Ex-MLB Pitcher Turns Sneakers Into Custom Cleats for All Ages

When Michael Lorenzen threw a no-hitter for the Phillies in 2023, he made history wearing something you'd never expect on a pitcher's mound: a pair of Vans skateboarding shoes transformed into cleats.

The Anaheim native wanted to represent his Southern California roots, but Vans doesn't make baseball cleats. That's where Jeremy Guthrie and his company Custom Cleats came in, adding spikes to Lorenzen's favorite UltraRange sneakers and turning them into professional baseball footwear.

Those cleats earned a permanent spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame, and Custom Cleats earned something just as valuable: visibility. The company has gained over 30,000 Instagram followers since the no-hitter and now serves a few hundred MLB players.

But Guthrie's vision extends far beyond the big leagues. His company completed a few thousand shoe conversions last year for customers ranging from 3-year-old T-ballers to MLB All-Stars, proving that personal style belongs on every diamond.

Guthrie's journey started with his own childhood love of sneakers, sparked by his first pair of Air Jordan 1s. As a Major League pitcher with the Orioles and Royals, he became known as both a premier collector and a walking sneaker encyclopedia, owning treasures like Michael Jordan's signed game-used baseball cleats.

In 2015, while winning the World Series with Kansas City, Guthrie invested in Custom Cleats. Eight years later, he bought the entire company from founder Anthony Ambrosini, who still helps make customs because he calls it "his therapy."

The timing couldn't have been better. MLB waived its rule requiring 51 percent of cleats to match team colors in 2018, giving players freedom to express themselves through footwear.

White Sox pitcher Sean Burke now rocks three colorways of Air Jordan XIs during starts, channeling his youth as an AAU basketball player. Players like Vaughn Grissom have also joined the custom cleat movement, combining style with the comfort and quality Guthrie promises.

Why This Inspires

Guthrie turned a personal passion into a business that democratizes self-expression in sports. Whether you're stepping onto a Little League field or pitching in the majors, you can now wear shoes that represent who you are and where you come from, just like Lorenzen did with his California Vans.

From childhood dreams about Air Jordans to putting those same shoes on professional athletes' feet, Guthrie proves that following your passion can create opportunities for others to shine in their own unique way.