Do Baseball Players Wear Cups? (Solved!)
Paul Hall
In order to have fun and enjoy playing baseball, every player should first make sure that he feels safe and protected on the field.
When watching baseball, we often tend to forget how risky it can get sometimes.
Pro pitchers nowadays often throw pitches that fly over 100 miles per hour and off the bat the ball can be even faster.
Getting hit by that kind of projectile can cause serious, even career-ending injuries.
So, it’s no wonder that we see players, especially at certain, positions wear protective gear.
Helmets, facemasks, shin guards, and chest guards are easily noticeable and mandatory in the majority of the leagues.
However, we can’t see if ballplayers are wearing any sort of protection under their uniforms.
As baseball is not a full-contact sport, many people wonder do baseball players wear cups.
Cups are often overlooked, but they are a critical part of protective equipment.
Table of Contents
Do Baseball Players Wear Cups?
The MLB, and most of the adult leagues, doesn’t require players to wear cups.
So, it’s usually up to players to decide whether they want to protect their groin area with this piece of protective gear.
In youth baseball, however, the cups are mandatory in most leagues, at least for certain positions.
Logically, some positions are at more risk of getting hit by the ball and they are the ones that wear cups most frequently.
Do Catchers Wear Cups?
It’s safe to say that all catchers wear cups. If there are some that don’t, they are the rare exceptions. It’s logical, as players playing catchers are the most likely to be hit by a ball.
The closer you are to the ball, the more chances you have of receiving a hit in the most painful area.
Catchers are in the middle of the contact zone, so they should wear cups every time they’re on the field.
Do Pitchers Wear Cups?
As they’re only 60 feet from the ball flying off the bat, pitchers, just like catchers, should wear cups if they care about their private parts.
In addition, due to the follow-through after the pitch, they’re in a very bad position if they need to react quickly and avoid the ball.
However, some of them play without cups.
While playing without a cup is certainly more comfortable it still provides far more protection than relying on fast reflexes.
Do Outfielders Wear Cups?
If you checked all outfielders at a game, you’ll probably find out that none of them is wearing a cup.
While you never know what may happen on the field, outfielders are certainly at the least risk of getting hit by a ball, especially between the legs.
Most of the time, they’re some 300 feet from the ball as it’s being hit.
Also, they claim to avoid wearing cups because it limits their range of movement and they rarely get hard ground balls compared to infielders.
Why Should Baseball Players Wear a Cup?
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No matter how unlikely it is to get hit by a ball to a groin area during a game, there are still no guarantees that it won’t happen.
And, if you’re unfortunate enough to receive a blow to your private parts, you can suffer rather serious injuries.
In modern baseball, especially at the pro level, the ball flies at a tremendous speed and you never know where it may end.
You can get hit by a ball bouncing off the dirt, foul tips, or even a thrown bat.
If you don’t No products found. , this can bruise your private parts, but also cause testicle* rupture or torsion.
In extreme cases, these sorts of injuries can even result in testicle* removal.
What Age Should Baseball Players Wear a Cup?
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While it’s important for parents to talk to their kids and explain the importance of groin protection, the risk is definitely smaller in the pre-puberty period.
The growth of the testicles is the first sign of puberty, even before the boy gets body hair and his voice deepens.
You should be on the lookout for how your kid develops and make sure that your kid is protected. In any case, it never hurts to have some extra protection.
Smaller and softer No products found. can be used even at the age of 7 or 8. Later on, as the body develops, kids can move on to hard cups.
How to Wear a Cup?
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If not worn properly, a cup is practically useless and will just make you uncomfortable while still being unprotected.
Every cup you purchase should include instructions, so make sure to follow them in order to be safe.
Cups are usually worn with No products found., compression shorts, or both.
Whichever you choose, find the middle seam on the inside, open this slot, and slide the protective cup in.
Then, put them on over the underwear and make sure that they feel comfortable.
After this, adjust the cup so it fits snugly over your genitals. It should cover at least 1 or 2 inches below the genitals.
Finally, walk around and maybe do some lunges to make sure the cup stays in its place and feels comfortable.
Examples of MLB Players Not Wearing a Cup
Baseball history is filled with players known for not wearing a cup. A number of them regretted their decision after serious injuries they suffered.
Back in 2018, Cardinal’s catcher Yadier Molina got hit in the crotch by a foul tip and ended on the surgery table for traumatic hematoma.
In 2010, Dodgers’ left fielder Carl Crawford took a hit to his private parts and was rushed to the hospital to be diagnosed with a testicular contusion.
Mariners’ Adrian Beltre had a hard-hit ground ball nail him to the most painful area in 1997.
He suffered a severe contused testicle* and testified later that it had swollen to the size of a grapefruit.
These are just some of the examples of MLB players not wearing a cup, and, as you can see, it just proves the point of how helpful cups can be.
Conclusion
The lesson from all of this is clear – wear a cup. Especially if you play in a particularly risky position.
Some discomfort you may feel is a small price to pay for the safety of your most sensitive body parts.
Plus, once you get used to it, it won’t even be that uncomfortable.
As always, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Injuries that can be caused by fastballs hitting you in the groin are more than just painful.
They can cause serious and long-lasting health issues, including reduced fertility.
Baseball is supposed to be fun, but safety should always come first. You don’t want ugly injuries taking you away from your favorite game.
