Ranking the Eight New MLB City Connect Jerseys in 2026 From Worst to Best

This is not a drill: The new City Connect jerseys are officially out.

Initially released in 2021, the City Connect jerseys have become an annual tradition for teams to debut a new look on the baseball diamond. This year, 28 of MLB’s 30 teams will have a City Connect jersey, as the Yankees and Athletics continue to refuse an alternate look.

Each City Connect uniform is designed to represent the culture in the city or state in which the franchise resides. But as we’ve learned over the years, some of these uniforms are beloved by their team’s fan base, while some designs leave others scratching their heads. The eight new City Connect jerseys debuting in 2026 have a few in both categories.

Without further ado, let’s get into the rankings:

8. Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers’ new City Connect jerseys are designed to celebrate the lakes and “outdoor lifestyle” in Wisconsin. | Nike

This is like if Nike wrote “San Fran” on the Giants’ jerseys. I would like to find one Wisconsin resident that refers to their home state as “Wisco.” If you do live in Wisconsin and do call it “Wisco,” please email me or find me on Bluesky and we can discuss this matter further.

The design of these jerseys is fine, actually, and the Barrelman on the sleeve is a nice touch. But Wisco? C’mon now. That’s bad.

7. Texas Rangers

The Rangers’ new City Connect jerseys debuting in 2026. | Nike

First off, “Tejas” across the chest is very, very cool. I love it. However, the uniform design looks like it was plucked off a Walt Disney Studios set as the jerseys for a generic high school team in a cheesy sports movie. If Troy Bolton played baseball instead of basketball in High School Musical, these are the jerseys East High would wear. Go Wildcats.

6. Cincinnati Reds

Reds’ City Connect jerseys — The Reds’ new City Connect jerseys feature pinstripes for the first time. | Nike

One of our complaints in Cincinnati’s first try at the City Connect jerseys is that the franchise dubbed the “Reds” opted for an all-black uniform. It appears they read our feedback. This is a lot of red. The pinstripes are fun, though.

5. Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles’ new City Connect jerseys honor the rich history of Baltimore. | Nike

The more I looked at these O’s uniforms, the more I liked them.

Baltimore got a bit more creative with their second edition of the City Connect threads after their first try was a simple, all-black look. No, the “BMORE” across the chest is not in honor of Chandler Bing’s catch phrase on Friends, but instead a nickname for the city of Baltimore, apparently. These uniforms look like they belong on a 1990s Topps baseball card, which I’m all for.

4. Kansas City Royals

O.K., K.C. I see you. These all-white jerseys are clean. The purple colors throughout the uniform feel a bit random but it’s supposed to be a nod to “Midwestern summer sunset and the blue of water flowing through Kansas City’s more than 200 fountains.” Sure. Regardless, these look pretty cool.

If you, like me, are wondering what is on the Royals’ cap, it’s supposed to be a crown.

The Royals’ new City Connect hats. | Nike

These jerseys also feature “HEY HEY HEY HEY!” written inside the collar, in honor of the Beatles song Kansas City plays at Kauffman Stadium after the final out of every win.

3. San Diego Padres

I was bummed to see San Diego’s previous vibrant City Connect jerseys go away, but these are solid. The white cap looks a bit out of place, but it’s a cool nod to a previous era of Padres baseball. The Dia de los Muertos-inspired logo on the sleeve is what really surges this jersey up the list, though:

2. Pittsburgh Pirates

You know what, I really like these. The gold hat contrasts the all-black uniform very well, and it’s fun to see the Pirates’ old logo from the Jason Kendall era in the early 2000s back in action. It’s a significant upgrade from the Pirates’ stale “PGH” City Connect jerseys that they rolled out in 2023.

1. Atlanta Braves

The Braves’ new City Connect uniforms are a nod to the franchise’s 1980 powder blue threads. | Nike

The Braves continue to have the best City Connect jerseys in all of baseball. Ranked as the third-best City Connect jersey in our initial list two years ago, Atlanta struck gold again here with its combination of the baby blue jerseys and the lowercase “a” logo on the cap.