Pence, Hosmer talk 'MLB: The Show,' video games

To help promote a new season of its baseball simulation MLB: The Show, Sony recruited arguably one of the sports world's biggest video game fans.

Hunter Pence, outfielder for the world champion San Francisco Giants, is joining Kansas City Royals star Eric Hosmer as pitchmen for MLB 15: The Show, which launched last week for PlayStation 4, PS3 and the Vita handheld.

Pence's love for the medium dates back to the arcade age, having first experienced video games through Q*Bert. "I was gaming since I remember," says Pence in an interview.

Pence is a huge fan of most video games, including role-playing, sports and card games, sharing his exploits via Twitch. On Twitter, he freely discusses his video game adventures, from trying out Sony's Project Morpheus VR to getting an early look at the next Mortal Kombat.

Pence says a game like The Show offers some aid for players, specifically their view from the batter's box. He also recalls a stint in the minor leagues where he faced former pitcher Andy Pettite, and marveled at how his pitching motions were nearly identical to the hurler's movements in the video game.

"It was really this deja vu kind of moment," says Pence.

Hosmer is an avid player, enjoying sports titles like Madden and first-person shooters, "especially in the offseason."

Hosmer shares Pence's enthusiasm for the realism captured in sports games like The Show, noting elements such as spray charts to show where players hit the ball and throwing mechanics. "It does a great job," he says.

Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.