cosmetic only but can be upgraded later.
- Attributes: You get a limited number of points to distribute among core stats (Contact, Power, Speed, Arm Strength, Fielding, etc.). For a beginner, balance is better than min-maxing. Put points into Contact and Fielding first.
- Exit creation and start your first RTTS game. You'll play as a minor leaguer. Follow the on-screen prompts for training and game action.
Controls on All Platforms
Below is a simplified reference for the most common actions. We use the Default (Standard) control scheme. If you change controls in settings, these will differ.
#### PlayStation (PS4 / PS5)
| Action | Button |
|---|---|
| Hitting - Swing | Circle |
| Hitting - Contact Swing | Triangle |
| Hitting - Power Swing | Square |
| Pitching - Select pitch | X, Circle, Triangle, Square (each mapped) |
| Pitching - Throw to base | Left stick direction + corresponding button (X=1st, Circle=2nd, Triangle=3rd, Square=Home) |
| Baserunning - Advance all | R1 |
| Baserunning - Return all | L1 |
| Fielding - Throw | Same as pitching throw |
| Dive/Jump | R2 (dive), L2 (jump) |
| Pause | Options button |
| Quick manage (DPAD) | Up: squad, Down: substitutions, Left: mound visit, Right: baserunner advance |
| Action | Button |
|---|---|
| Hitting - Swing | B |
| Hitting - Contact Swing | Y |
| Hitting - Power Swing | X |
| Pitching - Select pitch | A, B, X, Y (mapped) |
| Pitching - Throw to base | Left stick + button (A=1st, B=2nd, X=3rd, Y=Home) |
| Baserunning - Advance all | RB |
| Baserunning - Return all | LB |
| Fielding - Throw | Same as above |
| Dive/Jump | RT (dive), LT (jump) |
| Pause | Menu button (three lines) |
| Quick manage (DPAD) | Up: squad, Down: subs, Left: visit, Right: runner |
| Action | Button |
|---|---|
| Hitting - Swing | A |
| Hitting - Contact Swing | X |
| Hitting - Power Swing | Y |
| Pitching - Select pitch | A, B, X, Y (mapped) |
| Pitching - Throw to base | Left stick + button (A=1st, B=2nd, X=3rd, Y=Home) |
| Baserunning - Advance all | R |
| Baserunning - Return all | L |
| Fielding - Throw | Same as above |
| Dive/Jump | ZR (dive), ZL (jump) |
| Pause | + button |
| Quick manage (DPAD) | Up: squad, Down: subs, Left: visit, Right: runner |
UI Overview
When you're in a game, the HUD (Heads-Up Display) shows:
- Top left: Inning, score, outs, balls/strikes count.
- Top center: Pitcher's pitch count, stamina bar.
- Top right: Batter name, stats, pitcher name.
- Bottom left: Pitching meter (if using meter) or pitch selection wheel.
- Bottom center: Hitting reticle (if Zone hitting) or simple feedback.
- Bottom right: Baserunner icons (circles representing runners).
- During pitching: A feedback area shows ball movement and result.
- During hitting: PCI (Plate Coverage Indicator) circles for Zone hitting; simple arrow for Directional.
- Pause menu: Options to quit, change settings, view substitution, or access quick manage.
- Play: Quick exhibition games, home run derby, online versus, etc.
- Road to the Show: Career mode (create a player and climb the minors).
- Diamond Dynasty: Collect cards, build your ultimate team, play online or offline.
- March to October: Play key moments of a season with a chosen team.
- Franchise: Full season management (control roster, trades, drafts, finances).
- Online: Ranked seasons, Battle Royale, events, and co-op.
- Settings: Adjust gameplay, audio, video, controller, and accessibility.
- Store: Buy Stubs (virtual currency) and packs.
- Play the tutorial.
- Run a few exhibition games on Rookie to get comfortable.
- Adjust camera and difficulty to Dynamic (it adjusts as you improve).
- Create one Road to the Show player to have a save file.
- Open your Diamond Dynasty starter packs (free).
- Avoid Diamond Dynasty online until you have a basic understanding of your players and controls. The competition can be brutal.
- Avoid spending real money on Stubs or packs in the first week. You earn plenty by playing.
- Avoid using Zone hitting initially – it requires precise left stick movement and is hard for beginners. Use Directional or Timing.
- Avoid skipping the baserunning tutorial – it's easy to get out when you don't know how to stop runners.
- Avoid playing on higher difficulties (Veteran, All-Star) until you can consistently hit on Rookie.
- Avoid making many trades in Franchise mode early – stick to exhibition first.
- Completing daily moments and challenges (check the Diamond Dynasty menu).
- Playing games (any mode gives stubs based on performance).
- Selling duplicate cards you get from packs.
- Nothing until you hit 5,000 Stubs. Save up.
- Then buy the Player of the Month pack or Team Affinity packs that give you a strong card for your Diamond Dynasty lineup.
- Alternatively, save 15,000 Stubs for a gold or diamond starter from the marketplace.
- Avoid buying standard packs (like Show packs) – they are lottery tickets. Focus on guaranteed cards.
- Do not invest in equipment for Road to the Show until you reach the majors. Use what you get for free.
- Training Points (RTTS): Spend these on Contact and Vision first – they help you hit more consistently.
- Team Affinity Points: Earn these by playing with players from a specific team. Focus on your favorite team first.
Main Menu tiles explained:
Essential Early Objectives
1. Complete the Tutorial (unlocks basic understanding).
2. Play 3 exhibition games on Rookie – win at least one.
3. Create your Road to the Show player (even if you don't play RTTS yet).
4. Diamond Dynasty: Open starter packs and complete the first two moments (simple challenges) to earn stubs and packs.
5. Earn 1,000 Stubs (in-game currency) via playing games or completing challenges – don't spend them yet.
6. Customize your camera settings to a comfortable view (try Catcher for hitting and Outfield for pitching).
7. Learn to lay off bad pitches – practice with Directional hitting to just make contact.
8. Focus on pitching basics – throw strikes early in the count (use fastball down the middle on Rookie).
What to Do First and What to Avoid
Do First:
Avoid:
Early Resource Priorities
Your main currency is Stubs. Earn them by:
What to spend Stubs on first:
Other resources:
Common Beginner Mistakes
1. Swinging at everything. The #1 mistake. Wait for pitches in the strike zone. On Rookie, the CPU throws strikes often – be patient.
2. Using power swing all the time. Power swing (Circle on PS, B on Xbox) has a smaller sweet spot. Use normal swing (Square/X) most of the time.
3. Not using the left stick for fielding. When fielding, move your fielder with the left stick to the ball. Don't just rely on the game's auto-fielding.
4. Throwing to the wrong base. Check where the lead runner is going. Use the correct button (1st for runner going to 2nd, etc.). Practice in the fielding tutorial.
5. Ignoring baserunners. You can send a runner with R1/RB and stop with L1/LB. Don't let them run automatically – you'll get thrown out.
6. Not adjusting camera. Default camera might make it hard to see pitch location. Change it to Catcher (hitting) and Outfield (pitching) in settings.
7. Spending Stubs on packs early. Packs are gambling. You'll regret it when you get only bronze cards.
8. Skipping the tutorial. The game has many nuances; the tutorial explains pitching meter, baserunning controls, and fielding throws. Don't skip it.
9. Playing online too soon. Online connectivity can be laggy, and opponents exploit your inexperience. At least complete 10 exhibition games first.
10. Not using the practice mode. Go to Play > Practice to hit or pitch without pressure. Spend 10 minutes there daily.
Day-One Checklist
| Task | Completed? |
|---|---|
| [ ] Complete the in-game tutorial (Play > Exhibition > Tutorial) | ~15 min |
| [ ] Play one 3-inning exhibition game on Rookie | ~10 min |
| [ ] Create a Road to the Show player (any position) | ~10 min |
| [ ] Open Diamond Dynasty starter packs (free) | ~5 min |
| [ ] Change camera to Catcher (hitting) and Outfield (pitching) in Settings | ~2 min |
| [ ] Hit one home run in a game (Home Run Derby mode is easiest) | ~10 min |
| [ ] Earn 500 Stubs by completing a daily moment (check Diamond Dynasty > Moments) | ~10 min |
| [ ] Watch one YouTube beginner tutorial for MLB The Show 23 (optional but recommended) | ~15 min |
| [ ] Play one full 9-inning exhibition game on Rookie – try to get 3 hits and 3 strikeouts | ~30 min |
| [ ] Adjust difficulty to Dynamic after the game | ~1 min |
Final advice: Stick with Road to the Show or Exhibition for your first week. Those modes let you grow at your own pace. Once you're comfortable, try Diamond Dynasty offline modes (Conquest, Moments) before jumping into online. Good luck!