Mario Super Sluggers Characters and Their MLB Equivalents (Pt. I)

With the current MLB season on hold, we had to get our baseball fix somehow. So, we decided to run through the Mario Super Sluggers roster and determine which characters resembled MLB players from the past and present.

Before we dive in, we should mention that we didn’t come up with an MLB equivalent for every single character for a number of reasons. Firstly, many of the characters in the game are too similar to distinguish (such as Baby Mario and Baby Luigi) or are simple palette swaps (such as Toads, Yoshis, and Shy Guys). Also, several characters are simply unremarkable, with stats and traits so average that a decent parallel could not be drawn between them and an MLB player. These similarities were determined based on the stats and traits that the character exhibits. This is also going to be Part I of a two-part series. With the introductory material out of the way, let’s dive in!

Mario = Mike Trout

This one was obvious for a few reasons. For starters, Mario is the face of the franchise, and Trout is currently the face of the MLB. Also, Mario is a well-rounded five-tool player who can do it all, just like Trout, who has three MVP awards to date. It was a no-brainer to match the best player in Mario Super Sluggers with the best in the MLB. And they both wear red!

Luigi = Matt Chapman

Both are solid hitters with stellar fielding that is best suited for the hot corner. Also, each player can comfortably be the center piece of your team, as evidenced by Luigi’s solid stats and Chapman’s back-to-back seasons with 8+ WAR. And they both wear green!

Peach = Pedro Martinez

Peach is probably the best pitcher on the entire roster, with a good combination of pitch speed and extreme break. Pedro was also known for his high-90s heater and one of the most lethal changeups of his era. Both pitchers are masters of the mound with devastating arsenals that could make any slugger look foolish.

Donkey Kong = Adam Dunn

DK’s pure power is unmatched by most other characters on the roster. This was also true of The Big Donkey in his time, as evidenced by his 462 career home runs. Unfortunately, neither player excels in the contact, fielding, or speed departments.

Toadsworth = Jamie Moyer

Toadsworth is an older gentleman whose technical skill allows him to excel on the mound despite his old age. This also perfectly describes Moyer, who pitched until he was 49 (!) years old, and was an effective starter in four different decades despite a low velocity fastball.

Monty Mole = Brett Gardner

Monty is a scrappy player who can bunt, steal bases, hit, and is best suited to the outfield. This also applies to Gardner, who led the league in sacrifices in 2014 with 13 and has over 200 career steals, as well as an above average .342 career OBP. Both are solid overall players who can hold their own in the lineup.

Noki = Bob Caruthers

Who in the world is Bob Caruthers, you may ask? Well, he just so happens to be the all-time leader in stolen bases among pitchers, amassing 152 over his career, which lasted from 1884-1893. Noki is also a decent pitcher who excels on the basepaths. Shoutouts to Fangraphs for their amazing statistical database. Without them, poor Noki would’ve been left out of this party.

Daisy = Michael Lorenzen

Daisy is a solid overall player who can hold her own on the mound, in the field, or in the batter’s box. Reds reliever Michael Lorenzen is also known for his versatility, as he is an above average baserunner, fielder, and hitter for a reliever.

Wiggler = Ronald Acuña Jr.

Wiggler is a stellar hitter, with extreme power and blazing speed perfect for the outfield. Acuña is also the rare combination of power and speed, launching 41 dingers and swiping 37 bases in 2019. Both are truly forces to be reckoned with in the lineup and on the basepaths.

King Boo = Shohei Ohtani

King Boo is another player who is equally great at launching bombs or striking people out. This is also true of Ohtani, who has averaged 20 HRs over the last two seasons as a hitter, and has shown success during his brief time on the mound to date. Hopefully in the future we can see more of Ohtani on the mound, as having a true two-way player in the league again would be exciting.

That’s it for part one! Part II is gonna drop sometime next week. Special thanks to Fangraphs, Baseball Reference, Super Mario Wiki, and Chase for helping with the article. Thank you all for reading, and make sure you check out the other content here on the site.