The slow walk to the batter's box takes endless preparation. Countless batting practice sessions, tweaks to swing mechanics, scouting sessions on opposing pitchers and then some. There's another step too, though, that's important solely for the mind as a player steps up to the plate: picking the perfect walk-up song.

Some MLB players have a methodical or themed approach in picking theirs, even sourcing outside help in selecting the right tune. Others, not so much. They just pick a song and have it blast through the stadium's speakers for seasons to come—like something they checked off of their to-do list and never thought about it again.

Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson and Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich are at opposite ends of that spectrum. Swanson and Yelich explained their walk-up song selection processes to Sports Illustrated while promoting DIRECTV's new "Nothing On Your Roof 2.0" ad campaign, which is a music-infused twist on "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" that focuses on their satellite-free MLB viewing experience.

Swanson hails from Kennesaw, Ga., which inspired him to use songs from various Atlanta-based artists as the walk-up music throughout his career. He currently uses "Everyday Hustle" by Future, which is just one of the many songs he's used from Atlanta hip-hop stars.

"Just being from Atlanta, considering that hip-hop capital of the world, about 98% of my songs come from Atlanta rappers," Swanson told SI. "That's how I start my decision-making process."

He has used music from Atlanta stars like Lil Baby, Ying Yang Twins and Shawty Lo in the past. He's also used plenty of OutKast, one of his hometown favorites along with Future and Ludacris. Swanson thinks the right walk-up song is essential. And the track might even get changed if he hits a slump.

"It's more of just a feel than anything," he said. "If you like it and it's working, you keep using it. If you want to change it, maybe do two instead of just one, it ebbs and flows throughout the year.

"It really is an important decision. Sometimes you got to bring in some friends or some people you trust to give you some ammo to help you out."

Yelich uses "Jungle" by Andre Nickatina as his walk-up song, which he picked for a practical reason. He told SI that the inspiration for his walk-up music is that Major League Baseball is referred to as "the jungle" due to the grind of each 162-game season, with players navigating plentyt of ups and downs.

One of Yelich's high school friends was a big Andre Nickatina fan, so he remembered the song being played on repeat during his younger years. He began using "Jungle" as a walk-up song during his first season with the Brewers in 2018, and he's rolled with it ever since.

Through his eight seasons in Milwaukee, "Jungle" has remained in rotation, although he has added new songs in alternating at bats here and there. Travis Scott's "SICKO MODE" has entered Yelich's rotation before, as well as "Numb/Encore" from Jay-Z and Linkin Park. Back in 2019, he used "Roxanne" by The Police for a single at bat as a joke after he replied "Relax Roxane" to a user on Twitter (now known as X) who criticized Yelich for an appearance in ESPN's Body Issue.

Nickatina's "Jungle" beat has withstood the test of time, though, which has made Yelich's walk-up music less of a worry.

"Now it's just one less thing that I have to pick and choose about," Yelich told SI. "It's just like 'Yeah, this one's fine by me,' so I've just stuck with that one for a while. You never know if I'll keep it or change it going forward in the future. But for now, I still like it so we'll keep it going."

If the right song doesn't strike a batter's mind immediately, MLB players have plenty of opportunities for inspiration as they travel across ballparks throughout a season. Interestingly enough, Swanson and Yelich both pointed to the same opposing player when asked about the best walk-up experiences while on the road: Colorado Rockies great Charlie Blackmon.

Blackmon, who played 14 seasons with the Rockies before he retired after the 2024 season, used "Your Love" by The Outfield throughout his playing career. The song turned into an unofficial anthem at Coors Field, as Rockies fans would shout the word "tonight" back to Blackmon during the chorus.

"It makes me feel at home. It's really hard for me to listen to that song and not stop and think about baseball, get romantic with the game and know how important of a song that is for me in my career," Blackmon told reporters late in the 2024 season, per Colorado's 9NEWS Sports. "It's rare that you see that kind of interaction from a fan base and a player in a stadium.

"It's an incredible song and I never once thought of changing it. The city and Coors Field really embraced it. You can't listen to that song and not think about baseball, not think about hitting. It puts me in a great mindset and it's an all-time favorite."

He created an experience that was shared with Rockies fans for over a decade, which his opponents couldn't help but notice. For some MLB stars, selecting the right walk-up song is crucial in setting the proper mindset as they step up to the plate. Others, not so much. But oftentimes, a player's walk-up song is an homage to their roots. For others, its simply the music they enjoyed while growing up.

But no matter their selection process, you can always learn something about your favorite baseball player by listening to the song their ballpark plays as they head up to bat.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as The Art of Picking the Perfect Walk-Up Song With Dansby Swanson and Christian Yelich.

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