The Greatest Cleats To Have Walked The Field

The creativity of cleats in MLB has grown significantly each year. The kicks allow the pros to bring out a side of themselves that the fans might not always see on the diamond. From ones that bring some personal style, to ones that stand up to inequality, here are my favorite cleats that have ever walked the field.

The Cleats That Speak For Themselves

There is nothing I love to see more than famous athletes and public figures using their platform for good! I know what you might be thinking: “Hannah, if Bryce Harper posts a selfie that is appealing to the eyes on Instagram, isn’t that using their platform for good?” The answer is yes, but I mean using their platform for more important and valuable reasons, like speaking up for justice or to promote a worthy cause. In 2019, former Washington Nationals LHP Sean Doolittle wore cleats with the pride flag in support of the LGBTQ+ community. Doolittle has always been vocal about his support for the LGBTQ+ community through social media — he even caught the first pitch at Pride Night in 2019.  Last year, St. Louis Cardinals SP Jack Flaherty, who has been at the forefront of standing up for racial injustice, wore cleats in support of the Black Lives Matter movement with the BLM logo, along with the names of multiple victims. I love the idea of these cleats because they not only give awareness to topics such as racial injustice and LGBTQ+ acceptance, but they also bring attention to these topics in a different way — to multiple demographics across the world and under the Friday night lights.

Sneaker Culture Meets MLB

Who wouldn’t want two G’s on their feet while playing the great game of baseball? New York Yankees OF Clint Frazier definitely takes the crown in this category. Frazier’s impressive roster includes a pair of Jordan 6s, Jordan 11s and even the coveted Travis Scott x Jordan collaborations. He also managed to take some of the strangest sneaker silhouettes from Nike and turn them into killer cleats, like the Fear of God 1s. Colors, patterns, materials — you name it. His cleat closet’s got it.

Players Weekend

Players Weekend attire is a personal favorite of mine because I feel it allows the fans to further connect with their idols. We get to take a better look into the players’ everyday lives, from childhood nicknames to passions outside of the stadium. Though, the greatest player weekend cleats in my eyes are the ones that tug on the heart strings. Let’s be real, what’s cuter than an MLB player with babies and dogs? I mean, nine words: Corey Seager in a field full of Golden Retrievers. But enough of my tangent, the first pair that comes to my mind is OF Mookie Betts’ Minnie Mouse cleats in 2019. The Jordans that featured the Disney character were dedicated to his 2-year-old daughter, Kynlee Betts. Opposite to Minnie was Kynlee’s birthday and full name. Another honorable mention was Harper’s Under Armour cleats covered in doodles on behalf of children from his Harper’s Heroes foundation. Philadelphia Phillies 1B Rhys Hoskins chose to have his adorable puppy, Rookie, along with Phillie colored paw prints illustrated on his Nikes. Is someone cutting onions?

Paying Homage To The Legends

Who loves to see the stars of right now paying homage to the legends from the past? I know I do. We are going to bring it back to two greats I mentioned above, Betts and Clint Frazier. In addition to his adorable Kynlee cleats during Players Weekend in 2019, Betts wore David “Big Papi” Ortiz-themed cleats to honor his former teammate and the Boston Red Sox legend. The cleats were completed with a picture of Ortiz, Red Sox colors and the word “Papi” written all over them. They were definitely a home run in my book. The rival Yankees have also made their fair share of dedications to franchise icons. Frazier wore not one, but two pairs of Derek Jeter’s collaboration with Air Jordan. Frazier wore the Retro High 1s in ‘Jeter’ followed by the ‘Derek Jeter’ suede Jordan 11s. There is nothing better than the young guys paying tribute to those who played under the bright lights before them.

Cover photo courtesy of Alex Trautwig/MLB via Getty Images