There is a positive correlation between the amount of time The Rally Towel newsletter has existed and the amount of Mets hats I’ve accumulated. It’s becoming a storage issue. I need help. Between the Mr. Met Spring Training cap, the New York or Nowhere collaboration, and the 2025 All-Star split-panel cap (which I may be alone in liking), New Era has dropped a ton of hats for Mets fans to choose from.
The MLB Cartoon Collection is the newest, and perhaps my favorite, series of fitted hats in 2025. These caps, available in A-Frame Fitted or Snapback styles, offer a new cartoony spin on the classic logos of 15 Major League Baseball clubs. I’m assuming New Era will be releasing hats for the other half of MLB’s 30 teams, since some of the hats in this collection are already sold out.
School is back in session, so today we’re grading each entry into New Era’s MLB Cartoon Collection. Don’t even try to fudge your grades, report cards are all digital now anyway, ya dunce!
Chicago White Sox: D+
I know it’s easy to forget that Chicago is a two-team city, but they did the ChiSox kind of dirty with this hat. There is nothing in this design distinctly related to the franchise. The swirling wind and city flag represent Chicago, but that’s about it. When you see the Chicago Cubs’ hat, you’ll understand why this hat receives a barely passing grade.
Atlanta Braves: C-
Not much going on here. The design features a graffitied peach with an ATL abbreviation. The only reason this is getting a C- is because the Braves’ classic on-field cap is perfect as is.
Houston Astros: C
Maybe it’s me, but I’m kind of tired of the Space City schtick. We KNOW Houston is the home of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. It’s been a focal point of their City Connect jerseys and marketing for a while now. The Astros have a pretty cool history of jerseys and logos. The city of Houston has more to offer than spacecraft. This hat is fine, but I want to see something new.
Detroit Tigers: C
Detroit has a great mascot. The Tigers is a classic nickname for a classic ballclub. Do more tiger stuff! This is a cool lookin’ hat, I just wish they leaned more into the Tiger than the motor city stuff.
Chicago Cubs: C+
This is a pretty cool hat, but it loses big points in the originality category. New Era already used the wind accents on the White Sox cap! The biggest issue? Holy shit does this remind me how stupid the Chicago dog is lol get all that salad off of that damn hot dog1.
St. Louis Cardinals: B
Now we’re getting to the good stuff. The cartoon logo hanging off the Gateway Arch? Dope. No real notes on this, other than it’s a shame that the best fans in baseball don’t have the best hat in the MLB Cartoon Collection.
New York Yankees: B
First off, I’m absolutely SHOCKED Steinbrenner allowed New Era to sully the Yankee logo by giving it the color of oxidized copper. This is not the Yankee Way. Also, why does it seem like the Yankees are trying to claim the Statue of Liberty? Are they celebrating the liberation of facial hair after nearly 50 years?
San Diego Padres: B+
San Diego is home to 70 miles of coastline and plenty of top rated beaches for surfing. But…man, I wish this hat had a burrito on it.
Seattle Mariners: B+
I’m rewarding this design for boldness. The last thing you want at a baseball game is rain, and they put it right there on the damn cap. Also, coffee is good. Bow down to our Starbucks overlords.
Los Angeles Dodgers: A-
I’m an East Coast Elitist, but this cap rips. LA is the skateboarding capital of the world and the extreme sport will be featured in the 2028 Summer Olympics, which is being held in the city of angels. Nothing about this screams Dodgers, but it’s a good hat nonetheless.
Philadelphia Phillies: A-
Cheesesteak with extra wiz? Good. Benjamin Franklin and tricorn hats? Also good. I will not say a nice thing about the Phillies or their city of residence. Cool hat, but it is being docked points for representing the Phillies.
Boston Red Sox: A
The Massholes are coming! The Massholes are coming! This Paul Revere inspired cap is definitely one of the best in the collection. Paul Revere was a dude and my favorite Beastie Boys song is named after him.
New York Mets: A
Chef’s Kiss. I love that they used the orange brim on this cap and wish the Mets would return to using these on-field. I will buy literally anything Mets related if the design includes the Unisphere. I feel like this is an under-appreciated New York City icon. I wish they incorporated it into the team’s City Connect uniforms.
San Francisco Giants: A
Before San Francisco was taken over by tech giants and the healthcare sector, it was home to the hippie movement of the 1960s. Peace and love, man. This is a top tier hat.
Los Angeles Angels: A+
You know an A+ when you see one. It doesn’t even matter if the student’s mom did all the work on the project, you’re keeping it as an exemplar and showing it to next year’s class. I’ve poked fun at a few hats in this collection, but there are really no bad designs. Having said that, the Angels’ hat is far and away the best of the bunch. New Era utilizes an alternate color scheme to accentuate the anthropomorphic Angel’s logo. Bravo. Add this to the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
