There might not be a player who changed his status and stature in the MLB universe more than Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez in the 2022 season.
He went from finding himself struggling in the early stages of the campaign to becoming a reliable contributor, face of the Mariners, Home Run Derby hero, leader of a postseason race and owner of a $200+ million contract in a span of months.
Months!
It all happened too fast, perhaps, but he earned each and every achievement.
Oh, and he was named the American League Rookie of the Year if that wasn’t enough.
In the process, J-Rod not only became a fan favorite in Seattle: all MLB audiences find him cool, entertaining, and extremely talented.
He is now one of the most popular players out there.
Do you know what happens to popular players in MLB?
They earn a lot of money through advertising, merchandise sales, and image rights.
And, additionally, they find themselves on covers of popular video games.
That’s right: MLB The Show still hasn’t announced its cover athlete for the 2023 edition of the successful franchise, but the J-Rod Show sure makes sense.
The whole MLB community is promoting his name.
Who should be on the cover of MLB The Show 23?
I’ll start: pic.twitter.com/HEwNdMV8Wg
— Full Count Baseball (@FullCountMLB) January 17, 2023
Rodriguez makes for the perfect cover athlete: he is young and his name is already well-known among the fan base.
Americans love him, but having him on the cover will make people in the Dominican Republic and other Latino countries go crazy.
It just makes sense.
Rodriguez, who hit .284/.345/.509 with 28 home runs and 25 stolen bases as a rookie in 2022, is just getting started.
NEXT: Stephen Vogt Reflects On His Final At-Bat