Baseball gear has undergone a revolution since we started. The quality and array of products available to the player is insane. There are so many great options to choose from out there that it can be pretty overwhelming, so here’s a little gift from me, as editor of WPW, to help you sort through the swag. Here’s my favorite items for your consideration as you deck yourself out in 2017.
Gloves
I’m not a catcher, but if I was, this might be the only glove I’d ever need. Rawlings introduction of “Colorsync” patches last year has given their customs a new edge, and the gold piping gives this glove a timeless style. Get the Rawlings Pro Preferred PROSCM33MO here.
No glove is more common at any position in the MLB than the Rawlings PRO303. Seventy-two percent of MLB outfielders use the H-Web seen here, and most are Rawlings PRO303s (check our comprehensive MLB glove report here). This glove is going to age beautifully, look good on every team you play for, and you may never grow out of it. I’ve gamed my Rawlings Trap for 11 seasons, and I imagine the H-Web might even be more durable than the Trap. Get the Rawlings Heart of the Hide PRO303 here.
What a beaut. If you play for a royal blue team (that’s like 80% of the world I’m pretty sure), how good would this look with the uni!? Ugh, I play for a green team and this thing makes me want to be traded. So sexy. For a SS/2B who likes a smaller pocket, this is one of the swaggiest choices on the market. Get the Rawlings Heart of the Hide PRO312 here.
Manny Machado model anyone? This glove takes an MLB standard, the PRONP5 pattern, and adds some flavor with the V-Web. The 11.75″ will give you more length than the previous glove (PRO312), a great choice for a versatile infielder. Get the Manny Machado Rawlings PRONP5 V-Web here.
This Pedroia model glove has some stealthy swag to it. When you have it in hand, the gunmetal looks bad-ass. The DP15 11.5″ pattern has been used not only by Pedroia, but some other MLB studs like Josh Harrison. Get the DP15 here.
Similar to the Rawlings PRO312, the A2000 1788A offers the infielder a small pocket for the quickest possible transfer. Looks-wise, this might be my favorite glove out of the whole group. Just a gorgeous grey/blue combo with some flash in the labels. Get the 1788A here.
Cleats
The “Coumarin Pack” from NB just came out for Spring Training and this burgundy/orange combo is absolute flames. If they’re not Arizona State’s team cleats then they’re doing it wrong. So fresh. Get the 3000v3 “Coumarin Pack” cleats here.
28, I repeat, 28 different color options available in the 4040v3 on Eastbay. These are one of the highest regarded cleats ever among MLB players. If you’re looking for a comfortable cleat right out of the box, look no further. Get the 4040v3 here.
The Dipped Collection from adidas baseball just does it for me. I love solid colors because they stand out. You can have the craziest customs, but what good are they if you can’t see the details from the stands? With a vibrant single color cleat like these Afterburner 3s, they’ll stand out from any distance. Get the adidas Afterburner 3 in 23 colors at the link.
The newest release from adidas, the Afterburner 4, is undoubtedly one of the prettiest cleats I’ve ever seen. Clean doesn’t even begin to describe it. We’ve already seen Afterburner 4 customs for Andrelton Simmons and Billy Hamilton, and you can expect to see these beauties on a lot of adidas athletes. Get the Afterburner 4 here.
Hey, I got nothing against slow guys. Every team needs a guy to laugh at when he’s motioning for an oxygen mask after going first to third. These cleats, however, are not for slow guys. If you aren’t going to be stealing 2 bags a game in these Ultrafly “Color Burst” cleats, you’re not worthy. These things are too fast. Get the Nike Lunar Vapor Ultrafly “Color Burst” here.
For an extremely budget friendly option that still looks really sharp, check these Vapor Ultrafly Keystone cleats, which are only $35. Get them here. (More budget options to check out in our CLEAT BUYING GUIDE)
Turfs
A great silhouette with great performance reviews at a reasonable price. Get the 4040v3 turf here.
Could you really wear these in a game? What if they got dirt on them? Then what? I think I’d carry a toothbrush and some shoe cleaner in my back pocket, call timeout, and give ’em a quick scrub. Is that allowed? Get the electric Trout 3 turf here.
Batting Gloves
This one is easy. Franklin’s custom builder is the coolest thing that’s ever happened to batting gloves. Endless color options, and even some add-ons like the “Shok-sorb” palm pad for a low price. As for durability, I’ve worn two pairs of custom Franklin CFX Pros (worn by Kevin Kiermaier above) for 3 seasons now, and I don’t have a tear in any of them. Its a no-brainer if you’re looking for fully custom BGs that will last you a long time. Get the CFX Pro here.
Sunglasses
Flip-downs = baseball swag. And at $90 they’re just a way better value than other options, especially when you consider how easy it is to lose sunglasses. Get the Gargoyles Gamer sunglasses here.
Protective
Evoshield does protective as well as anyone in the game. They also look really good. My favorite style, and the preferred style of MLB players, is the Speed Stripe, which you can get in leg guards, elbow guards, protective batting gloves and wrist guards here.
Accessories/Apparel
Maybe its just me, but these Mitchell & Ness throwbacks jumped off the page on MLBShop.com. I’ve always felt like button-up baseball jerseys are a little too much to pull off as a fashion statement, but this breathable mesh pull-over feels like the perfect balance between casual and official. The Ted Williams version above is absolutely gorgeous (this coming from a Yankee fan who could never wear it), and there are many others including Cal Ripken, Bo Jackson, and Kirby Puckett that are worth checking out here.
The “Greystone Crew” style from Stance. A winner and available for 11 teams here.
These are my favorite gamers from Stance. Socks-up all day every day in these. Get them here (including 9 other color options).