Every new generation of hardware and annual installment of MLB The Show has added more complex systems to the original format. While these additions are often appreciated, there is still a place for baseball fans who rejoice in simplicity, both in the sport and in gaming. MLB The Show 21 has a Retro mode that honors these pure beginnings.

It’s quite popular to play against computers and friends alike in this mode because of the simplified controls. But there is still a great deal of study to be done on how pitching, fielding, baserunning, and hitting all work, and this includes statistical research. Luckily for you, that work has been done, and the best players in this mode are listed right here.

10 Garrett Richards - Starting Pitcher

There is a good amount of information that gamers should be given before ever playing the game, but Retro mode deserves a whole guide all by itself. It’s sufficient to say that, because of the simplified controls, nothing matters more to a pitcher than the Velocity and Break attributes.

While journeyman Garrett Richards might only have a 72 OVR, these two statistics of his are both 99, meaning he is tied for the best in the two categories that matter the most to Retro gamers.

9 Frank Thomas - First Baseman

Good luck topping the legendary Frank Thomas. Even the best crop of infielders in MLB The Show 21, including the game’s cover star, can’t touch on what the Big Hurt can do at the plate.

Of the four most important attributes to hitters in Retro mode (Contact R, Contact L, Power R, and Power L), only the Power L isn’t a perfect 99. And it’s a 90, so it’s not that far off from perfectly. He’s a little slow, which keeps him from topping the charts, but that won’t be an issue when the ball sails over the fence with regularity.

8 Tejay Astone - Relief Pitcher

Tejay Astone won’t be confused for one of the game’s best players; he’s the lowest rated player on this list with a 71 OVR. Even Reds fans will have to do quite a bit of scrolling down on their own team to find this diamond in the rough.

But in Retro mode, he’s an absolute monster. Every pitcher on this list has a 99 in both Velocity and Break, meaning their pitches travel like high-speed whiffle balls. But Astone also has an 84 H/9, so in the very rare event that a hitter makes contact, it likely won’t be good news for the batter.

7 Stan Musial - First Baseman

Stan Musial is one of the best hitters in baseball history. He, Willie Mays, and Hank Aaron are the only players to make 24 All-Star teams. He won three World Series titles and, three MVP awards, and, at the time of his retirement, had a list of baseball records that would make even Babe Ruth blush.

It’s not surprising that Retro mode would showcase his talents. He has a perfect score in every hitting category except for Power R, which is still a solid 90. He’s also a lefty talent, making him an ideal first baseman.

6 Walter Johnson - Starting Pitcher

There weren’t any speed guns back in the days of Walter Johnson, but there were stopwatches and mathematicians. He’s the hardest-throwing pitcher of all time according to the metrics. And while some analysts debate the mathematics of the infant baseball days, Johnson has the career statistics to back it up, including 110 shutouts — a record that stands today.

You’ll get to witness The Big Train’s impossible greatness firsthand as he strikes out batters with ease in Retro mode. In addition to his perfect Velocity and Break, he carries an HR/9, H/9, K/9, and BB/9 that are all north of 89.

5 Alfonso Soriano - Second Baseman

Flat out, there is no player in Retro mode that is more well-rounded than Alfonso Soriano. He’s not a household name to everyone, but he is among baseball historians. He’s one of only four members of the lauded 40-40 Club (hitting forty home runs and stealing forty bases in the same season), along with Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, and Jose Canseco.

He’s got full 99s in Power R and L, 92+ in stealing and speed, and 88+ in every fielding metric. His only average stat is a 78 is in Vision, which is an irrelevant attribute when the player is controlling him personally. Everything else is 88 or higher.

4 Bob Gibson - Starting Pitcher

Retro mode doesn’t use the Pitching Clutch category, but if it did, Gibson would be a sure-fire 99 in that category too. He’s got two World Series MVP trophies to prove it and he still has a World Series record from when he struck out seventeen Detroit Tigers in 1971.

In addition to the obvious 99 on Velocity and Break, he’s got a 99 in H/9. So, he’s borderline unhittable, and then, even when getting a hit, it’s almost guaranteed to be a dribbler or a pop-out.

3 Jimmie Foxx - First Baseman

Lefty Gomez, a pitcher for the Yankees, once said of his A’s rival Jimmie Foxx, “He has muscles in his hair.” Foxx would complete for the triple crown (highest batting average, most RBIs, and most home runs in a single season) three times, winning it once, and is one of only a handful of players to have a .325 batting average and 500 home runs (534).

And somebody took notice of this when making the ratings in Retro mode, giving Double X a perfect 99 in all four vital hitting categories. He’s one of the most feared hitters even and he doesn’t mess around in MLB The Show 21.

2 Nolan Ryan - Starting Pitcher

It’s not exactly a spoiler to find out that Nolan Ryan is the best pitcher in Retro mode. He’s the all-time leader in strikeouts and no-hitters, tossing an incredible seven of them. For perspective, the runner-up, Sandy Koufax, has four. He has his numbered retired by three different teams due to his contributions at every stage of his career.

With perfect scores in Velocity, Break, H/9, K/9, and Stamina, it’s foolish to pick anyone other than Ryan in Retro mode if he’s available to pitch.

1 Hank Aaron - Right Fielder

Look at Hammerin’ Hank’s career and try to find a weak spot. Between his two batting titles, three Gold Gloves, 240 stolen bases, four RBI titles, and… oh yeah — he cracked a record 755 home runs before the steroid era.

Giving him anything other than 99s in all of his hitting categories would be a travesty and, thankfully, MLB The Show gets it right. He’s also a superb fielder and a threat on the basepaths.

NEXT: MLB The Show 21: 10 Best Pitchers