History of Jordan Brand Athlete Exclusive Cleats at the MLB All-Star Game

The Midsummer Classic is upon us as the 96th Major League Baseball All-Star Game takes place at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, home of the Phillies. Normally, All-Star week is when the narratives start to take shape for the rest of the season that will power fans to the playoffs.

But unless you’re a fan of the two-time defending World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers, the narrative appears to be letting the cards fall where they may and hope for the best when it comes to facing the juggernaut. Of course, people assumed the Dodgers would run away with the championship last year, but it took them seven games and extra innings to take out the Toronto Blue Jays. So really, anybody just happy playing for second only needs to look to last year for inspiration and believe that it can be done.

Of course, it’s nice to want things before the inevitable, and that just happens to be the potential for the first three-peat in any of the big US sports since the Kobe and Shaq Lakers did it at the turn of the century. The last MLB team to three-peat? The New York Yankees from 1998 to 2000, led by none other than Jordan Brand’s Derek Jeter. The Captain also happens to be the first to wear Jordans in the MLB All-Star Game.

Since Jeter became the first Jordan Brand athlete in baseball - handpicked by Michael Jordan after meeting him in a fall league during his baseball sabbatical no less - the Jumpman’s influence on the diamond has grown through the years.

After Jeter’s retirement in the mid-2010s, Jordan Brand got to work signing promising young talent that would grow alongside the brand and further establish its presence. They’ve even gotten lucky with some of their signings, as some have gone on to become multiple-time All-Stars with some that will eventually make their way into the Hall of Fame when their careers are done.

Even though their stars all break out with player exclusives and custom Jordan cleats throughout the season, Jordan Brand creates special editions for all of them to wear for the All-Star Game. There have been some exceptions that have turned some heads, however, and we’ll be covering them all in this history of Jordan Brand athletes and their All-Star Game cleats.

Derek Jeter (1999-2002, 2004, 2006-2012)

You can’t make a history of Jordan Brand’s impact at the MLB All-Star Game without featuring the athlete who started it all. Always carrying himself with a level of gravitas that Yankee fans adored and Yankee haters despised, Jeter was the model Jordan Brand guy and the perfect pick to headline a signature trainer line.

The Jeter Jumpman line was a staple of his All-Star Game appearances, but in the years prior to his signature run, he wore FILA (no, seriously) before signing with Jordan Brand. For the 1999 All-Star Game, he wore the Jumpman Vindicate, Vin Baker’s signature shoe (no, really), to the shock of anybody who owned a pair and caught the game live. Jeter would level up the following year with an MVP performance that included turning the Air Jordan 6 Infrared retro into a baseball cleat, marking him the first Jordan Brand athlete to wear Air Jordans in a non-basketball All-Star Game*.

In the following years, he would wear the Air Jordans 9 and 14 during warm-ups and the big game before finally transitioning to his Jeter Jumpman signature cleats, including the Jeter Jumpman Jet in 2004.

*The only other Jordan athlete who had a chance was Randy Moss, but he wore the Nike Air Speed Flash 98 during the 1999 Pro Bowl and the following year, he wore his signature Jordan Super Freaks. Yes, really…

Andruw Jones (2005, 2006)

As the second baseball All-Star to sign with Jordan Brand, Andruw Jones was prominently featured by the brand in their marketing in the mid-2000s, even popping up in a print ad for the original release of the lifestyle-focused Air Jordan 3 Cool Grey in 2006. During his two All-Star Game appearances as a Jordan Brand athlete, Jones wore the Air Jordan 14 in 2005 and an Air Jordan 4 player exclusive with an Oreo-like black and white upper a year later.

CC Sabathia (2010-2012)

CC Sabathia made no secret about his love of Air Jordan 11s, and his vast collection of player-exclusive cleats during his Hall of Fame career was proof that he absolutely had the ear of someone at the brand to hook him up with that much heat. The connection between Sabathia and the Jordan 11 cleat is a meme at this point because according to the man himself, anybody who wants to rock them on the diamond needs to win a World Series.

His All-Star output as a Jordan Brand athlete is virtually non-existent because while he was picked three times between 2010 to 2012, he did not participate either due to pitching right before the exhibition or injury. He did wear Jordan Super.Flys in 2012 if that’s any consolation. If only Jordan had sent these Jordan 3s that would be a gift for his Hall of Fame induction over a decade earlier…

Gio Gonzalez (2012)

2012 was Gio Gonzalez’s best year as he led the National League in wins with a 2.89 ERA. He would finish third in the Cy Young voting along with being selected to his second All-Star appearance. Gonzalez was actually an All-Star a year prior with the Oakland A’s in Nike cleats. A year later, he signed with the Washington Nationals and Jordan Brand. His retro player exclusives would come later in his run, but for the 2012 All-Star Game, Gonzalez wore the Jordan Diamond Cat Metal.

David Price (2014, 2015)

In two All-Star appearances as a Jordan Brand athlete, David Price maximized his time with two eye-popping retro player exclusives. Despite never getting in the game in the 2014 edition, he was seen wearing a blue and white pair of Air Jordan 6 cleats. In 2015, Price picked up the win for the American League in a silver, blue, and orange Air Jordan 7 that fit nicely with his Detroit Tigers uniforms.

Dellin Betances (2016, 2017)

Yankees relief pitcher Dellin Betances was part of a memorable trio that included Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller, dubbed the No Runs DMC in the mid-2010s. Betances was rewarded for his dominance with four straight All-Star appearances that included two with Jordan Brand. For the 2016 game, Betances wore a blue and orange Air Jordan 4 player exclusive that would be followed up in 2017 by a grey pair of Air Jordan 12s.

Dexter Fowler (2016)

Injuries prevented Dexter Fowler from participating in his only All-Star Game appearance, but he was able to show off the sneaker game during a photoshoot alongside fellow Chicago Cubs teammates prior to the game by rocking Air Jordan 4 cleats in Cubs colors. At least Fowler would go on to win the World Series a few months later in Air Jordan 12 player exclusives to make up for missing out on All-Star.

Kenley Jansen (2018)

So that rule about not being able to wear Air Jordan 11 cleats without approval from CC Sabathia? Either All-Star reliever Kenley Jansen didn’t get the memo or he had a premonition he was going to win a World Series soon because he wore two pairs of Air Jordan 11 cleats during the 2018 All-Star Game. One was a white and blue pair during the game, and an all-red flavor for pregame activities. Jansen would go on to win a World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020.

Yadier Molina (2018, 2021)

In 2018, St. Louis Cardinals legend Yadier Molina made Jordan Brand history by being the first catcher to be signed to the Jumpman. With most of his career and All-Star appearances behind him by 2018, Molina made an All-Star appearance that same year and in 2021. While he would elect to sit out 2021 to heal up from some injuries, his cleats of choice for the 2018 All-Star Game were white and metallic red Air Jordan 11 cleats. Someone needs to inform CC Cabathia about all of these unspoken rule breakers.

Taijuan Walker (2021)

Signed to Jordan Brand in 2018, Walker made his lone All-Star appearance in 2021 as a replacement for teammate Jacob deGrom. He pitched one inning that was mostly unremarkable if not for his Air Jordan 1 Mid with metallic teal overlays and laces, a green chenille swoosh, and a tag underneath the wings that’s not unlike Union’s many Jordan collabs.

Aaron Judge (2024-2026)

Unfortunately for sneakerheads, Aaron Judge will not be able to add to his Jordan cleats history at this year’s All-Star Game as he will be sitting out the festivities due to injury. Expectations were high when Judge signed with the Jumpman in August 2023 and they have delivered classics and customs for special occasions. Judge has gone with the former for his All-Star Game appearances; in 2024, he wore the Air Jordan 3 cleats in Black Cement and the Air Jordan 4 White Cement a year later.

Mookie Betts (2016-2019, 2021-2024)

Jordan Brand bet early on Mookie Betts, signing him in 2016 right as he was about to ascend to superstardom. The All-Star Game has been a showcase for Betts to wear some eye-popping cleats, including the Air Jordan 9 Pinnacle with thick red laces in 2017 and then following it up a year later with an all-red patent leather look. The hits would keep on coming in Los Angeles with the Air Jordan 11 in white and a metallic gold patent leather mudguard in 2022, and an Air Jordan 1 inspired by the Nike Air Griffey Max 1 Freshwater colorway when the All-Star Game was in Seattle the following year.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (2021-2026)

Like Mookie, Jordan Brand struck early with the son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero. Vlad Jr. is a star in his own right as he helped the Toronto Blue Jays take the juggernaut Los Angeles Dodgers (with Mookie) in last year’s World Series. Guerrero Jr. stuck to the Jordan script for the past several All-Star Games, wearing the Air Jordan 4 White Cement for last year’s edition, the Jordan 3 in 2024, the Griffey-inspired Jordan 1 Low in 2023, and the white and metallic gold Jordan 11 in 2022. Guerrero would win All-Star MVP in 2021 while wearing the UNC to Chicago Air Jordan 1 Low.

Manny Machado (2015, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2025)

A longtime member of the Jordan Brand family, Manny Machado has worn the designated retro cleats for every All-Star Game, including a silver and metallic red Air Jordan 11 in 2018. When you do a deep dive into Machado’s history with Jordan cleats that include customs that pay homage to Kobe Bryant to a variety of PEs during his time in San Diego that only work because he plays for the Padres, it is interesting to see them fall in line of sorts for the biggest event of the summer.

Elly De La Cruz (2024, 2025)

Elly is one of the more recent Jordan Brand signings, and he has delivered video game numbers and video game athleticism that have thrilled Cincinnati Reds fans for the past few years. De La Cruz’s flair for the loud and stylish, he swapped the scripted Jordan Brand cleats for his own custom-made pairs that included a Louis Vuitton-inspired Air Jordan 1 in 2024 and then followed it up with a candy blue and pink Air Jordan 1 Low.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. (2025)

As a recent signee to Jordan Brand, we have yet to see Jazz flex his creative muscles at the All-Star Game. Known for his wildly creative player exclusives and customs, including a Demon Slayer-inspired custom the day before for the Home Run Derby, Jazz opted instead to wear the Air Jordan 4 in White Cement that every Jordan Brand athlete rocked in 2025. What’s really important is whether or not Chisholm will be able to follow Elly De La Cruz’s footsteps and rock custom Air Jordan 1 player exclusives in future All-Star appearances. Who knew Mookie Betts would be so influential?

William Contreras (2024, 2026)

Following in the footsteps of fellow Jordan Brand athlete Yadier Molina, catcher William Contreras has been enjoying his time with the brand. His locker is loaded with Jordan Brand exclusives and customs that are just as good if not better than what’s being sold in stores. In his first All-Star appearance in 2024, Contreras followed suit with the Air Jordan 3 cleats in Black Cement, but with a few modifications to give them their own personal touch.

Juan Martinez

From video game journalism to veteran of the sneaker blog era to podcasting about well, everything, Juan is smiling through it all and can't believe this is his life. After recently getting into Formula 1, he now has hot takes about who the greatest driver of all time is. Email: juan@soleretriever.com