Details on MLB The Show 19 defense and hitting improvements

While disappointment abounds over the state of Franchise Mode in MLB The Show 19, with the confirmed absence of Online Franchise and the apparent lack of anything substantial being done for core (offline) Franchise, SCEA has rolled out details on something positive with a breakdown of gameplay improvements.

The focus here is on defensive abilities and balancing the hitting engine, which last year in MLB 18 were the gameplay areas that created the most frustration for players. 

Defense

♦New defensive A.I. best play decision-making logic

♦Advanced fielding efficiency puts the game in your hands and allows you to make all the plays

♦Situational awareness 2.0

♦New Steal Indicator

♦User Skill matters with User routes to the ball and the New Button Accuracy Throwing Meter

Hitting

Hitting engine advancements in The Show 19 have increased the significance of user skill and player tools. We now reward multiple human batter skills and not god-level “PCI skill” how we reward: PCI skill, swing timing, and taking pitches (not getting fooled) more evenly.

This helps separate users by a basket of skills, and gives each user more opportunities to improve themselves in the The Show 19. When hitting was only PCI skill, you topped out much faster and couldn’t really improve as a batter after that.

With the aforementioned changes, the game allows a lot more replay, and more ways for individuals of different skills to shine. High Contact hitters like W.Merrifield, M.Brantley, J.Peraza, and L.Cain who love spraying the ball around the field or dumping line drives just over the infield are more viable and play closer to their real life counterparts in MLB The Show 19.