Jeter graces cover of MLB The Show collector's edition

February 2nd, 2023

Two days after the cover athlete for MLB The Show '23 was revealed, the cover athlete for a special collector's edition of the video game was announced live on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" on Wednesday.

Marlins star second baseman/center fielder is featured on the cover of MLB The Show this year, and for the collector's edition, Hall of Fame shortstop and Yankees legend Derek Jeter will grace the cover. Jeter joined the "Tonight Show" for a segment on Wednesday night during which Fallon said that the collector's edition will be available on March 24.

"I've been contemplating coming out of retirement for a few years," Jeter said after Fallon showed what he referred to as the first copy of the collector's edition to the studio audience and those watching on television.

"I figure it's a lot easier to do it in a video game."

Jeter reminisced about the first time he played as himself in a video game, and he joked that he tried to "rig it" so his virtual self would be better than in real life. Of course, that would be a tall order given his accomplishments and accolades over a 20-year career in which he was a 14-time All-Star, a five-time Gold Glove Award winner and a five-time World Series champion.

Fallon wondered how he'd look in MLB The Show, so he had a mock-up done of him hitting for the Yankees in the game.

"I've never seen you look serious," Jeter said as he looked at the artwork. "So this is [tough to see the resemblance]."

After Fallon showed a clip of himself launching a home run for the Yanks in the video game, Jeter seemed incredulous.

"If you're actually going to make this realistic, they should have you run around the bases the other way," Jeter quipped.

All jokes aside, Jeter can finally add "MLB The Show cover athlete" to his already long list of achievements.