Baseball drip is the gear players wear to look good on the field: loud batting gloves, colorway bats, matching elbow and leg guards, and gloves that stand out from across the diamond. Kids notice it, and plenty of players feel more confident when their gear looks right. That's fine, as long as the gear still does its job.

Every pick below comes from a brand we already trust for performance. Each one has a short note on who it fits and one honest downside.

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Batting Gloves

Batting gloves are the easiest place to start. Everyone sees them on every swing, and they cost a lot less than a bat or glove.

EvoShield X-SRZ Miami Vice Carbyne

Black gloves with a hot pink leather palm. The cabretta palm feels soft and grips well, and the leather reinforcements help it hold up to a lot of cage work. The downside is that a pink palm shows dirt and pine tar fast. There's also a youth version.

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Sizes: S-XXLColors: Black / Hot PinkCategory: AccessoriesCategory: Batting Gloves

EvoShield X-SRZ Moneybags Carbyne

Cream and green with a cash theme, built on the same Carbyne glove as the Miami Vice. It comes in adult and youth sizes with a wrist strap. Like any light-colored glove, the cream will look worn after a season.

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Sizes: S-XXLColors: Cream / GreenCategory: AccessoriesCategory: Batting Gloves

Franklin Powerstrap Infinite Watermelon

A watermelon colorway on Franklin's top glove. The leather is thicker than most batting gloves but still keeps a good bat feel, so it lasts longer. At about $70 it costs more than most players need to spend on gloves.

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Elbow, Leg and Hand Guards

Guards are where drip and protection overlap. A player is more likely to actually wear a guard they like the look of.

EvoShield X-SRZ Miami Vice Elbow Guard

Navy, pink and blue with a 90s look. EvoShield's Gel-to-Shell guard starts soft and molds to the arm in about 30 minutes, so it fits snug and stays put. Once it's molded to one player, it won't fit a younger sibling the same way.

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Sizes: S-LColors: Navy / Pink / Victory BlueCategory: Protective EquipmentCategory: Elbow Guards

EvoShield X-SRZ USA Swirl Batter's Leg Guard

Red, white and blue with red straps. It covers the lead shin and the top of the foot, which is where most foul balls hit. At around $110, it's a lot for a player who might outgrow it in a year.

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Sliding Mitts

A sliding mitt only matters if your player slides head first. Some youth leagues, Little League included, don't allow head-first slides while advancing at the younger levels, so check before you buy one.

EvoShield X-SRZ Savannah Bananas 2.0

Navy and banana yellow with Bananas logos on the wrist and finger bumper. Kids who watch the Bananas will want this one, and it's often on sale for around $35. The theme might feel dated once the player gets older.

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Sizes: One SizeColors: Navy / Yellow, White / YellowCategory: Protective EquipmentCategory: Sliding Mitts

EvoShield X-SRZ Party Animals 2.0

Black, pink and neon green, themed after the Bananas' rivals. Channels in the palm and back of the hand make it easier to grab the bag. It costs about $20 more than the Bananas mitt for the same protection.

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Sizes: One SizeColors: Black / Pink / Neon GreenCategory: Protective EquipmentCategory: Sliding Mitts

Arm Sleeves

Bruce Bolt's compression sleeve comes in 10 colors and patterns, so it's easy to match to the rest of the gear. It's built for pitchers and position players who want support through a long game. We cover more options in our arm sleeve guide. Sizing matters with compression, so measure the arm before you order.

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Sizes: S/M, L/XL, XXLColors: 10Category: Gear

Bats

Pick the bat for your league's stamp and your player's size first. Color comes second. Every bat below comes in a loud colorway, but a bat that's too heavy will hurt a swing more than any look can help it.

Easton Hype Fire Pool Party USSSA

Pink, yellow and blue on one of the most popular travel ball bats. It's a two-piece composite with a balanced swing, available in -5, -8 and -10. It's stamped USSSA only, so it's not legal in USA Baseball leagues.

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Sizes: 30-32 inColors: Pink, Yellow, BlueCategory: Bats

Victus Vibe JRod Squad Gold Pro-Crayon BBCOR

Gold, blue and white, tied to Julio Rodriguez. At about $150 it's one of the cheapest flashy BBCOR bats out there, and it also comes in USA and USSSA versions. It's a one-piece alloy, so mishits sting more than they would with a two-piece composite.

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Sizes: 31-34 inColors: Gold, Blue, WhiteCategory: Bats

Louisville Slugger Atlas Neon Energy BBCOR

Purple and neon green. It's a one-piece alloy, but the damper in the handle cuts down a lot of the sting. At about $280 it's a real upgrade over the Victus, so it makes the most sense for a high school player who's already settled on a one-piece feel.

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Colors: Purple, GreenCategory: Bats

Gloves

Wilson A2000 SuperSkin City Edition Miami 11.5"

Black, pink and teal on an A2000 infield pattern with an I-web. It's a serious glove, not just a look. It comes stiff, so plan on a real break-in period before it's game-ready.

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Colors: Black, Pink, Teal, WhiteCategory: Gloves

Mizuno Limited Edition Pro Select DynaCage 11.5"

Mint, pink and yellow on Mizuno's top steerhide line. Very few players on any field will have the same glove. At about $330 and with a long break-in, it's for an older player who'll use it for years.

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Colors: Mint, Pink, YellowCategory: Gloves

Cleats

Nike Force Trout 9 Elite

The orange and silver colorway is the one to get. It has cushioning in the heel, a sleeve that makes it easy to get on, and a toe overlay that protects the shoe on the mound. Check that your team doesn't require all-black or all-white cleats first.

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Sizes: 7-16Colors: Black, Black/White, Black/Grey, Black/White/Brown, Orange/Silver, Silver, White/Red,Category: Cleats

Adidas Adizero Impact 2.0 TPU

Look for the pink, blue and yellow colorway. The knit upper fits like a sock and the molded plate keeps it light. Molded cleats are allowed almost everywhere, but they don't grip quite as well as metal for older players.

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Sizes: 6.5-17Colors: Black/White, Grey, Navy/White, Royal/White, Red/White, Pink/Blue/YellowCategory: Cleats

Pants

Pants up with high socks is one of the oldest looks in baseball. EvoShield's pinstripe knicker has reinforced knees for sliding and a waistband that keeps the jersey tucked in. Most teams set the uniform pant, so this one works best for practice, camps and showcases.

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Sizes: Many availableColors: Many availableCategory: Clothing

What to Check Before You Buy

  • Bat stamps. USSSA, USA Baseball and BBCOR bats aren't interchangeable. Make sure the bat is legal in every league your player is in.

  • Team rules. Some coaches set cleat, sock and batting glove colors. Ask before you spend money on something that has to stay in the bag.

  • Pitchers. Umpires can make a pitcher remove anything they think distracts the hitter, so keep the loudest gear for the batter's box.

  • Growth. Kids outgrow guards, cleats and bats fast. If you're working with a budget, put the money into batting gloves or a sliding mitt.

Drip Doesn't Make the Player

New gear can make a kid excited to get to the field, and that counts for something. But the players everyone notices are the ones who hustle, stay calm after a bad at-bat and keep getting better. If your player keeps talking about a teammate's "aura," here's what baseball aura means.

Baseball Drip FAQ

What is baseball drip?

Drip is slang for gear and style that looks good. In baseball it usually means colorful batting gloves, matching guards, special-edition bats and gloves, and cleats in standout colors.

What's the cheapest way to add drip?

A hand guard or a sliding mitt. Both cost under $40 on sale and show up in every at-bat or on every slide.

Is flashy gear allowed in games?

For hitters and fielders, almost always. The bigger limits are bat stamps, your team's uniform rules, and what umpires allow pitchers to wear.

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Zach Kerr

Author

Zach is a former college pitcher & Founder of Baseball Near You.