Skip to main content

New Study Shows Most Popular Cleat Brands in MLB

Statistics from a new study show which footwear brands are best represented in MLB.
  • Author:
  • Publish date:

We are officially 17 days away from the first MLB Spring Training exhibition game. Athletes and fans are not the only ones with lofty goals for the upcoming season; almost all of the major footwear brands want to make a mark with consumers.

Right on time, the outlet What Pros Wear posted an in-depth study that analyzes all of the cleats worn last season. The author of the article, Kyle Diangkinay, went into great detail, and the full article can be read here. Below is a pie chart they posted on Instagram, and we will highlight some of the major findings from the report.

It should come as no surprise that Nike has a dominant share of representation on the diamond. However, the Swoosh took a slight step back from 50% of MLB starters down to 48%. That number does not include the 2% of players who wear Jordan Brand cleats.

Coming in second with 20% of the starting players is New Balance. One of the Boston-based brand's most notable players is New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, who unveiled his second signature model last spring. 

However, Los Angeles Dodgers' two-way star Shohei Ohtani could be the next signature athlete for New Balance. Last week, Ohtani was spotted working out at Dodger Stadium wearing unreleased cleats that could be his first signature model.

Third place is held by adidas, who has 17% percent of starters representing the three stripes. The last significant showing is Under Armour, who comes in fourth with 10% representation on the field. From there, it gets pretty dispersed among smaller brands fighting for athletes.

Diangkinay's reporting for What Pros Wear goes far more in-depth with its analysis and is a must-read for people interested in sports apparel and equipment. Stay locked into FanNationKicks.com for all your footwear news from the sports world.