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In the old days for baseball footwear, dads would take their little baseball player to one store, or just maybe two, to choose from perhaps a couple of models of cleats. Those days are long gone. Modern baseball cleats come in a variety of designs, styles, colors and more, and feature the latest in shoe manufacturing technology.
Today’s baseball cleats have so many features, in fact, that it can be hard to differentiate between them.
With that, let us offer our suggestions for the best baseball cleats for 2024, and (hopefully if the cleats last) the seasons immediately after. Each new season means new models and features, so we have to test them out and share our conclusions here.
We researched a number of brands and models, both old and new, and considered design, styles, pricing, and other features. We believe we came up with a good list for your starting point in the process to purchase new baseball cleats.
Summary
- Overall, you get the best return on investment with the exciting Adidas Icon 7 Series Baseball Cleat, which tops our list of suggestions for the second consecutive year.
- The lightest cleat model on our list, the Under Armour Leadoff Baseball Cleat, comes in several versions so there’s something for everyone.
- Our 2nd runner up is our top choice for comfort, the New Balance Fresh Foam 3000 V6 Molded Baseball Shoe, and there’s more to it than just the foam.
- Those who want a noticeable boost in foot speed should pay attention to the Adidas Adizero Afterburner Baseball Cleat and its quality brand.
- Our suggestion for those who play or practice a lot on artificial turf is the New Balance Men’s FuelCell 4040 V6 Turf-Trainer Baseball Shoe.
- For those seeking style, we suggest looking at the Under Armour Men’s Harper 8, and the various versions of this fine line.
- An entry cleat for very young or new baseball is the Franklin Sports Baseball Cleat, which provides big performance with a small price tag.
- Of the many models offered by this known brand, we like what we see in the Nike Alpha Huarache, which is super comfortable with its Nike React foam.
- Mizuno Men’s Wave Lightrevo Baseball Shoe applies thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) among other novel features and is our choice for the bold.
Who Needs New Baseball Cleats?
Any person who plans to play baseball beyond the level of pickup games or street ball will need cleats, for traction in the dirt or grass in a game that commands a lot of fast starts and stops. Slipping is detrimental to hitting, catching, running, and throwing.
Baserunning in particular is done mostly on loose dirt, and this is an area of the game that causes a lot of injuries, much of them slip-related. Besides helping improve your play, cleats help prevent injuries from slip-and-falls. High- and mid-top styles help better compress and protect ankles.
Infield and outfield grass also can be troublesome particularly when moist or wet. Some baseball field grasses are allowed to grow tall, making it even harder to run fast or make moves without assistance on the bottom of the feet.
Top-level baseball players mostly wear cleats with spikes made of metal, because they dig deep into any type of turf and grip well to prevent slippage. Metal spikes also wear down slower than their rubber counterparts.
So, for the most part every baseball player needs a pair of trusted cleats. The game just features way too much sprinting, abrupt starting and stopping, and sudden changes of direction to play in cleatless shoes.
Which pair of cleats is the most trusted? It depends on the player and the position to be played the most (more on that at the very bottom). A deeper look:
When Buying Baseball Cleats: What to Look for
Modern baseball cleats feature highly advanced and even scientific features to provide the ultimate in performance, traction, comfort, and longevity. Below, regardless of the order, all of these models are well above-average baseball cleat models.
In the buying process, what might you look for? Well, hopefully this helps:
Spikes
This is probably the first thing to check because many youth leagues, especially for kids age 10 and younger, do not allow use of metal spikes. At younger ages this is not that big of a deal, but older and more advanced players might prefer the deeper grip metal provides. Metal spikes are not dangerous, per se, but if stepped atop a foot they can cause noticeable pain. Metal spikes last longer than their hard rubber or plastic counterparts. Be sure to check with your league for rules on cleats, per age division. Most non-metal spikes are molded rubber.
Metal spikes are better on very hard, or very soft, surfaces. Think the dry fields of the Western United States; our more tropical areas like Florida where it rains enough to make grass thick and soils moist. Metal spikes do not, except on rare occasions, slip.
Still, almost a third of Major League Baseballplayers go with molded plastic or rubber spikes. Reasons vary, but metal spikes can be rough on the balls of the feet depending on the model; and metal spikes also can get caught in grass or artificial turf seams to cause injury. Professional ballplayers must think long-term as they play a lot of games.
And basically, it’s more comfortable standing for hours on rubber, compared with hard metal.
So metal spikes dig deeper into turf and last longer. Non-metal spikes usually are more comfortable to wear, especially with extended use. For some positions like pitcher, they may prefer metal spikes because they dig one foot in deep to push off on throws.
Materials
For a long, long time the only choice for baseball cleats was hard black leather, in versions that resembled the dress shoes of the day, only with spikes sprouting from the soles. Over time, manufacturers found softer leather, and added colors, and later modern plastics to create cleat models quite different from those of the 1960s and before.
Cleats made of higher-quality leather are more flexible, and often lighter, than those made from thick inferior leather. Today there’s also mesh and vinyl and even newer exotic materials aimed at improving performance, and extending the lifespan of the shoes.
A lot of modern baseball cleats are made mostly from synthetic material (including a “synthetic leather” quite resembling the real thing). Mesh is often added for comfort, air flow, and to reduce weight. Leather is more hardy over the long haul so if you want them to last, go with leather. Note that leather is a tad heavier, and if exposed to moisture too much could crack. Mesh breathes easily and keeps feet cool in hot weather, but offers little protection in wet conditions.
Weight
Keeping the weight light is important because baseball players are expected to be nimble on their feet. Not only is that, baseball games last a long time and fatigue can be a factor. Every ounce burns that many more calories. Generally somewhere around 1 lb. is the average cleat weight. Anything lower means the cleats are quite light.
Players in some positions, like catchers or corner infielders, might not be as concerned about weight, because those positions beat up on the feet and durability is more important. Regardless, cleat models more than 2 lbs are heavy.
Special Features
You will run across cleats with a design to hide the shoelaces, a rather aesthetic thing. Others might have a unique arrangement of the spikes on the bottom, or even more spikes than usual. Some have extra material at the very front tip to prevent damage from feet that drag behind on throws (like pitchers).
Read the online marketing materials for cleat models, and you’ll learn that some are made specially for longer grass, or just for artificial turf, and still others might be good for both. Which might be best for you or your child player is up to how that player plays the game, and which position he or she will end up in the most.
Our Picks for the Best Baseball Cleats for 2024
1. Best Baseball Cleat for 2024 Overall ~ Adidas Icon 7 Series Baseball Cleat
Analysis
It’s not the first time the Adidas Icon 7 Series Baseball Cleat topped our list of suggestions for baseball cleats. In fact, should you run across the new Icon 8 line, go with it. We couldn’t include it here as we’re awaiting more user reviews. We’re sure the Icon 8 will be among the top cleats recommended next year/
You just get the most for your money with the Icon series. The model is priced quite competitively compared with its peers. It is very light, and has this neat sock liner for superb comfort. Add some brand trust, and it’s hard to go wrong with the Adidas Icon series.
Details? The Icon 7 has a textile upper and lining so air can flow and the shoe “breathes” to keep feet cool. On the bottom, this cleat is designed for added cushion, with a rather bouncy midsole), and grip with its molded rubber spikes.
Specifications
- Material(s): Textile synthetics; rubber sole
- Weight: 2 lbs.
- Special Feature: Interior sock liner
What We Like
- Proven track record of the Icon series
- Fair pricing
2. Best Baseball Cleat for 2024 Runner Up ~ Under Armour Leadoff Baseball Cleat
Analysis
This manufacturer is penetrating the professional market more these days, and we really like one of its best models, the Under Armour Leadoff Baseball Cleat. This high-quality cleat comes in various versions with different styles or features, so there’s plenty to choose from.
We’ll start with the 11 oz. weight, among the lightest models on this list. That’s aided by a synthetic upper, complete with toe box performations for air flow. The toe cap overlay was a nice touch for durability. And you get the ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) midsole provides underfoot comfort for the full length of the cleats.
Specifications
- Material(s): Rubber, synthetic upper
- Weight: 11 oz.
- Special Feature: Lightweight mesh upper
What We Like
- Super lightweight
- Above-average rubber sole
