MLB The Show 23 turns its spotlight on the legends of the Negro Leagues, transforming history into playable stories that honor talent, resilience, and pride with unmatched respect and artistry.
Sports occupy one of the more curious niches among video games. They’re tremendous sellers, huge moneymakers, and yet they’re so taken for granted that nobody really talks about them the way they do a Resident Evil rerelease or Bethesda Softworks’ next RPG. But if you have an Xbox and a Game Pass subscription, at least, you really owe it to yourself to download and play MLB The Show 23‘s outstanding Negro Leagues Storylines mode. If you’re not a sports fan, it will teach you a necessary part of American history. And if you are a sports fan, it will tell you something you don’t know about the National Pastime.
I say this as someone who considered himself educated on the history of segregated baseball, the times before Jackie Robinson kicked his toe into second base for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Storylines, the new historical re-creation mode that SIE San Diego Studio introduced for MLB The Show 23, begins with the eight stories of Black professional baseball players who were forbidden from the National and American Leagues by the tacitly understood gentlemen’s agreement that preceded Robinson breaking the sport’s color barrier in 1947.
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Satchel Paige, a name broadly known to popular culture, whose curriculum vitae is not understood as well, gets a tremendous close-up to start the mode. Pitching with him from his flamethrowing youth through his beguiling senior years (no one, frankly, really knows how old he was) deepens your understanding of someone who was likely the greatest pitcher of his time, and all time. It closes out with the sui generis Martín Dihigo, national hero of Cuba, the most complete baseball player God has ever made, who played all nine positions on the diamond and excelled at every one of them.
The best part: We haven’t even gotten to the good stuff yet. Josh Gibson, who once hit a ball clean out of Yankee Stadium, is on the way. His teammate Buck Leonard is likely not far behind. And you can probably count on James “Cool Papa” Bell, too, who was so fast he could turn off the lights and be in bed under the covers before it was dark.
Baseball fans have just celebrated the fifth World Baseball Classic and its champion, Japan. They’ve gotten to know dozens of stars from all nations and cultures and embraced their fandom as their own, because it elevates the sport as a whole. This interactive peek behind the shrouded, segregated major leagues supports the same ideal. I have long said that sports video games are at their best when they teach the player something they never knew about a game they have loved their whole life. Well, that is MLB The Show 23.
Which Negro Leagues players are featured in MLB The Show 24 or later
MLB The Show 24 expanded its Negro Leagues Storylines mode to Season 2, introducing new legendary players while carrying over some from Season 1 in MLB The Show 23. These players are playable through immersive single-player campaigns that highlight their careers and historical context.
MLB The Show 24 Players
Season 2 launched with four key Negro Leagues figures and added more via free updates, totaling around 10 stories. Confirmed players include:
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Josh Gibson (power-hitting catcher, returning from prior coverage)
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Buck Leonard
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Hank Aaron (early Negro Leagues tenure before MLB stardom)
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Toni Stone (first woman featured, a trailblazing infielder)
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Leon Day
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Larry Doby
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Jose Mendez
Later drops brought three additional players by late April 2024, though specifics beyond the initial seven vary by source; some overlap with Season 1 unlocks like Rube Foster as a reward.
Later Editions (25+)
No confirmed Negro Leagues-specific players for MLB The Show 25 or 26 appear in available data as of early 2026. Season 1 players from 23 (e.g., Satchel Paige, Jackie Robinson, Martín Dihigo) remain playable across modes in 24 and likely carry forward.
How do you unlock Negro Leagues players in MLB The Show 24
In MLB The Show 24, Negro Leagues players are unlocked primarily through the Storylines: The Negro Leagues Season 2 mode. This involves completing player-specific episodes with challenges like tallying hits, extra-base hits, RBIs, home runs, strikeouts, or pitching without allowing runs.
Unlocking Process
Access Storylines from the main menu under “Single Player” or “Storylines” tab, then select Negro Leagues Season 2. Each player (e.g., Josh Gibson, Buck Leonard, Toni Stone, Hank Aaron for Season 2 starters) requires finishing 7-8 episodes-simple milestones such as “tally 2 hits,” “pitch 1 inning with no runs,” or “get 1 RBI without striking out.” Completing a player’s full story unlocks their Diamond Dynasty card (around 85-86 overall).
Additional Players and Rewards
Free updates added Part 2 players like Jose Mendez (pitcher: strike out 3, no walks), Larry Doby (hits and RBIs), and Leon Day (innings pitched, total bases). Finish all to unlock a captain like Rube Foster. Prior Season 1 players from MLB The Show 23 carry over for use across modes.
Tips for Success
Play on Rookie or Veteran difficulty for easier challenges; use quick-swap lineups if needed. Once unlocked, insert into Diamond Dynasty squads for competitive edge with historical cutscenes providing context.
