While scouts are always searching for pitchers, it's actually catchers who find the hottest market in baseball. There are very few stars at the position and, currently, most teams find themselves rotating between players just to try and fill the position in MLB The Show 23.
Gamers who play catcher will find that nearly every team wants them. This gives catchers an enviable outlook compared to most other positions in MLB The Show 23. Gamers get to choose which team can take them the furthest.
Houston Astros
|
Position |
Rating Of Best Player |
|
Starting Pitcher 1 |
87 |
|
Starting Pitcher 2 |
85 |
|
Starting Pitcher 3 |
84 |
|
Starting Pitcher 4 |
79 |
|
Starting Pitcher 5 |
76 |
|
Relief Pitcher |
77 |
|
Closing Pitcher |
85 |
|
Catcher |
70 |
|
First Baseman |
83 |
|
Second Baseman |
93 |
|
Third Baseman |
84 |
|
Shortstop |
83 |
|
Left Fielder |
94 |
|
Center Fielder |
81 |
|
Right Fielder |
90 |
There is no better team than the Astros for a catcher and it's not particularly close. Their catcher at 70 is very low but the rest of the starters are a minimum of 76. This is one of the best teams in baseball and they just won the World Series.
The only reason not to play for this team as a catcher is if players don't like the team. That's perfectly reasonable, after the cheating scandal, they're not well-regarded by any fans outside of Houston. Still, if it's all about talent and fit, this is the ideal team to play for.
Cleveland Guardians
|
Position |
Rating Of Best Player |
|
Starting Pitcher 1 |
89 |
|
Starting Pitcher 2 |
82 |
|
Starting Pitcher 3 |
78 |
|
Starting Pitcher 4 |
75 |
|
Starting Pitcher 5 |
72 |
|
Relief Pitcher |
80 |
|
Closing Pitcher |
93 |
|
Catcher |
74 |
|
First Baseman |
76 |
|
Second Baseman |
86 |
|
Third Baseman |
94 |
|
Shortstop |
80 |
|
Left Fielder |
76 |
|
Center Fielder |
72 |
|
Right Fielder |
77 |
The Guardians could use some help at starting pitcher for their fifth spot and at center field but the rest of this squad is 75 or better. This is a smaller ball club but that can be part of the charm; it's a fairly complete team that could use a superstar in a bad way.
The existing catcher isn't the worst, just slightly below average, but with the rest of this team mostly above average, Cleveland will be happy to call up somebody who can be one of the league's few powerhouse catchers.
Los Angeles Angels
|
Position |
Rating Of Best Player |
|
Starting Pitcher 1 |
99 |
|
Starting Pitcher 2 |
83 |
|
Starting Pitcher 3 |
78 |
|
Starting Pitcher 4 |
76 |
|
Starting Pitcher 5 |
76 |
|
Relief Pitcher |
76 |
|
Closing Pitcher |
67 |
|
Catcher |
70 |
|
First Baseman |
82 |
|
Second Baseman |
74 |
|
Third Baseman |
77 |
|
Shortstop |
74 |
|
Left Fielder |
81 |
|
Center Fielder |
99 |
|
Right Fielder |
86 |
The Angels are one of the teams that need a quality closer but they'll settle for a hitter that can put up runs and negate the need for a reliever. The catcher, at a 70, is one of the league's worst, meaning players will get called up early on in Road to the Show.
Afterward, this player will join Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout, two of the best ever at their positions. With a catcher that makes waves at the plate, it won't take much to finally bring these deserving players the title they've deserved in Los Angeles.
New York Mets
|
Position |
Rating Of Best Player |
|
Starting Pitcher 1 |
98 |
|
Starting Pitcher 2 |
96 |
|
Starting Pitcher 3 |
78 |
|
Starting Pitcher 4 |
78 |
|
Starting Pitcher 5 |
76 |
|
Relief Pitcher |
79 |
|
Closing Pitcher |
92 |
|
Catcher |
72 |
|
First Baseman |
90 |
|
Second Baseman |
82 |
|
Third Baseman |
75 |
|
Shortstop |
89 |
|
Left Fielder |
72 |
|
Center Fielder |
80 |
|
Right Fielder |
81 |
The Mets have two 72 players, one of which is a catcher, and the rest of the team is a dominant 75 or better. New York is ranked first in contact and second in pitching, so this is a team that really just needs a quality catcher to become nearly unbeatable.
Sluggers will love what New York offers. The Mets are below average in power. Since they've got the best contact in the league, catchers here will get more at-bats with runners on base than in any other situation. Players that want to make a run at the RBI title can find no better spot. And New York could use a consistent player to quell the off-season drama in baseball this year.
San Diego Padres
|
Position |
Rating Of Best Player |
|
Starting Pitcher 1 |
86 |
|
Starting Pitcher 2 |
86 |
|
Starting Pitcher 3 |
84 |
|
Starting Pitcher 4 |
76 |
|
Starting Pitcher 5 |
75 |
|
Relief Pitcher |
77 |
|
Closing Pitcher |
85 |
|
Catcher |
70 |
|
First Baseman |
79 |
|
Second Baseman |
76 |
|
Third Baseman |
95 |
|
Shortstop |
86 |
|
Left Fielder |
88 |
|
Center Fielder |
74 |
|
Right Fielder |
77 |
The Padres have a team full of 74+ players outside of their flat 70 catcher. Gamers who fill this spot will immediately join a team that is gunning for a title. The Padres are in the top half of the league in all five major categories: contact, power, speed, defense, and pitching.
The game needs a captain like Derek Jeter and the Padres could use someone with that same energy from the catcher position. Players that take their services to San Diego will find that the Padres go from playoff hopefuls to World Series inevitables.
MLB The Show 23 is available now for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.