Fernando Tatis Jr. is your MLB The Show 21 cover athlete

The meteoric rise to superstardom continues.

Some of you may have already known this was coming after apparent leaks were reported on over the weekend, but it is now official: Padres and First-Team All-MLB shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. is the cover athlete for the latest edition of MLB The Show.

During his first season in the majors, Tatis batted .317 with 106 hits, 22 home runs, and 53 RBIs in 84 total games.

Through the abbreviated 60-game 2020 season, Tatis played in every contest but one as he slashed .277/.366/.571 with 62 hits, 17 home runs, and 45 RBIs. He also stole 11 bases in 59 games, which was a major increase in his average from the 16 total bases stolen he recorded during the previous season.

The 2020 season was an incredible year for both the budding face of the league and the Padres. It included setting a MLB record with five grand slams in a six-game span, including the infamous “bat flip” following Tatis hitting am opposite field grand slam on a 3-0 count against the Texas Rangers.

Unsurprisingly, the image of Tatis mid-bat flip was the image chosen to don the front of the video game franchises’ latest edition.

Tatis also became the first Padres player and youngest player ever to be on the cover of MLB The Show.

Congrats to El Nino on the incredible honor.