Padres' Star Plans to Unveil 50 Custom-Branded Cleats This Year

Maren Angus-Coombs | Apr 21, 2024

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

When Fernando Tatis Jr. took the field at Dodger Stadium with the San Diego Padres, he was representing a member of the St. Louis Cardinals who made history in that same ballpark.

His father, Fernando Tatis, made Major League Baseball history on April 23, 1999, when he hit two grand slams in one inning off Los Angeles Dodgers starter Chan Ho Park.

The elder Tatis was displayed in a collage of colorful photos all over his son's cleats which were one of 50 custom pairs that the Gold Glove right fielder will wear this season.

His plans, in conjunction with his branding company, Xample, and the Los Angeles-based Shoe Surgeon will honor people, events, and whatever intrigues the 25-year-old Tatis throughout the season.

“It’s a crazy idea,” Tatis said. “We’re definitely having fun with them.”

He unveiled the first custom pair of the season in South Korea. He wore another pair for the Padres' home opener and he has been consistently rolling out new pair every week.

Tatis had a shoe deal with Adidas but that ended days after MLB suspended him for 80 games for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs in August 2022 making him a shoe free-agent. The freedom to wear whatever brand he wants helps with the design process, although he favors Jordan 1 Mid cleats by Nike.

“I think that really made him more expressive in terms of really showing the world who he is,” Xample founder and CEO Nick Drbal said. “Never judge a book by its cover or else we’ll just write our own book.”

Tatis and Drbal began creating custom cleats last season and decided to go all out this year.

“Every one of them have a different type of value, but I feel they’re coming out really nice so far,” Tatis said.

“When you look good, you play good.”

More Padres: Padres Starter Wants to Throw Perfect Game Every Time