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Aaron Judge, New York Yankees star joins Joe Mauer as only players featured twice on iconic video game cover.
Aaron Judge’s remarkable baseball journey has earned another milestone off the field. The New York Yankees captain has been named the cover athlete for MLB The Show 26, the game announced Tuesday, making Judge just the second player in franchise history to appear on the cover twice.
Baseball Hall of Famer Joe Mauer remains the only other player to achieve the honour, appearing on the cover in 2010 and 2011. MLB The Show 26 is scheduled to launch on March 17, with early access beginning March 13.
Details about MLB The Show 26 cover
Unlike Aaron Judge’s first cover appearance on MLB The Show 18, the artwork for MLB The Show 26 is deeply personal and narrative-driven. The design highlights multiple chapters of Judge’s life and career, blending his present with his past.
Judge is once again shown wearing the New York Yankees’ iconic pinstripes, but this time the cover also features a Team USA jersey, reflecting his upcoming first appearance in the World Baseball Classic this March. The artwork goes further, incorporating a map of California that marks his hometown, along with his Fresno State baseball jersey, paying tribute to his roots.
From gamer to cover star
For Aaron Judge, the honour carries a sense of disbelief. Growing up in California, he eagerly awaited MLB The Show’s annual March release, often asking his parents to rush him to the store on launch day. That childhood dream came rushing back during a visit home last
Thanksgiving, when he discovered around 50 unopened copies of MLB The Show 18 stored at his parents’ house.
“Seeing that cover gave me goosebumps,” Judge told ESPN. “Little 10-year-old Aaron dreamed of getting into the major leagues, and now you’re on the cover of the game. It’s surreal.”
Judge admitted he still has unopened copies of the game in New York and Florida as well, each one a reminder of how far he’s come.
Connecting with the next generation
Aaron Judge’s presence on the cover goes beyond accolades. Through his All Rise Foundation, the Yankees slugger has seen first-hand how the game connects him with young fans, especially those who don’t get to attend many live baseball games.
“Some kids know me because they play the game,” Judge said. “That connection with the next generation, that’s the coolest thing.”
Judge remains an avid MLB The Show player, favouring Road to the Show mode and, unsurprisingly, playing exclusively as the Yankees. Despite years of motion-capture technology that has replicated his batting stance and swing in remarkable detail, he still finds it surreal controlling a digital version of himself.
English (US) ·