New York Yankees Captain Aaron Judge will once again appear as the cover athlete for MLB The Show 26, announced on Tuesday. In doing so, Judge further cements his status as a fan favorite on and off the field. This is his second appearance on the MLB The Show cover.
Notably, he is the second player in the game’s history to be the cover athlete more than one time. This follows his first appearance on the MLB The Show 18 cover in 2018. Previously, Hall of Famer and former catcher and first baseman for the Minnesota Twins, Joe Mauer, was the only other player to have achieved this exciting accomplishment. During his time in the majors, Mauer appeared on the 2010 and 2011 covers.
Why Judge
On Monday, the official Instagram page @mlbtheshow announced an update on the long-awaited cover reveal. San Diego Studios, the ultimate deciding factor for the cover athlete, chose to “not have a new cover athlete.” This sparked excitement for a repeat cover athlete and comments from fans who claimed the cover would belong to Judge.
His first appearance on the MLB The Show 18 cover followed his 52 home run debut season. That season, Judge went on to win Rookie of the Year, launching a career filled with accolades in the majors that continue to accumulate today.
During the 2025 Yankee season, Judge unsurprisingly powered the Yankees with 53 home runs. He outpaced other AL MVP contenders Cal Raleigh and Jose Ramirez with his .331 batting average and 1.145 OPS.
Now, a seven-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger Award winner, three-time American League MVP award winner, and the American League’s single-season home run record holder with 62, it’s no surprise to find Aaron Judge as the cover athlete once again. He continues to push barriers and make history throughout the league.
Judge will appear in both the iconic Yankee pinstripe uniform and the Team USA uniform on the cover, as seen in the Instagram post below. Judge is captaining Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
View this post on Instagram
Play the Game
Finally, according to the official website, theshow.com, MLB The Show 26 is said to launch early access on March 13. Preorders will begin on February 3 with the official launch date slated for March 17, 2026.
MLB The Show 26 is compatible with PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, as well as Nintendo Switch.
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