Minor League Baseball debuts the ‘Munchie Mitt,’ a glove that also holds food and drink

Baseball highlight reels are full of fans lucky enough to be within reach of a foul ball, only to wind up humiliated and soaked in their own beer. The danger of a concession wipeout is arguably greater in Minor League baseball, where stadiums are more intimate and the foul-ball-to-fan ratio is that much higher.

Now there’s no more choosing between a beer and a ball. Enter the Munchie Mitt, the first baseball glove that also doubles as a food and drink caddy. Developed by Minor League Baseball (MiLB) and Mother New York, the leather glove combines the supple trap of an infielder’s mitt with outside pockets designed to hold a hot dog, condiments and a drink—everything a fan needs to enjoy the game while remaining prepared to capture any flying objects.

The hot dog pouch contains a 3-D printed mechanism that slides the glizzy up after each bite, resembling a beefy push-pop. The beverage holder was inspired by a baseball glove’s webbed pocket, a design that in baseball allows a fielder to see a ball as it approaches and, in baseball-watching, seeing how much drink remains before you fetch another.

The invention supports MiLB’s ongoing “Only in MiLB” campaign. The organization’s brief called for “a surprising way to engage fans,” said Oriel Davis-Lyons, chief creative officer at Mother New York.

“The best thing about MiLB games is that you’re much closer to the action, so you’ve got a much greater chance of catching a ball whether you’re expecting it or not,” Davis-Lyons said. “The Munchie Mitt ensures fans can enjoy every part of the game without worrying about dropping their drink and food all over themselves when they find themselves in the thick of the action.”

MiLB is giving away five Munchie Mitts in an online sweepstakes.

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