New features include MLB The Show 17's "Road to the Show" story mode, "Pave Your Path", in which the user controls the progression of their player's career. The mode intercuts scenes that present the player with decisions that affect the storyline.[4]
MLB The Show 17 also added features to other pre-existing game modes like "Franchise" and "Diamond Dynasty". Franchise mode places the user in control of an entire MLB team, including coaching, player development, and general-manager duties. New to this mode are features that allow the player to maintain the same level of control of their team but do it in less time than in previous iterations. Other additions include critical situations, in which the user only plays important at-bats in late innings of games, and quick manage, in which the user is in complete control of all managerial decisions during a game.
As in previous versions, "Diamond Dynasty" involves building the ultimate baseball team and maintaining a virtual trading-card collection. The user creates a customized team, selecting the players (current and past), a team name, logo, and uniforms. Games are played in tournament-style competitions against other users' teams. Additional legendary baseball players have been added to collect, new missions to complete, and live updated 2017 Topps player cards.