American League Rookie of the Year Julio Rodríguez Named Cover Athlete for EA SPORTS™ MLB Tap Sports™ Baseball 2023

Pre-Registration Begins Today for the newest MLB-licensed product from EA SPORTS

New Features include a brand-new single player experience, Updated Player Displays and 3D Animated Crowds, Ballparks, and more

EA SPORTS™ MLB Tap Sports™ Baseball ‘23 | Official Cover Athlete Reveal Trailer

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) announced today, in collaboration with Major League Baseball (MLB) and MLB Players, Inc. (MLBPI), that Seattle Mariners center fielder and reigning American League Rookie of the Year Julio Rodríguez will be the cover athlete for EA SPORTS MLB Tap Sports Baseball 2023.

“Being named cover athlete and joining the list of amazing players who have been EA SPORTS cover athletes is truly an honor,” said Rodríguez, the 22-year-old All-Star slugger.

Rodríguez took Major League Baseball by storm last season with a .284 batting average, 28 home runs and 75 RBI in 511 at bats in his rookie year. In 2022, Rodríguez became only the fourth rookie outfielder ever to win the Silver Slugger award and the fastest player in MLB history to hit 25 home runs and 25 stolen bases in a single-season. The Dominican Republic native also placed second in the 2022 T-Mobile Home Run Derby, with an incredible 81 home runs across three rounds, and was one of only six Mariners ever to be elected to the All-Star game as a rookie.

“Julio Rodríguez is one of the most dynamic young players in all of baseball and we’re thrilled for him to be the face of Tap Sports Baseball this year,” said Andrew Pedersen, Vice President of Mobile Sports at Electronic Arts. “This is an exciting new era for the Tap Sports Baseball franchise as we officially welcome the game to the EA SPORTS family and believe players will have the best mobile baseball experience to date as a result.”

EA SPORTS MLB Tap Sports Baseball 2023 also released a video trailer featuring Rodríguez while giving players a first look at gameplay for this year’s game. The trailer can be viewed here: EA SPORTS™ MLB Tap Sports™ Baseball ‘23 | Official Cover Athlete Reveal Trailer.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Tap Sports Baseball franchise and will include a brand new single player experience, bringing real-life MLB moments to players’ finger tips. Players can play through highlights from Rodríguez’s incredible debut season and other historic MLB games. New animations, ballpark improvements, and crowd updates make this the most immersive Tap Sports Baseball experience yet. More details on EA SPORTS MLB Tap Sports Baseball 2023 will be shared closer to launch.

Known for its simple tap-to-play approach that makes the game easy to play for all baseball fans, Tap Sports Baseball has more than 50 million franchise downloads worldwide.

With the baseball season right around the corner, fans can pre-register for EA SPORTS MLB Tap Sports Baseball 2023 today, and the game will be available as a free* download worldwide in March 2023 via the App Store™ for iPhone and iPad, Google Play™ for Android devices and Amazon.

For EA SPORTS MLB Tap Sports Baseball 2023 assets, visit: EAPressPortal.com and follow on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates.

Major League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball. Visit MLB.com.

*Persistent internet connection required. Age restrictions apply. Includes in-game purchases (including random items).

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company develops and delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, mobile devices and personal computers.

In fiscal year 2022, EA posted GAAP net revenue of approximately $7 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality brands such as EA SPORTS™ FIFA, Battlefield™, Apex Legends™, The Sims™, Madden NFL, Need for Speed™, Titanfall™, Plants vs. Zombies™ and F1®. More information about EA is available at www.ea.com/news.

EA SPORTS, Battlefield, Need for Speed, Apex Legends, The Sims, Titanfall and Plants vs. Zombies are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. John Madden, NFL, FIFA and F1 are the property of their respective owners and used with permission.

About Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball (MLB) is the most historic professional sports league in the United States and consists of 30 member clubs in the U.S. and Canada, representing the highest level of professional baseball. Led by Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr., MLB remains committed to making an impact in the communities of the U.S., Canada and throughout the world, perpetuating the sport's larger role in society and permeating every facet of baseball's business, marketing, community relations and social responsibility endeavors. MLB currently features record levels of competitive balance, continues to expand its global reach through programming and content to fans all over the world, and registered records in games and minutes watched last season on MLB.TV. With the continued success of MLB Network and MLB digital platforms, MLB continues to find innovative ways for its fans to enjoy America's National Pastime and a truly global game. For more information on Major League Baseball, visit www.MLB.com.

About MLB Players, Inc.

MLB Players, Inc. is the business arm of the Major League Baseball Players Association. The Major League Baseball Players Association (www.MLBPLAYERS.com) is the collective bargaining representative for all professional baseball players of the 30 Major League Baseball teams and serves as the exclusive group licensing agent for commercial and licensing activities involving active Major League Baseball players. On behalf of its members, it operates the Players Choice licensing program and the Players Choice Awards, which benefit the needy through the Major League Baseball Players Trust (www.PlayersTrust.org), a charitable foundation established and run entirely by Major League Baseball players. Follow: @MLBPlayersInc on Instagram and Twitter.

Category: EA Sports