MLB The Show 24 Road to the Show Beginner's Guide

Career mode is a mainstay of any good sports game, and for players seeking their own Hall of Fame worthy baseball career that means diving into MLB The Show 24 Road to the Show. Much of the same experience fans remember from recent years is back, but for the first time you can take that journey as a female player.

MLB The Show 24 has an all-new career mode experience as a female ballplayer, and RTTS gave that path its own unique narrative. If you're a returning player wanting to know which changes to watch for or just want help deciding how to start, our MLB The Show 24 Road to the Show beginner's guide has the answers.

Updated April 1: Added several in-depth guides to the Tips & Tricks section below, including the best team for every position in Road to the Show. 

MLB The Show 24 RTTS Beginner's Guide

The first decision to make in each new RTTS save will be if you want to take the new female player path or not. The bulk of either path will still be your own positional gameplay, but the female storyline interweaves a longtime best friend as the two of you break new ground by becoming the first female players in MLB history (though not the first female players in a professional league, which you'll learn playing as Toni Stone in Storylines).

Next, you need to decide which position to play. The Two-Way Player option is back this year, and it'll come with the same benefits and challenges as before. You'll be alternating duties, but you may have a better chance of changing positions in RTTS later on if you choose this path.

If you're uncertain, a Two-Way Player build allows some early flexibility, but you may end up wanting to restart to get the position-specific perks rather than the Two-Way Player perks. For pitchers, playing as a closer means you're in less of each game and does allow you to advance in RTTS a bit more quickly.

As for position players, going with an infield option or shortstop will likely lead to more dynamic and challenging fielding plays. Making outfield plays can still be challenging, and the consequence of a missed catch is often much higher. Infield mistakes usually lead to a base. Outfield mistakes can lead to runs.

Lastly there's the catcher position, and it comes with an entirely different set of MLB The Show 24 controls and challenges. If you're still unsure which way to go, head into Classic and start up an exhibition game then tap RT / R2 to activate Player Lock on the position you're considering. Play a few games at that position to decide if it feels right, just make sure you've got all the Fielding Opportunities turned on in Settings.

Best RTTS Settings

You'll need to decide before your RTTS save is started whether or not you'll be using default rosters or a custom roster, but most other settings can be changed after things are underway. This is largely where you'll be able to customize the speed of your RTTS experience and diversity of the gameplay.

If you want the Designated Hitter experience, regardless of whether that's where you're placed, set Player Lock Fielding Opportunities and Player Lock Baserunning Opportunities to None. From that point forward, you'll only play the At-Bat moments. The one downfall is you can't then improve your fielding and baserunning stats during games, so you may still end up becoming the team's DH over time.

Best Pitching Focus & Position Focus in Road to the Show

While some of this choice still comes down to personal preference, there are superior options. Overall, choosing Velocity for Pitching Focus will net you the best Perks and starting attributes. Similarly, Power is recommended for the best hitting Perks early on.

Pitchers will only have access to the Knuckleball if they choose the Knucksie Pitching Focus, so anyone hoping to use that will need to choose it from the beginning. All other pitches can be customized regardless of Pitching Focus. Pitching Motion (which can be changed after creation) is also key, especially if you want a unique sidearm or submarine motion for your build.

If you're going with a Two-Way Player build, choosing Velocity and Power has often been the go-to as of late, but this year Road to the Show isn't tied to Diamond Dynasty. Without that incentive to build a Two-Way Player beast just to bolster your Diamond Dynasty squad, we recommend just going with the style of play you think you'll enjoy consistently throughout a long career.

Tips & Tricks for Road to the Show 24

Once you've got some of those early decisions made and your journey is underway, the first potential obstacle is the Draft Combine. We recommend everyone try the Draft Combine during their first Road to the Show save, but you can rest assured you'll be able to pick your team regardless of attendance or Draft Combine performance.

Attending and excelling in the Draft Combine will give you additional cutscenes and MLB Network videos, and most importantly it can boost your draft stock. This may affect some of the videos you see and storylines you experience, but getting called up in Road to the Show will still mostly depend on your own in-game performances.

Utilize every practice opportunity between games to boost your attributes, and try to truly master your position in each game. Succeeding when given in-game challenges can net you extra equipment and attribute boosts, and every single play (good or bad) will change your player ratings.

You may also want to check the following MLB The Show 24 guides for more help:

• Best Team for Every Position in RTTS
• How to Ask for a Trade in RTTS
• How to Change Position in RTTS
• Sidearm and Submarine Pitchers
• Best Hitting View & PCI Settings
• How to Get Called Up in RTTS
• Best Batting Stance

Just like the actual world of baseball, Road to the Show is not a short journey. You may spend a few years lighting up the minor leagues as you adjust to your position, but the better you get the faster you'll work your way to the top in MLB The Show 24.