Soccer and baseball are both played on grass or grass-like surfaces, but baseball players must also move on dirt. Depending on a player's position, he might play an entire game in the dirt portion of the field. As such, baseball cleats and soccer cleats differ in a few distinct ways.
Function
Soccer and baseball cleats have their different features, but their purpose is essentially the same. Both give an athlete stability and traction on the field and are equally as important to a player's performance as they are to his safety.
Style
Baseball cleats are primarily available in mid-cut and low-cut shoes. Mid-cuts offer a blend of support and light weight. Baseball players rely heavily on lateral movements and don't have a need for high-tops because the sport has a much lower impact on the feet and ankles. Soccer cleats are strictly made in the low-cut style, because soccer requires a great deal of speed and agility, which low-cut shoes allow.
Cleat Types
Most baseball cleats have either molded plastic spikes, detachable spikes or metal spikes. Metal spikes are a favorite of college and pro baseball players because they are more effective than plastic on the infield dirt. Soccer cleats are available primarily in the molded plastic and detachable style. Detachable spikes can be screwed in and out and replaced with other spikes based on field conditions, such as shorter spikes for a dry, hard field or longer spikes for a wet, muddy field.
Features
Soccer cleats are designed to keep the feet and center of gravity as close to the ground as possible. Most soccer cleats are also narrow and have an enhanced stitching feature around the toe to offer better ball control. Baseball cleats have support for front-driven movement and have cleats that are positioned vertically along the side to help better support side-to-side movements. They also can have a toe plate added to the front of the shoe that provides extra support for pitchers.
Considerations
Major manufacturers of sports shoes, such as Adidas and Nike, make baseball and soccer cleats. Other popular baseball cleat brands include Reebok and Pony. Diodora, Puma and Mitre are also popular brands of soccer cleats.
When you're purchasing a pair of cleats, be sure you know the rules for your individual league regarding cleat length and type. For example, some levels of soccer do not allow 1-inch spikes.
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