2K Sports announced today that Evan Longoria of the Tampa Bay Rays, a 2009 American League Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Award recipient, will be featured as the cover athlete and spokesman for Major League Baseball 2K10, the next iteration of the popular Major League Baseball 2K series. This season, 2K Sports is putting the selection of the cover image in the hands of fans. Online voting is now open at www.2Ksports.com/vote, and fans can select from a gallery of different cover art designs featuring Longoria and help determine which one will adorn the cover of the game.
“It’s been a milestone year for me, from winning a Gold Glove and the Silver Slugger Award, to now being selected as the cover athlete for Major League Baseball 2K10 -“ this has been a truly humbling experience,” said Longoria, All-Star third baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays. “Since 2K Sports is letting fans decide on the final box cover art, I’m going to have to rally my Rays teammates to ensure that my favorite takes the lead.”
The third overall pick in the 2006 draft, Longoria made his major league debut in 2008 with the Tampa Bay Rays and was subsequently named American League Rookie of the Year. This past season, the stellar third baseman batted .281, with 33 homeruns, 113 RBI’s, and 100 runs, and became the first player in Rays franchise history to be recognized as American League Player of the Month. Adding to his growing list of achievements, Longoria closed out the season with a Gold Glove Award for his superior individual fielding performance, along with a Silver Slugger Award presented by Louisville Slugger, given annually to the best offensive player at each position as determined by the coaches and managers of the MLB.
“When it comes to selecting cover athletes for our games, we look for players who are more than just a fancy resume,” said Greg Thomas, senior vice president of sports development for 2K. “With Evan, he is one of the most fun and exciting players in the game, which helps complement the vibe we are striving for with Major League Baseball 2K10.”
As a tribute to the phenomenal fan support the 2K Sports brand has received over the last decade, the final packaging for the game will be chosen by the public. Fans can now go to the website, www.2Ksports.com/vote, to select from a gallery of different cover art layouts, and the most popular selection will be used on the front of the box. Voting will be open for only two weeks -“ from Tuesday, November 24 at 12 noon EST through Tuesday, December 8 at 12 noon EST, and the final box cover for Major League Baseball 2K10 will be revealed before Friday, December 11.
2K Sports has also partnered with Fathead to giveaway a limited number of Fathead Jr. wall graphics ($49.99 retail value). Eligible fans who purchase specially marked copies of Major League Baseball 2K10 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii system at participating retailers may redeem a unique retail code at www.fathead.com while supplies last.
Developed by Visual Concepts, a 2K Sports studio, Major League Baseball 2K10 is not yet rated by the ESRB and will be available in Spring 2010 for the Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 3 system, PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, PSP (PlayStation Portable) system and Windows PC. For more information about Major League Baseball 2K10, please visit www.2ksports.com/games/mlb2k10.
