MLB The Show 24 unveils new female player game mode for the first time ahead of video game’s annual release
- Kelsie Whitmore of the Atlantic League’s Staten Island FerryHawks received a nod
- Rachel Balkovec, Kim Ng and Alyssa Nakken were also pioneers
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MLB The Show 24 pays tribute to women in baseball after unveiling a new female player mode for the first time ever.
A “Road to the Show: Women Pave Their Way” trailer was released on Tuesday for the game, which will be released on March 19.
“For the first time ever, you can create and play as a female baseball player, with a unique Road to the Show story that evolves with the player over the course of your career,” according to the video game’s website.
“This path includes all the existing features of Road to the Show, with the addition of a unique women’s storyline that follows a lifelong friendship as it develops in professional baseball.”
The trailer includes a nod to Kelsie Whitmore, the first female player in an MLB partner league. Whitmore is a pitcher and outfielder for the Staten Island FerryHawks in the Atlantic League.
Kelsie Whitmore of the Atlantic League’s Staten Island FerryHawks received a nod in the game
Rachel Balkovec was the first woman to become a full-time manager of an MLB affiliated team
“To me, this project is a great opportunity for the world to be informed about women playing baseball and that it is possible to take their skills to the next level,” Whitmore said in a statement on the website.
“My hope with this project is to teach others that women/girls play baseball and that they are able to participate in the game at any level.”
Mollie Braley, the game’s narrative designer, said in a statement that Whitmore and others were involved in the development of the story mode.
This also appears to be the first part of the ‘Road to the Show’ game mode that would feature a major storyline.
Whitmore isn’t the only woman who has recently turned heads for making history in the baseball world.
Kim Ng served as the first female general manager of a Major League team for three seasons
Kim Ng, who recently spent three years as general manager of the Miami Marlins before declining the option in her contract to return in 2024, was the first-ever female GM in the MLB.
Alyssa Nakken recently became the first woman to apply for a job as an MLB manager after becoming the first full-time female coach in Major League Baseball in 2020.
Another female pioneer was Rachel Balkovec, who is currently director of player personal for the Marlins.
Balkovec previously served as the manager of the New York Yankees single-A affiliate the Tampa Tarpons, making her the first woman to work as a full-time manager of a Major League affiliated team.
The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was also an active league from 1943-1954, but it is unconfirmed if the league was mentioned during the MLB storyline.