MLB The Show 24 has revealed its cover star, and it’s none other than Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays.
The first baseman/designated hitter is a three-time Major League Baseball All-Star after debuting as a 20-year-old in 2019. He’s totaled 130 home runs in his first five years in the league, all of which have been spent with Toronto.
The announcement of the cover star was made on MLB The Show’s Twitch channel, which featured a video of San Diego Studio’s Ramone Russell heading to the Dominican Republic with former player David Ortiz to meet up with “Vladito” to confirm the cover star.
Vladi Jr. joins his father, Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, as cover athletes for baseball video games. His papa was on the cover of MLB 2006, the final entry in the original franchise before the switch to The Show later that season.
Guerrero Jr. grew up in MLB clubhouses with his father, who played 16 seasons for four different teams, most notably the Montreal Expos and Los Angeles Angels. He was often seen in his father’s uniform as a small child on-field before games, swinging bats and playing catch for all to see.
The reaction to Vlad being the cover star was met with a tepid response in both the livestream chat and on social media. Guerrero had a “down” season in 2023, yet still slugged 26 homers and knocked in 94 runs while being named to his third straight All-Star Game in July.
Many fans on social media were hoping to see other young superstars like Juan Soto of the New York Yankees, Julio Rodriguez of the Seattle Mariners, or Ronald Acuña Jr. of the Atlanta Braves on the cover. But Vladito ended up winning the honor for this year.
MLB The Show 24 will officially be released on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch on March 19.
