Can you accelerate development leaguewide?

[Francoeurstein]

Is there a setting that allows prospects to develop more quickly on a leaguewide basis? I notice that a lot of guys, including the top prospects, are usually old for their level. For example, in my 2025 sim the top prospect in the league is a 24-year old Starting Pitcher in double-A.

In real life it's common to see guys ML ready at 21, 22, 23 years old, but it's a lot more rare in OOTP. I would like to adjust the development so that players will peak a year or two earlier - is this possible?

[sprague]

Originally Posted by Francoeurstein

Is there a setting that allows prospects to develop more quickly on a leaguewide basis? I notice that a lot of guys, including the top prospects, are usually old for their level. For example, in my 2025 sim the top prospect in the league is a 24-year old Starting Pitcher in double-A.

In real life it's common to see guys ML ready at 21, 22, 23 years old, but it's a lot more rare in OOTP. I would like to adjust the development so that players will peak a year or two earlier - is this possible?

It’s in game settings, 2nd page in.
Game sets aging and development at 1.000
I too have faster development. For me 1.300 for batters 1.500 for pitchers. You could choose more or less.
I drop aging a bit as well to have slightly longer careers.

[Francoeurstein]

Originally Posted by sprague

It’s in game settings, 2nd page in.
Game sets aging and development at 1.000
I too have faster development. For me 1.300 for batters 1.500 for pitchers. You could choose more or less.
I drop aging a bit as well to have slightly longer careers.

Does it seem a bit more realistic with those settings? Might give it a try.

[Airdrop01]

Everyone will say differently. In non challenge mode I use 1.1 and .9, respectively.

[james17]

Originally Posted by sprague

It’s in game settings, 2nd page in.
Game sets aging and development at 1.000
I too have faster development. For me 1.300 for batters 1.500 for pitchers. You could choose more or less.
I drop aging a bit as well to have slightly longer careers.

I’ve noticed this too. Development takes longer in the more recent releases and aging is a bit too fast. I have a lot of pitchers especially who aren’t getting close enough to play regularly until they’re in their later mid 20’s and too many aren’t coming close enough to their potential. Then they hit a wall at 30 and many degrade much too quickly from there. As a result I very seldom keep a player when he’s 30 or more. Using this method has resulted in being able to create a dynasty with a roster of most players being in their mid to late 20’s and then trading them at 30 or even 29 for fresher talent.

I’ll play with modifying the development and aging factors now that I know others are having these issues too.

[Francoeurstein]

So I used Sprague's suggestions and set the batter development to 1.3 and the pitcher development to 1.5. I've played a season and a half and have noticed a little bit of a difference - it seems like the better prospects are starting to shoot through the minors a little bit quicker. In my current year (2026) there were 32 players that were 22 or younger that registered an at-bat or plate appearance in the major leagues. There are currently 29 such players that have done that IRL this year. Pretty realistic I'd say.

[Drstrangelove]

I am trying 1.5 on development and .75 on aging. I'm getting some players ready by age 20 - 22, with many others coming in at 23-25, with not that many hanging around past age 35. Those past 35 might still be productive for 3-4 years, but each year, a high % of them suddenly having ratings plummet starting each year at 36. TCR is set to 100, so it's still a bit of a crap shoot for 18 year-olds: it's still easy enough to draft a presumed stud who drops in round one, and to see another guy drafted a few players later turn into an all-star.

It "feels" better even if it's not necessarily exactly what the MLB sees. Probably could lower the aging, but I want to wait another 10 seasons first, to see if more players reach age 36.