Road to the Show is one of the most popular game modes in MLB The Show 24 and for great reason. It allows you to create your own character and go through an entire career experience of a Major League ball player. While this means you get to experience all the highs of being in MLB, it also means you have to put in a ton of effort to get to the big leagues in the first place.

One of the more frustrating aspects of Road to the Show is the amount of time you have to spend in the minors. Even if you’re a top-rated prospect, you don’t get to start in the Majors as soon as you’re drafted. Instead, you get assigned to one of your organization’s Minor League teams and work your way up from there.

This is fine for a while, but after a few months, you’re itching to actually start your big league career. So how much time can you expect to spend in the minors and is there a way to force a call-up in MLB The Show 24?

Best Ways To Get Called Up In MLB The Show 24

Unfortunately, the number one rule when it comes to getting called up is simple: You have to pay your dues in the minors and play well. No prospect gets called up within a month or two of arriving in the minors, and you’re not even given a guarantee to get a call-up in your first or second years. This means you can spend several hours of in-game time in the minor leagues, working your way up to the Show.

However, there are some mechanics you can take advantage of to make your time in the minors more brief. The best way to ensure you don’t spend years in the minor leagues in Road to the Show is to play in the Combine before the draft. By playing in the Combine, you get to show off your skills to potential teams.

After the Combine is over, you’re given a rating and a list of teams that have interest in you will pop up. While you can try to force your way to a specific team, the best way to get called up is by selecting the option that says “Let fate decide” when you see the list of teams.

This makes it so the team that has the most interest in you at a specific position will likely be the one you end up going to in Road to the Show. The more a team wants you and your given position, the faster you’ll get called up. Of course, you still have to perform well to get a quick call-up, nothing is given to you for free.

What Affects Getting Called Up In MLB The Show 25

Regardless of whether you let fate decide or you choose your team, though, there are general timelines that Road to the Show abides by when it comes to call-ups. For the most part, if a team is in need of your position and you’re playing well, you’ll likely get a call-up after the All-Star Break. Most of my call-ups have been around August, which lines up with how things actually play out in the MLB.

These timelines largely depend on a couple of factors, though. The first factor is need; if a team desperately needs depth at your given position, you’ll be called up sooner rather than later. More often than not, teams with a need call you up before your first year concludes. However, if a team isn’t in need of your services as much, it could take one to two years before you get your shot.

Another factor to consider in getting called up is injuries to the Major League team. If you’re a second baseman playing for the Boston Red Sox, for example, you likely have a strong shot to get called up early since that team never has a healthy 2B. Or maybe you’re a pitcher and the Texas Rangers’ strategy of accumulating every aging pitcher hasn’t worked out again, so an early call-up is more likely in that organization than others.

Finally, one of the biggest factors in getting called up is how much work you’re putting in the minors. If you’re a position player, you want to take advantage of every Fielding Opportunity you can to showcase your talents and advance that skill. The higher your skill, the higher the chance the Major League team will take notice.

Even with all of those factors, though, try to temper your expectations when it comes to getting called up. You could very easily start in AA when your first season is nearing its end, regardless of how high of a line you’re slashing or how low your ERA is. I’ve had Road to the Show playthroughs where I did everything correctly in team selection and performance and only got called up to the Bigs at the start of my third season.

Each playthrough you have will yield a different call-up date and set of circumstances. The best thing you can do is trudge on and keep making the most of your opportunities in the minors. Eventually, your call-up will come in MLB The Show 24 and your journey to the Hall of Fame can finally begin. Or you could get sent back down to the minors, but that’s all part of the Road to the Show experience.