MLB The Show 22 Hitting, Pitching & Fielding Features REVEALED


The latest MLB The Show 22 new feature reveal has shown off all the changes coming to core gameplay. This means we now know what MLB The Show 22 hitting, pitching and fielding will look like come launch day.

With that, here are all the new features and adjustments coming to hitting, pitching, and fielding in MLB The Show 22.

MLB The Show 22 Hitting Changes & New Features

You'll spend plenty of your time in MLB The Show 22 at the plate, and the team has brought some new improvements to hitting this year to improve that time.

Contact & Power Swing Adjustments

There are three types of swings in MLB The Show - Normal, Contact, and Power.

MLB The Show 22 albert pujols swing
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OUT OF THE PARK: Players will need to choose their swing type wisely in MLB The Show 22

In MLB The Show 22, the development team took a new look at the Power and Contact swings and how they operate based on user feedback.

As a result, Contact swings in MLB The Show 22 will be less effective on pitches outside of the strike zone, and the power penalty on these swings will be harsher to extend at-bats and keep them more realistic.

READ MORE: MLB The Show 22: Chase Utley revealed as the latest new Legend

Dynamic PCI

When using Zone hitting in MLB The Show 22, players will notice a new feature called Dynamic PCI. This will dynamically adjust the PCI (Plate Coverage Indicator) based on its distance from the center of the plate, shrinking when moving out of the zone in any direction.

MLB The Show 22 Dynamic PCI
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REALISTIC RANGE: Dynamic PCI will better represent your PCI moving away from the strike zone

This new feature will help represent the difference between all of the different swing types and batting stances and also account for the lack of ability to move batters' position at the plate.

PCI Anchor

In MLB The Show 22, another new feature to help along the hitting experience is the PCI Anchor.

MLB The Show 22 PCI Anchor
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CHOOSE YOUR SPOT: PCI Anchor will help players lock down their swing to be more consistent

The PCI Anchor allows players to lock into one of 9 areas in the strike zone to help players be more consistent and accurate in targetting pitches in any one area.

Exit Velocity Changes

Sony San Diego will bring some new changes to exit velocity when batting in MLB The Show 22. These changes will adjust the best timings to hit pitches based on where they are in the strike zone.

MLB The Show 22 exit velocity changes
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STRATEGY: You'll want to time your swing differently for pitches inside and out

To maximize exit velocity in MLB The Show 22, players will want to swing earlier on inside pitches, on time for pitches in the middle of the strike zone, and swing later on pitches toward the outside of the strike zone.

These changes to exit velocity are in an effort to better capture realistic batting outcomes in The Show this year.

READ MORE: MLB The Show 22 Nintendo Switch Features REVEALED

MLB The Show 22 Pitching Changes & New Features

Defense starts at the pitching mound, and Sony San Diego has made some tweaks to improve pitching in MLB The Show 22.

Dynamic PAR

PAR (Perfect Accuracy Region) was first introduced in MLB The Show 21, and the pitching feature is getting a massive shakeup in MLB The Show 22 with the addition of Dynamic PAR.

MLB The Show 22 Dynamic PAR
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HONE IN: Dynamic PAR will communicate the movement of pitches in different areas of the strike zone

Dynamic Par will adjust the range of pitches around the strike zone to better inform players of how pitch movement will change based on placement in MLB The Show 22.

Dynamic Par will affect all pitches but the 4-Seam Fastball, 2-Seam Fastball, and the Cutter, which don't adjust based on pitch placement.

Pinpoint Pitching Changes

Pinpoint Pitching will get some minor changes in MLB The Show 22 to better fluctuate between kinds of pitches.

These changes will make off-speed gesture accuracy easier and fastball gesture accuracy more difficult this year.

READ MORE: MLB The Show 22 Franchise Mode fans are already worried

MLB The Show 22 Fielding Changes & New Features

Defense isn't all just pitching, and you'll need to master fielding in the infield and outfield alike to really level up your defense in MLB The Show 22.

Custom Practice

Fielding has been added to Custom Practice for the first time in MLB The Show 22, allowing players to drill fielding scenarios and throwing from the field to bases this year.

MLB The Show 22 fielding custom practice menu
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DRILL AT WILL: MLB The Show 22 introduces Custom Practice for Fielding for the first time

This change will be a massive improvement to what is arguably the most difficult and decisive aspect of MLB The Show 22 gameplay.

Perfect Throws to Every Base

MLB The Show 22 will (finally) allow Perfect throws to every base from every position on the field.

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HOLD IT DOWN: Perfect throws in the field will make a big difference

Beyond this expansion, Perfect throws in the field will adjust the animations of thrower and target alike, making infield players take better and more efficient positions to tag out runners when thrown to with Perfect timing.

New Animations

MLB The Show 21 added tons of new fielding animations, and MLB The Show 22 will follow suit.

MLB The Show 22 fielding
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MAKE THE PLAY: MLB The Show 22 adds new fielding animations to keep building realism

These new fielding animations include more urgent throws and reduce the rate that players will get "olay" animations where fielders miss the ball entirely.

READ MORE: MLB The Show 22 will introduce Online Co-Op for the first time ever

For more articles like this, take a look at our MLB The Show page.