Baseball is a sport that is loved by so many and has come to stay. So the younger generations play too in order to keep the baseball dream alive.
For maximum protection and comfort, you want to ensure that only the best youth baseball cleats are worn by the kids as they play.
Baseball cleats are very important because they define your game in a large way. Without the right baseball cleats, you may struggle with stance, traction, and speed on the field.
This article is to serve as a guide for buying the best youth baseball cleats.
There are so many choices to be made but the baseball cleats listed here will guarantee great performance and durability.
Here, we are going to discuss some of the best baseball cleats and other baseball facts you should know about.
Top 11 Best Youth Baseball Cleats
OUR TOP PICK
- Synthetic material/leather
- Rubber cleats
- 12 spikes
The upper part of the Nike Vapour Keystone is made with synthetic leather and has a collar and tongue made with mesh allowing for proper breathability.
The collar and tongue give a nice grip while allowing airflow adaptable to all weather types and providing great comfort.
The midsole has extra padding which soothes the feet and it has 12 rubber spikes that aid easy movement, traction, and a great performance on the field.
The midsole is Phylon and EVA sock-lined to help absorb shock, offer protection and comfort.
EDITORS CHOICE
- Synthetic material/leather
- Extra cleat insertion
- Rubber sole
The New Balance Youth is made from synthetic leather and stands out for its lightweight. The cleats are metal and have an insertion at the front to serve as protection, preventing the direct impact of the ball to feet.
It is available for kids between 4-12 years. It also has synthetic mesh material that aids breathability and durable spikes that help with traction and rapid changes in motion on the field.
It can also be used as a running shoe.
BEST VALUE
- Synthetic material
- Rubber sole
- 9 spikes
The Mizuno 9-spike as the name suggests has a 9-spike outsole that helps with great traction and stance on the field. It has rubber studs that are long-lasting and makes them comfortable.
Its adaptability is top-notch as it allows you to use it for play, running, or practice in any type of field.
It comes with extra padding that protects the feet from soreness or bruising.
The midsole is full length alongside the padded tongue explaining how soothing it is during use. The rubber sole helps with good traction.
RUNNER UP
- Synthetic material
- Low-top/mid-top style
- Mesh tongue
Designed with synthetic material and a mesh tongue, the Under Armour Leadoff RM Jr. allows for breathability and it is one of the best-recommended baseball cleats for kids in 2020.
The synthetic mesh gives it its lightweight and flexibility. It is of the low top and mid-top styles and helps with swift movement while at play, running, or training.
The disadvantage is that kids with wide feet cannot wear them because they are designed narrowly.
RUNNER UP
- High top style
- Velcro straps
- Lightweight
The Under Armour Harper Jr is popular among kids because of the prestige that comes with Harper's designs.
Harper offers the best designs of baseball cleats in the market. This particular baseball cleat is of the high top style and can be purchased in different colors.
The Velcro strap around the ankles offers more protection to the feet and increases safety. It has a padding insole that offers the cushioning effect and makes it very comfortable to wear even for a long time.
Additionally, the midsole has extra padding around the ankle.
Unfortunately, the Velcro straps are not really durable. But it is undeniably a good design and balance properly.
RUNNER UP
- Low-top style
- Synthetic material/leather
- Lightweight
The Vapor Ultrafly is made with quality synthetic leather material that is bound to last long. It is of the low-top style and has padding in the midsole.
The midsole has Phylon cushioning which gives great balance and support.
It offers a good grip and fit improving stance and traction on the field. It would have come out better with the high-top or mid-top design. It is quite expensive but affordable. It is definitely worth the buy.
RUNNER UP
- Low-top style
- Lightweight
- Extra tongue padding
Mizuno makes quality baseball cleats so the Mizuno Franchise 9 is no exception. It is of the low-top style and made with a synthetic material that gives it its lightweight.
It offers a great grip and has extra tongue padding which makes it a comfortable fit.
The midsole is full length and has padding that gives a cushioning effect.
Traction on the field is great and it allows for swift turns during play. It is quite affordable but comes in the low-top style only.
RUNNER UP
- 12 molded cleats
- Full-length midsole
- Foam cushioning
The Nike Alpha Huarache has an upper with excellent cushioning which makes it comfortable. The midsole is full-length and has foam padding which gives the soft feel. It is of high-top style and gives the ankle extra support.
It is of high quality and very flexible. It has 12 molded cleats that offer great balance and traction.
This design is really beautiful and stylish. But it is one you might want to try on before making a purchase. This is because you want to ensure it fits properly.
Some reviews have shown that it may not be lightweight and would be better on heavy players.
RUNNER UP
- Synthetic mesh
- Lightweight
- Rubber sole
- Wide-sized cleats
The New Balance 3000v4 is suitable for players with wide feet. Especially pitchers and catchers because of the constant plunging into the ground. The toe area is built solidly to withstand pressure from continuous impact.
The soles are rubber made and offer good traction. It is of the low-top style and has collar padding adding to comfort.
The insole has foam padding giving it a relaxed and soft feel. The midsole is made of fresh foam too, so this baseball cleat gives all-round comfort. It is made with synthetic material which gives it its lightweight.
It is not so cheap and has very limited size options. But players with wide feet will find this totally worth buying.
RUNNER UP
- Lightweight
- Low-top style
- Abrasion-resistant
The Adidas Adizero AfterBurner has a beautiful design. Kids love this baseball cleat because it gives a sense of confidence. It is of the low-top style.
It is made of synthetic material and lightweight. It also has abrasion resistance that helps it last longer.
It offers great balancing and traction and is recommended for wide feet even though it has a narrow outline. They help to improve and maintain speed during play, practice or running. They can be used in any type of field.
Since it is of the low top style, it offers little protection and lacks ankle support. It may also have a problem with getting the proper size, so it is recommended that you test it out before buying.
RUNNER UP
- 12 cleats
- Synthetic leather
- Phylon midsole
The Nike Boys Vapor Ultrafly Keystone has 12 cleats on the outsole which offers maximum and comfortable grip. It has rubber-molded studs which allow you to play with it in any type of field.
They are durable and will ensure for a long time. This cleat gives maximum stability while making turns and dashes on the field.
In addition to the durable studs, the upper part is made of synthetic leather of great quality. It makes it lightweight and helps easy movement on the field.
The midsole is Phylon-made and offers the soft cushioning effect while protecting you from getting sore or sustaining an injury.
This baseball cleat protects you from the impact and pressure of the field against the feet making it much more bearable. It comes with a bootie design that offers maximum grip and the best fit. It makes movement sharper and faster.
The advantage is that it gives the soft feel, offers better grip, good traction, and great agility. The downside is that it does not have too many designs to choose from.
Youth Baseball Cleats Buying Guide: The Top Rated Brands
Having established that baseball cleats are essential to every baseball game and seeing how important it is to have the right baseball cleats, let’s talk about a few brands that can be trusted to design and produce durable baseball cleats.
Under Armour
Under Armour offers great designs of baseball cleats. They have the expertise for designing footwear and focus on the customers and what would tailor their needs and keep them comfortable while at play, practice, or running. Having Bryce Harper is also a guarantee that under Armour will continue giving great designs to live up to their name and legacy.
Nike
Nike produces really good footwear and delving into the design and production of baseball cleats, is only an advancement. Nike is a trusted and reliable brand for baseball cleats.
They constantly make adjustments following the reviews and feedbacks gotten from customers. They produce baseball cleats that meet the expectations of baseball players and lovers.
Adidas
Everyone knows that Adidas is more than a brand that produces footwear. They have been producing footwear for all kinds of sports so they have experience in knowing what good footwear should feel like and help a player accomplish.
New Balance
New Balance offers top-notch designs and also gives baseball players and lovers the opportunity to customize their footwear, tailoring their needs to their specific requests. They also design and produce baseball cleats that give prestige, great traction, and balance on the field.
Factors to Consider Before Purchasing a Youth Baseball Cleat
These factors include the style of the cleats, types of the cleats, materials used in making the cleats, and your budget.
Style of a baseball cleat
Throughout the review of the various baseball cleats, the style was mentioned repeatedly. This is because style is key in picking the right baseball cleat. There are three main styles of cleats, high-top, mid-top, and low-top.
High-top cleats
The ankle of a high top cleat reaches high to offer more protection and support. They are usually not lightweight and very good for players concerned about hurting their ankle.
Mid-top cleats
A mid-top cleat as the name suggests is neither high nor low. It meets in the middle and allows for great balancing.
Low-top cleats
They are completely low and do not offer as much support as high-tops. They’re what most players go for these days. But it all depends on the player, the position and type of play. Also, note that low-tops allow for better speed during play.
Types of Cleats
There are different materials used to make cleats. These materials influence performance of baseball cleats on the field. They are metal, rubber, or plastic materials. There are also hybrid cleats that allow you to change between metal and rubber, but they do not come highly recommended.
Metal Cleats
In the past, metal cleats did not offer the best protection on the field. Some were too sharp which led to its ban. Metal Cleats have been improved in modern times but are not completely safe. Nevertheless, metal cleats offer good traction and balance on the field.
Rubber/Plastic Cleats
These are much safer than metal cleats. They are molded with rubber or plastic and are less likely to injure other players. They are also more durable than metal and thrive during play on soft fields. They may not be able to dig as good as metal cleats, but they are usually cheaper.
Training Cleats
Turf and training cleats are designed only to be used on turfs. They have smaller spikes than other cleats and do not offer very good traction on fields. They are suitable for playing indoors or during soft practice.
Materials Used
The materials used to produce baseball cleats are important enough to be considered because they influence how flexible the baseball cleats will be and test their ability to last long. Baseball cleats are usually made of leather (synthetic and pure).
Pure or genuine leather allows more breathability and is more durable than the others, although quite expensive. Synthetic leather provides great support on the foot and ankles and is usually cheaper than pure leather.
So when trying to make a baseball cleat choice, you should consider the material that will give better comfort to the feet.
Your Budget
There are baseball cleats that can function as both practice cleats, running cleats, and proper cleats for playing on the field. Evidently, this type of cleats will be expensive but can be seen as a wise choice since it is multi-purpose.
However, if you are on a budget, you might want to consider buying the more affordable baseball cleats which may serve one function at a time.
Also considering the fact that the purchase is for a kid, you might buy a size larger since kids tend to grow fast and will grow into the baseball cleat quickly.
Which Cleat is Right For My Position?
Baseball cleats determine how well a player performs on the field. There is no one recommended cleat for all players. Pick cleats according to play on the field.
- Pitchers, infielders, and catchers prefer metal cleats because they dig into the field better and push the dirt off easily. It also helps in traction, swift movement, and quick changes while at play.
- Players with set positions who do not have to move around too much should use rubber cleats.
- Outfielders love metal cleats because it helps with footwork while playing on grass. Molded cleats have the most grip but won’t dig in like metal cleats.
Why Purchase the Best Baseball Cleats?
Your priority after considering all the factors should be for your kid to be safe and have the best protection he can get. Like every other sport involving human contact, accidents can happen. But then you have to do everything possible to minimize dangers.
In addition, quality baseball cleats improve performance and give the player a sense of confidence while on the field.
Seeing how rigorous the game of baseball can be, including a lot of running, jumping, dashing, and swift turns, players need the best comfort they can get with their baseball cleats.
In a case where a game goes on for a longer period of time, it can become insufferable if a player is wearing the wrong set of baseball cleats. More so, if a kid is really going to enjoy and want to go further in the game of baseball he should be equipped properly to enjoy every game he plays or practices in.
This article is to serve as a guide for buying the best youth baseball cleats. There are so many choices to be made but the baseball cleats listed here will guarantee great performance and durability on the field.