Two-way players in baseball excel at both ends of the game, aiming to shut down the opposing team defensively while driving home runs every time they step up to the plate. Some of the best players in MLB The Show 24 can do this, giving their respective teams a better chance to win games. Whether it's Shohei Ohtani of the new generation or Derek Jeter smashing line drives with the New York Yankees, becoming a two-way player is the more thrilling way to play the game.
MLB The Show 24: Best Teams To Rebuild
Rebuilding a team in MLB The Show 24 takes time and patience, but taking over these teams offer general managers with a bright future to look out for.
Luckily, there are many ways to enhance players' stats and grant them boosts to certain areas that can improve their two-way game. Inside Diamond Dynasty, MLB The Show 24 players can purchase perks from the Marketplace, a digital store where players can buy and sell items obtainable through stub packs. Players can equip up to four perks for their ballplayer, granting them increases in several categories. Here is the best combination of perks for two-way players.
Perk #1 — Speed I
- Speed +4
- Stealing +5
- Batting Clutch +5
Starting off with the Speed I perk, a player's ability to run as fast as possible will improve their chances of getting on base and catching up to a ball. This stat helps players on both offense and defense, making it an area of the player's profile that should be looked into. Pairing it with a boost to the Stealing category, players will have an easier time running the bases and getting into a position to score a run.
To get on those bases, players will need some Batting Clutch help to improve their chances at competing against some of the best pitchers in MLB The Show 24. This stat competes against the Pitching Clutch stat, so raising this one will effectively increase the odds of avoiding a strikeout and scoring some runs. Building towards a more complete two-way player, Batting Clutch will become a big piece of the puzzle.
Perk #2 — Power III
- Power L +4
- Power R +4
- Batting Clutch +3
- Arm Strength +3
Choosing the Power III perk over Power IV is recommended for players who don't want negative value in one area to improve another. The latter reduces the Contact L and Contact R categories for a bigger boost to their Power counterparts, but contact hitting is just as important for batters looking to get on base. For this reason, the better route to take is smaller increases to each individual stat, providing players with better odds at hitting the ball.
MLB The Show 24's Diamond Dynasty Changes Explained
After experimenting with its formula in The Show 23, MLB The Show 24 is making some much-needed changes to Diamond Dynasty.
Batting Clutch gets an additional plus-three boost, while Arm Strength earns a much-needed boost for the defensive side of the game. This stat allows players to throw the ball at a higher velocity, which is essential for infielders to make sure batters stay off the bases. The Power III perk is perfect for two-way players, offering increases to both ends of the field, and it won't be the last of these perks to offer this option.
Perk #3 — Contact I
- Contact L +5
- Contact R +5
- Batting Clutch +5
Here's where the previous perk's commitment to Power L and R comes in, as the Contact I perk focuses on the contact side of hitting, boosting both sides by plus-five. This will provide batters who aren't necessarily aiming for the second deck with each swing with some extra support, while giving them another boost to their Batting Clutch. Some of the best teams in MLB The Show 24 have a surplus of hitters that prefer driving the ball down open lanes over swinging for power.
Up until this point, the boosts to Batting Clutch should now have a plus-13 improvement, giving batters the edge when facing pitchers with higher Pitching Clutch stats. This is, by far, the most important match-up when taking to the plate, so players should be sure to have this stat boosted as much as possible. With some major work done on the offensive side and a few minor increases to defensive play, it's time to complete this build with some fielding.
Perk #4 — Fielding II
- Fielding +4
- Reaction Time +4
When facing a batter, whether as an infielder or outfielder, the two main areas that require attention are Fielding and Reaction Time. This is where the Fielding II perk comes into play, granting a plus-four boost to both categories. A higher Reaction Time enables players to make better decisions when a ball is hit towards them, while Fielding allows them to handle the ball effectively once they have possession of it. These two stats complement each other, so boosting them simultaneously is advantageous.
For example, playing shortstop in MLB The Show 24 requires immediate reaction to line drives and perfect coordination with all three basemen. Lower Reaction Time and Fielding will lead to poor plays and result in the opposition getting on base and scoring runs. With these two areas increasing alongside Speed, players will get to the ball quicker and send it over to the appropriate destinations, keeping runners off the base and the score at zero.
MLB The Show 24
- Platform(s)
- PC , PS4 , PS5 , Switch , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
- Released
- March 19, 2024
- Developer(s)
- San Diego Studio
- Genre(s)
- Sports
