Since 2021, 28 of 30 teams have taken advantage of MLB’s partnership with Nike to launch new uniforms. Here’s my ranking of the top uniforms to come out of the deal.
10. Philadelphia Phillies
Starting off with a seemingly unpopular opinion, the Phillies have a top-10 City Connect uniform. The “Unapologetically Philly” jerseys are a tribute to the city’s flag, which explains the use of the blue and yellow.
Although I’m not the biggest fan of a blue and yellow color combination, I don’t mind it here.
These jerseys are over hated because of the font of the “Philly” across the chest, along with the fade from light blue into navy, but I happen to really enjoy the color choices. The “love” patch on the sleeve ties into honoring the Liberty Bell and Philly’s culture of brotherly love.
9. Chicago Cubs
The Cubs’ City Connect uniforms may be the most basic ones on this ranking, but I appreciate that the simplicity makes them look clean. They were made to unite all of the 77 neighborhoods of Chicago and celebrate the bond between the team and city.
“Wrigleyville” is written across the chest, which I love that they’re honoring their home, Wrigley Field. The hats resemble the flag of Chicago with a red star and sky blue bill. The navy uniforms with the baby blue accents are one of my favorite color combinations, which is why I included this jersey on my list.
8. Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays City Connect uniform is greatly underrated, which is another unpopular opinion amongst baseball fans. They say that the letters and numbers are difficult to see because of the font being hollow, but I think it adds a unique touch to the jersey. The neon green, blue, and purple accents contrast with its dark charcoal base, allowing players to add their own splashes of color.
The jerseys are inspired by Tampa Bay’s history as the birthplace of East Coast skateboarding culture. The stingray on the hats resembles their Devil Rays alternative jerseys. The fiery “Tampa Bay” outline across the chest is brightly colored, along with the numbers on the back, but it isn’t overpowering, which is what I like about the jerseys.
7. Houston Astros
As much as it pains me to say, the Houston Astros City Connect jerseys happen to be one of my favorites in the league. These uniforms are space-themed and tribute Houston’s history of space travel, hence the “Space City” across the chest in NASA inspired font.
Although the uniforms themselves are a very dark navy blue, the ombré of orange and yellow accents, along with the socks and the space design on the hats, really pull it together. I also like the addition of number patches on the front of the pants, which is something other teams do not have. The Astros have recently announced that they will be debuting new City Connects in the 2025 season, but I’m hoping they keep these as well.
6. Chicago White Sox
Chicago’s pinstripes are just a classic City Connect uniform. These all dark gray pinstripe uniforms were created as a tribute to the Southside community of Chicago. The color is inspired by Chicago’s greystone architectural style. “Southside” is written across the chest in white, in a gothic font. The design was also said to be influenced by the team’s hip-hop culture.
Although these can come off as basic, I really like them and think they look clean. In other rankings, I’ve seen these ranked in the top 2 and are very well liked by baseball fans.
5. Detroit Tigers
The Tigers “Motor City” City Connect jerseys are another underappreciated uniform to come from the partnership. These are a tribute to Detroit’s role in the automotive industry and feature a blue tire tread down the center of the jerseys.
Off the bat, my favorite thing about this uniform is the colors. I love the shade of blue and that the entire jersey is not fully black, but enough to give players the ability to accessorize freely. The only thing I do not love about these uniforms is the hats. The “Detroit” across the top is plain and could have been designed better.
4. Toronto Blue Jays
Another one of my top City Connect uniforms is the Blue Jays “Night Mode” jerseys. Ranking these in the top 5 may be shocking, but they are one of my favorites. The Blue Jays are one of few teams to actually incorporate the royal blue and red that is already seen in their original jerseys, which I appreciate.
The design of the Toronto skyline is meant to reflect the city’s vibrant nightlife. The skyline includes the CN Tower and Rogers Centre in blue to resemble the reflection on Lake Ontario.
As the only Canadian team in the league, these jerseys display many parts of Toronto’s culture with its engaging designs.
3. Cincinnati Reds
Another all black uniform, but this one is very solid. Cincinnati’s City Connects were created to celebrate the city’s culture and spirit of growth. These uniforms appear to be a fan favorite, so I couldn’t exclude them from my ranking.
The nickname “Cincy” across the chest makes sense for this uniform and the hats are a nice twist on the original logo. The pops of red throughout the uniforms pair well with the black base. I believe this is a top 3 City Connect uniform in baseball due to the look of it along with its message to look forward to the future.
2. Washington Nationals
Despite these uniforms being retired, the Washington Nationals’ cherry blossoms will always be one of my favorite City Connects. The ivory and pink color palette is not usually seen in jerseys for any male sport, but that is what made these unique. These colors were used to evoke the feeling of spring, which is when cherry blossoms bloom in Washington, D.C.
Cherry blossom trees bloom signify renewal and new possibilities, which was the Nationals’ motive with these jerseys. They are just a classic and were loved by many. The cherry blossoms are iconic and something I believe cannot be replicated by any other team in the same fashion. I miss these jerseys everyday.
1. San Diego Padres
My favorite City Connect jerseys of all time have to be the San Diego Padres. Although this is controversial because the bright colors may not be traditional in relation to other baseball jerseys, the Padres pull these off extremely well. These jerseys are designed to celebrate San Diego’s coastal community of Tijuana, their bordering city in Mexico. The font of the “San Diego” written across the chest resembles a beach sign.
The Padres chose pink, mint green, and yellow for their color palette, because they are prevalent throughout Baja, California. Some may see these as childish due to the color choices, but I absolutely love them. Sadly, the Padres are retiring these jerseys and 2024 was their last season wearing them.
Overall, there are many more very well designed City Connect uniforms to come out of the MLB x Nike partnership, but these are just some of my favorites. I’m excited to see teams continue to create unique designs to pay homage to their cities and of course, for their fans.
Edited by Taylor N. Hall
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