Since the day he broke into the league, Ramon Laureano has been known for one thing: intensity. The kind of throw-your-body-across-the-field, make-every-inning-count energy that fans can’t ignore—and opponents can’t avoid. That energy has followed him from Oakland to Baltimore and, now, to San Diego, where the Padres are betting big on his hustle, grit, and experience.
But to understand how he got here, you have to go back. Before the highlight reels. Before the iconic home run robberies. You have to go back to Santo Domingo, where Laureano fell in love with the game the same way millions of kids do on pure effort and joy.
And once that love took hold, it never let go.
Growing Up With the Game
Laureano’s earliest memories of baseball were about showing up, playing hard, and doing things the right way—even when nobody was watching.
“All I can say is playing hard, going by the rules. Obviously now I can’t tackle the catcher like I used to when I was a kid,” he said with a grin. “But it’s playing the game the hard way and trying to win. That’s how I’ve always been.”
He carried that same attitude into pro ball, where it quickly got him noticed by teammates, coaches, and opponents. While others tried to project cool, Laureano projected purpose. His drive stood out.
“You’re not thinking about how you look out there,” he said. “You’re thinking about competing. Competing hard. Trying to get the job done.”
Even in the big leagues, he’s had to remind himself that failure is part of the equation. You don’t win every at-bat. You don’t rob every home run. But that never changes how he approaches the next play.
“In this game, most of the time it’s not gonna happen,” he said. “Accepting failure—that’s part of the nature of baseball. The more you accept that, the better things will come.”
The Role of Faith, Family, and Focus
If you ask Laureano how he stays locked in through the grind of a 162-game season, it’s not about superstition or rituals. It’s his circle. It’s faith.
“You gotta have a routine,” he said. “Before you go to the field, and after you leave. You can make it fun, but I like to call it getting lost in the process.”
It’s that process that keeps him grounded. That—and the people closest to him.
“Just having a good group around you. Your family. Your inner circle. And my faith with God is number one—really.”
During downtime, he leans into reading—mostly psychology and finance.
“David Goggins. The Psychology of Money. I like learning something from every book.”
And when younger players ask him for advice, he doesn’t tell them to lift more or swing harder. He tells them to master their mindset.
“Discipline,” he said. “Just read about discipline. There’s gonna be a lot of outside voices trying to take that away from you without you even knowing. You have to pay attention to that.”
Footwear That Actually Fuels Performance
You won’t hear many players talk about their shoes the way Ramón Laureano does—but when you’ve been through the kind of lower-body injuries he has, the conversation changes.
“SQAIRZ has helped me. Not a lot of cleats are flat at the bottom,” he said. “SQAIRZ is the only one that’s square at the toe.”
That detail matters. The square toe and roomier, flat base give athletes more surface area to connect with the ground—especially through the big toe, which plays a huge role in balance, glute activation, and directional force in baseball.
“The big toe is important. When you activate your glute, you use more ground force. You stay more grounded. That’s everything.”
In baseball, everything starts from the ground. Whether you’re sprinting out of the box or rotating through a swing, your shoes dictate how well you can load and fire through the lower half.
“When I land, my toes aren’t lifting anymore,” he explained. “That’s how you get injuries—in your hips, your legs. These help me stay connected and use my glutes.”
He noticed it instantly.
“I put them on and said, ‘Give me this. I need this right now,’” he said. “That’s how I felt. This is what I’ve been looking for.”
“When I first got my new cleats, it’s like—oh my God—it feels smooth. They feel right. That’s all I wear now.”
The Science Behind the Shift
SQAIRZ GFP™ cleats are designed with real biomechanics in mind. They’re the only baseball cleat with a patented roomier toe platform, allowing for:
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Greater toe splay and stability
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More glute engagement
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Measurably increased ground force production
In fact, real-world performance testing shows:
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Over 60% of hitters gained +2 MPH exit velocity—some as much as +5.1 MPH
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76% of pitchers added an average of +2.1 MPH to their fastball
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High school athletes improved their 5-yard burst by up to 0.38 seconds
And the game is noticing.
In under a year, SQAIRZ Baseball has become:
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An Official On-Field Footwear Partner of Minor League Baseball Players
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A partner with MLB Players, Inc. in a first-of-its-kind licensing deal
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And the chosen cleat at the High School National Baseball Championship Series, where the best young players in the country laced up and felt the difference
“For me, it’s about what’s better for my career,” Laureano said. “It’s not just about the name on the cleat.”
More than 20 MLB players have already made the switch. And that number keeps climbing.
New Team. Same Mission.
With his recent trade to the San Diego Padres, Laureano is bringing his speed, experience, and fire to a team chasing October. It’s the latest chapter in a career that’s already seen its share of highlights:
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One of the most feared outfield arms in the league
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2019 AL leader in outfield assists
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Over 50 stolen bases, 50+ home runs, and countless SportsCenter moments
But if you ask him, he’s just grateful for the opportunity to compete.
“Any time I have success, it’s good. Because I know the work I’ve put in,” he said. “I’m just thankful for absolutely everything.”
Laureano’s here to do it right. To compete with respect, discipline, and heart. And now—with better tools on his feet—he’s primed for what’s next.
“I love the game. I’m very thankful. I have a lot of love for the game.”
From high school turf to major league dugouts, the shift is happening.
SQAIRZ is chasing performance.
And if players like Ramón Laureano are making the switch, maybe it’s time you do too.
Ready to feel the difference?
Shop the cleats trusted by the game’s most intense competitors →