Padres Reliever Becomes First To Wear Baseball's New Protective Hats For Pitchers
The caps, created by isoBLOX were originally supposed to be made available to all pitchers this season. However, complaints from players about the comfort, breathability, and appearance delayed the release of the caps as isoBLOX attempted to address those concerns.
In the meantime, players can still request one of the original models.
The immediate reaction by many is the enormous size which does triple the weight of the caps from 3-4 ounces to 10-11 ounces. That extra weight will be noticeable and can potentially impact a pitcher's mechanics.
However, the aesthetic nature of the cap is likely no more jarring than when batting helmets with ear flaps were first introduced or hard-shell helmets in football or even helmets and masks in hockey.
It is hard to criticize anybody for picking safety over looks and now that Torres has broken the barrier, others will likely follow.
Here is video of Torres' appearance in the cap.