Wearing soccer cleats to play baseball might not be as major a faux pas as wearing ice skates on a roller rink, but the two shoes are not interchangeable. Soccer and baseball are entirely different sports, each with a particular type of shoe that works best for that sport and its playing field.
Cleat Material And Shape
Soccer shoes come with hard plastic, rather than metal, cleats. There's too much risk of injury if soccer players ran around with metal spikes on their feet. Although baseball cleats can come in plastic, they are also available with interchangeable cleats or metal cleats that provide enhanced traction on dirt. The cleat shape also differs. Soccer cleats are fat and short whereas the cleats on baseball shoes tend to be longer, leaner and pointier.
Cleat Layout
The toe spike is missing on soccer shoes, an important part of baseball shoe design. The front spike directly beneath the front of the shoe provides the traction you need for baseball's quick starts. Although soccer, too, has quick starts, the toe spike would pose another injury risk as well as potentially foul up your handling of the ball if it showed up on soccer shoes. The cleat layout can also differ between the two types of shoes. Baseball shoes can have as few as three cleats beneath the heel and cleats around the sole's perimeter. Soccer shoes generally have four cleats beneath the heel and can have cleats interspersed along the entire bottom of the shoe.
Shoe Height
Soccer shoes are all low-cut, which is ideal for running, stopping and starting all over the soccer field. Such a cut can work with baseball, but you might also want additional support. Baseball shoes come in mid-length and high-cut varieties that offer enhanced ankle support you need for the lateral, rather than back and forth, moves.
Shoe Design
Soccer shoes lack a midsole, which is a must for baseball cleats. The lack of midsole puts your feet closer to the ground for the balance you want on the soccer field. The lack of midsole translates to a lack of cushioning on the tough, solid baseball diamond, a lack that could end up hurting your feet.
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