Shohei Ohtani's First New Balance Signature Cleat Drops in July

When New Balance announced its signing of Shohei Ohtani last year, there was an expectation that the Dodgers superstar would be getting specialty products with the brand. Now, New Balance has finally unveiled Ohtani's first signature collection.

At the center of Ohtani's first New Balance range is the launch of the Ohtani 1 cleat, pictured below. According to the brand, the silhouette was designed to feel closer to the ground. The shoe features a mid-cut upper and has special triangle patterns at the forefoot inspired by the ceilings at certain ballparks in Japan. Incorporated in the tooling is a FuelCell-cushioned midsole and either a metal cleat or turf outsole.

This New Balance collection also includes off-field apparel pieces, ranging from t-shirts to the woven jacket worn by Ohtani in the photo above.

"I have a deep respect for the heritage of baseball and the sport itself, and I love that the collection pays tribute to the traditional old-school style while bringing a new-school twist. Every item can fit an athlete’s wardrobe on and off the field and collaborating with New Balance to capture that perfect balance was such an exciting moment for me," Ohtani said.

Readers will be able to shop the first New Balance Shohei Ohtani collection on July 15 at Newbalance.com and at select retailers. To celebrate this announcement, Ohtani is also going to be wearing the Ohtani 1 cleat during tomorrow's game against his former team, the Los Angeles Angels.