TFHS Closer Look: Padres All-Star Game & Home Run Derby Hats

As part of the annual tradition and festivities of the All-Star Game, players who make it into the Midsummer Classic will don unique caps to commemorate their selection. Starting in 1998 as a unique embroidered (with the player’s signature on the side in a unique logo) on-field, the All-Star Game cap has evolved from a cap with a side patch of the ASG logo to a unique team-specific look to a more generic special cap in the past couple years. This year’s look is sort of a continuation of last year’s look when the ASG was held in beautiful Petco Park.

Navy crown and brim
Gold interlocking SD, eyelets, NE logo and squatcho

Another product of the “Shadowtech” line many of this year’s caps are also made from, the All-Star Game cap looks very similar to last year’s offering. The gold star eyelets make another appearance this year and are joined by a gold squatchee and completely gold interlocking SD. The mandatory appearance of the New Era logo means the ASG patch has been pushed to the wearer’s right (cap left).

Here’s another look. I had to go a size up on this cap from my usual 5/8s head; you may have the same experience.

On the wearer’s right (cap left) is a gold version of this year’s All Star Game logo.

The MLB Batterman logo at the rear is also done up in gold.

The underbrim and sweatband of this cap match the rest of the color motif. Of particular note is the interior taping: a gold strip provides visual pop along with matching color strips.

The ASG cap should still be generally easy to find at your local cap retailer.

As for the Home Run Derby edition...this cap exists merely because MLB produces versions in every team regardless of participation in the Derby. Last year these caps were used as media appearance caps to much fanfare from baseball fans and Padres faithful alike. While I presumed these would be used much the same this year, I noticed that teammates of players participating in the Derby (All-Stars but not in the Derby itself) wore the All-Star Game caps, and players at FanFest wore their All-Star Game jerseys and caps. These caps will probably make an appearance during batting practice and nothing more.

Black crown, brim, and squatcho
Orange and white interlocking SD
White NE logo

This year’s Home Run Derby cap is a markedly different material than any other cap ever produced so far by New Era. They dub this “honeycomb mesh”. As far as feel goes, it’s thicker and rougher than the somewhat similar Diamond Era. The mesh itself is also much more breathable and allows air flow much more readily than other materials.

The exterior doesn’t necessarily scream “Miami”, does it? Well, keep reading.

On the cap’s left side is the colorized version of the All Star Game logo.

The rear of the cap features the MLB Batterman logo in white, black and orange.

All the Miami flourish occurs on the underbrim and sweatband as a floral print. Here you can also see exactly how open the weave of the mesh is. Though black seems like an odd choice for a city as vibrant as Miami, it matches the cap colorway the team currently has. There are colorized versions of this cap available as well: a blue and an orange can be found though not in every team.

Bonus cap! I had to have a copy of what Cal Quantrill and Josh Naylor wore in the Futures game. There isn’t much difference in the make of this cap other than the World wordmark (done in Marlins font) and the Futures Game patch taking place of the ASG patch.

A word of caution for these caps: They’re the shallowest cap I’ve ever seen New Era put out as a standard 59Fifty. A normal cap (for me) generally rests just above the ears; these caps fit about an inch above as if I’m rocking the 80s look. Granted, I wear a larger size than most, so yours might feel different.

We’ll (hopefully) get an opportunity to see Brad Hand sport this All-Star Game cap in this year’s All-Star Game and pitch a clean inning in relief against the best in MLB.