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MLB All-Star Game: Ranking this year’s All-Star hats against previous years

BySam Aucoin|
Oct 4, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez (44) runs out of the dugout before the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 4, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez (44) runs out of the dugout before the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

We are almost at that time again when the stars of the game head to the Midsummer Classic for a showcase of the game’s top talent. With the MLB All-Star Game comes special uniforms and hats. Each team gets a warm-up hat and an on-field hat, with the on-field hats normally looking similar to each other and the warm-up hats in their team colors. So I thought it would be cool to rank the on-field hats compared to previous years.

How good are this year’s MLB All-Star Game hats?

Before we can rate the hats, here is my opinion on this year’s caps. First, the actual hat color is great. It is a change from previous years and that is a good thing because it makes things fresh. The light teal shade gives off Mariners vibes and Seattle is where the event is, so the color fits perfectly.

The All-Star logo on the side is also very creative with dark blue, teal, and white stripes. The main standout is the Space Needle being on there. That is what makes the logo great as it represents the city of Seattle. Overall, it is a very good hat.

On-field hats against previous years

For the main section of the article, we will compare the new hats to previous years. To do this, I will be comparing the 2023 hats to the last four MLB All-Star Games (2022, 2021, 2019, 2018). How this will work is I will say which hats are better than this year and which hats are worse.

Better Than 2023: 2018

WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 17: Hats and gloves during the 89th MLB All-Star Game, presented by Mastercard at Nationals Park on July 17, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 17: Hats and gloves during the 89th MLB All-Star Game, presented by Mastercard at Nationals Park on July 17, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

I ranked 2018 as the only one above 2023 for several stylistic reasons. First, the on-field hats that year still showed off team colors. It’s nice to see all the teams represented, not just with their logos. Second, the logo is probably tied with this year’s in terms of resemblance. The game was in Washington D.C. that year, so obviously it had to have some form of a U.S. Capitol building, which it did. The stars along the top are also a nice hint of detail.

Worse Than 2023: 2019, 2021, 2022

CLEVELAND, OH – JULY 09: American League All-Star Francisco Lindor #12 of the Cleveland Indians looks on during the 90th MLB All-Star Game on July 9, 2019 at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – JULY 09: American League All-Star Francisco Lindor #12 of the Cleveland Indians looks on during the 90th MLB All-Star Game on July 9, 2019 at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images)

I will start with 2019 which is, unfortunately, the worst one in my opinion. This is no offense to Guardians fans as the game logo may be the best in recent years … but that is the only thing working for it in my opinion. I love that they mixed in a guitar to showcase the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but I think more could have been done with the hat itself. Maybe more color or some type of design.

LOS ANGELES, CA – JULY 19: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays looks on with Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels during the 92nd MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, July 19, 2022, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – JULY 19: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays looks on with Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels during the 92nd MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, July 19, 2022, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images)

The 2022 hats are probably the most well-rounded. The logo is decent and the front is cool with the gold star. Maybe the hat could have been Dodger Blue (also known as Royal Blue) but black and gold is nice. What I thought was cool about this hat is the palm tree design on the underside of the brim. A sneaky way to give character.

DENVER, COLORADO – JULY 13: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays stands on defense during the 91st MLB All-Star Game at Coors Field on July 13, 2021, in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO – JULY 13: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays stands on defense during the 91st MLB All-Star Game at Coors Field on July 13, 2021, in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/Getty Images)

2021 is the third-best behind 2023 and 2018 because it has the best logo, probably even better than 2018. The reason for this is they engraved the Rocky Mountains into the star, which is amazing. The hat design isn’t that bad either with the purple star behind every team’s logo.

That does it for my All-Star hat comparisons. Please remember this is just my opinion. I would love to hear yours, so comment your picks down below. I can’t wait to see what this year’s MLB All-Star Game festivities bring.

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