MLB The Show 24 comprehensive guide to hitting: Controls, tips, more

MLB The Show 24 has arrived, and that means a new game to master. Hitting in MLB The Show 24 can be complex, especially for those new to the series or new to baseball in general. With that said, here’s a look at what you need to know about improving your hitting game in MLB The Show 24, including controls and tips.

Controls

Before we go over any hitting tips for MLB The Show 24, let’s look at the controls. However, be mindful that the hitting controls outlined above are for Zone, which is our recommended interface for MLB The Show 24:

Left Analog Stick: Controls the PCI
LS/L3: Control PCI Anchor
A/X (Xbox/PlayStation): Normal Swing
B/Circle: Contact Swing
X/Square: Power Swing

Because Contact Swing helps cover more of the plate, a good idea for beginners or those just getting the hang of Zone to use A/X on no and one-strike counts, and then pivot to B/Circle for two-strike counts.

Also, don’t be afraid to use the PCI Anchor. The Anchor is a series of dots where the user can tap and hold LS/L3 and then move the PCI default position to a specific spot in the strike zone.

It can be very helpful, especially when it comes to tendencies, which we’ll get to in a bit.

How do pitches move?

Now, let’s get into the tips for hitting in MLB The Show 24. But, our first tip has nothing to do with swinging the bat. Rather, it has to do with pitches.

To improve at the plate, it’s important to recognize pitches. But, every pitch type moves differently.

So, here’s a breakdown of how each moves:

Four-Seam Fastball: Four-seam fastballs generally run in a straight line. Fastballs are mainly used up in the zone but can also be thrown away and low on some occasions to tunnel secondary offerings.
Sinker/Two-Seamer: While sinkers and two-seamers are nearly identical — and are characterized as such by Statcast — both of these pitches carry differences in MLB The Show 24. Two-seamers run arm-side, while a sinker does that and breaks down.
Cutter: Cut fastballs have nearly the same velocity as a four-seam fastball. However, a cutter moves glove-side and doesn’t have much depth. Cutters are mainly used to jam opposite-sided hitters in on the hands.
Changeup/Splitter: These are categorized as offspeed pitches. Both differ in velocity with sinkers and four-seamers, as changeups and splitters have lower pitch speeds. Changeups move to the arm side and down. Expect to see changeups and splitters down, which are heavily used in opposite-sided (i.e. RHP vs. LHH) battles. However, some could use those pitches up to surprise.
Curveball/Sweeping Curve/Knuckle Curve: A curveball is a breaking ball with depth and breaks down significantly. These pitches vary in terms of velocity but many pitches will throw one about 15-20 MPH less than the fastball.
Slider/Slurve: Sliders are different, as compared to cutters. While sliders do move glove-side like cutters, these are breaking balls and have more depth and downward movement. Sliders are generally used against same-sided hitters (i.e. RHP vs. RHH).
Knuckleball: In real life, a knuckleball is a pitch with little spin and moves very erratically, almost like it’s dancing. Knuckleballs are very difficult to pick up and predict. Virtually no pitcher in the game, aside from Matt Waldron and Hall of Famer Phil Niekro, has it.
Screwball: Screwballs break clockwise, unlike curveballs and sliders. Don’t expect to see screwballs often but some pitchers, like Devin Williams — who doesn’t throw one in real life but has it to mimic his changeup — do.

For many years, sinkers, cutters, sliders, and four-seam fastballs that can hit upwards of 100 MPH thanks to Outlier have been the meta in MLB The Show.

That’s virtually the case in The Show 24. Thus, those who want to play online should get comfortable with seeing these pitches with regularity.

How to improve control of the PCI

One major issue that could arise — and we speak from experience, given that we at one point were beginners — while at the plate is dropping the PCI by going down too much on the stick.

Part of the reason could be just because you’re getting fooled by a pitch that moves down, like a sinker or changeup. Or, it could be just a control issue with the analog stick.

There are a couple of ways to combat this. One is simply getting practice in against pitches with hard, downward movement. Another option is to position the PCI in the lower half of the zone before getting ready to swing.

Doing the latter is beneficial for several reasons. One, parking the PCI indicator up could block seeing the release point of the pitcher. Hitters should hone in on the release point at all costs, to better react to the pitch.

Second, it can make squaring up sinkers, as well as any breaking and offspeed pitches in the lower half of the zone, easier.

Yes, this might take some adjustments, especially when it comes to reacting to fastballs up. But, it’s something to consider.

Watch out for pitcher tendencies

This is a critical point, especially when playing on Hall of Fame or higher.

Now, this point doesn’t matter too much in single-player action. When going up against the AI, it’s very easy to park the PCI in a specific spot and just wait. But in online play, it matters.

The reason is because on Hall of Fame difficulty or higher, pitches play up faster — much faster. And if you don’t believe us, go into Practice mode and see for yourself.

Keying on tendencies, like seeing a fastball in every first pitch of an at-bat or a backfoot slider on every two-strike count, can make it much easier to hit.

Why? Well, let’s get back to what was stated two paragraphs ago. Fastballs play up at higher difficulties, making those pitches tougher to square up. If an opponent does a good job of mixing pitches, it can lead to someone being in between their timing. But if there’s predictability involved, it makes it easier to know what’s coming

If an opposing player gets too predictable, it’s okay to cheat every now and then with the PCI. Just be cautious and relax.

Don’t be afraid to take pitches

Look, we get it. It’s fun to jump on the first pitch and ambush the opposing pitcher. However, it’s not practical in many instances.

Working the opposing player and making their pitcher throw — and in turn, use up stamina — will lead to an energy loss and an increased PCI.

Don’t go after every first pitch.

Practice, practice, practice

The last hitting tip for MLB The Show 24 we can give you is this: practice.

Seeing different types of pitches in Custom Practice mode is very helpful. And for those who struggle with specific pitches or in specific locations, there’s an option to get just those balls, in particular.

Not only does it help with pitch recognition but also with adjusting to harder fastballs.