Players who play above their overall rating are a thing in every sports video game. This is adjacent to the topic of “players who are way better in video games than real life” (the Gerald Green All-Stars if you will), but for this concept of hidden gems takes on added meaning in MLB The Show 24 due to the length of a baseball season.
This topic has currently started to pop up on the MLB The Show 24 forum, and the idea is hidden gems who play above their overall either in a simulation or during games. It’s fitting that OS user Bris_Celtic started the topic because he was asking in relation to a fresh Oakland Athletics franchise that they just started. Even if you can sign way higher quality players than you’d think as the Athletics during the first offseason, it’s fun to stay with the concept of being a low-budget squad.
OS user DonkeyJote kicked off the thread by not even mentioning someone on his team, but rather a player who always seems to dominate in his franchises in The Show. For DonkeyJote, this is Anthony Santander. The 29-year-old switch hitter certainly checks the box as someone rocking an OPS of.651 in real life and a .761 OPS lifetime.
Every year of this game for me, Anthony Santander plays amazing for other teams. I think it was in ’22, he had a fairly low overall but still absolutely raked for the Red Sox. So far in my franchise this year, he’s got an OPS over 1.000 for the O’s.
OS user jcar0725 came through with one name each at a couple positions:
SS Diego Castillo
3B Dane Myers
2B Isan Diaz
3B Edwin Rios
CF Taylor Trammell
Of that group, Edwin Rios and Diego Castillo were echoed by others. For Rios in particular this makes sense because arguably he’s just a platoon option, but he has just enough power to potentially be sneaky good either in a simulation or while using him.
OS user FSanchez12 mentions J.P. Crawford as another middle infield option (fitting considering the username), and I think he’s almost on the edge of not being a sleeper in terms of name recognition and past pedigree, but he’s still just in the 70s as an overall.
I’ve had JP Crawford on my Nashville Stars Franchise team and he has been nothing short of awesome. Great swing, hitting well above his average for me.
One name I was happy to see pop up was Dominic Fletcher. The brother of David Fletcher, it’s funny to me that Dominic makes some lists because David Fletcher has always played above his ratings for me as well.
Dominic Fletcher for the White Sox. He’s been killing it for me, I’m in 2028 with my franchise and he’s an A potential. Dude is super consistent hits right below .300 about 20 homers every year, won a gold glove and mashes right-handed pitching.
OS user overheadthree
OS user GAMEBREAKER85 popped into the thread to echo J.P. Crawford, then put forth Ramon Urias before mentioning the opposite end of the spectrum.
I was thinking about this the other day about how this game just loves some guys even though their ratings aren’t that great. Ramon Urias in MLB 22 & 23 was always in the top of the league in Avg./Hits. On the opposite end, the sim engines absolutely HATE Bobby Witt of KC. His first two years they hated him, and this year it’s doing the same.
One final name to make the list and be mentioned by multiple people was Harold Ramirez. Diamond Dynasty players probably already know the power of Harold Ramirez, but that aura seems to carry into franchise mode as well.
As for my own personal list, the all-time player for me on the list is Juan Uribe, but in the current times, Jonathan Schoop still rakes in ’24. Schoop had a couple very good seasons in Baltimore back near the start of his career, but he is currently an MLB The Show 24 free agent. He remains quite good for me, and a more bat-first middle infielder just tends to work better in a video game than it does in real life.
Feel free to stop by the thread and keep adding names to the list.
