When I first started playing MLB The Show 26 Stubs, I thought becoming an elite hitter was all about stick skills—perfect timing, quick reactions, and maybe a little luck. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The biggest breakthrough didn’t come from my thumbs—it came from my mindset.

Elite hitting begins before the pitcher even starts their windup. The moment you step into the batter’s box, you should already have a plan. Early on, I was reacting to everything. Fastball? Swing. Slider? Swing. Changeup in the dirt? Unfortunately… swing. That approach leads to inconsistency, and inconsistency is the enemy of elite performance.

The first major adjustment I made was learning to sit on a pitch. That means anticipating a specific pitch type and location based on the count, the pitcher’s tendencies, and previous sequences. For example, in a 2-0 count, pitchers are far more likely to throw a fastball in the zone. Instead of covering everything, I began to look for that one pitch. If it wasn’t there, I’d take it—even if it was a strike.

This approach felt uncomfortable at first. Taking strikes goes against instinct, especially in a fast-paced game. But over time, it transformed my plate discipline. I started working deeper counts, drawing more walks, and forcing pitchers into mistakes.

Another key mental shift was understanding that failure is part of the process. Even the best hitters fail seven out of ten times. In MLB The Show 26, it’s easy to get frustrated after a few weak outs or strikeouts. I used to spiral—chasing pitches, swinging early, abandoning my approach. But elite hitters stay calm. They trust their process.

Confidence also plays a huge role. When I stepped into the box expecting to get a hit, my performance improved. It sounds simple, but it’s powerful. Instead of hoping for success, I started expecting it. That confidence helped me stay aggressive on my pitch while staying disciplined on everything else.

Finally, I learned to read patterns. Every opponent—whether CPU or human—has tendencies. Some players rely heavily on inside fastballs. Others love low breaking balls. By paying attention and adjusting, I gained a huge advantage. Hitting became less about reacting and more about anticipating.

In the end, becoming an elite hitter wasn’t about mastering mechanics first—it was about mastering the mind. Once I developed a plan, stayed disciplined, and trusted my approach, everything else started to fall into place.