Chris Stapleton, Johnny Cash, Luke Combs Lead 2025 MLB Walk-Up Songs
Major league baseball is officially back for 2025. And following the rest of American culture, country music is looming large when it comes to the songs the sluggers and aces are choosing to walk out to. Chris Stapleton and Johnny Cash lead the standings, with Blake Shelton’s comparatively good “God’s Country” also coming in strong, as does a song from Luke Combs, and a perennial all-star in the walk-up stats, Cody Jinks.
Not all Major League Baseball teams report their walk-up rosters. But of the teams that do, Chris Stapleton and his mammoth song “White Horse” lead the standings for 2025 with seven players walking out to the song. Whatever you might think about Chris and his R&B-style take on country music, “White Horse” is a killer track, and it’s cool to see it finding such traction among the public, and around baseball. It might be the best song of his career so far.
Coming in second place is Johnny Cash’s “God’s Gonna Cut You Down,” obviously a ominous track to walk into the box to, and a favorite of hitters and pitchers over the years. Billy Squier’s “The Stroke” comes in third for obvious reasons, followed in fourth place by Blake Shelton’s “God’s Country,” which even though delivered by a rather pedestrian mainstream country star, is admittedly a monster track that is capable of evoking the fear hitters look to inflict on pitchers.
Tied for fifth place is the old standard from Cody Jinks, “Loud and Heavy.” Heavy in the rotation for years, you can’t go wrong with it. And with Morgan Wallen also coming in a fifth place position with “Cowgirls” feat. Ernest and it’s terrible programmed trap-beat rhythm, it nonetheless means country music dominates the 2025 survey, at least here a few weeks into the season.
Does a 15-second clip of music playing before a hitter takes the plate really make a difference in the careers of performers? Is it meaningful exposure? Absolutely it is. This played a significant role in Cody Jinks exploding in popularity as an independent artist, and “Loud & Heavy” is now certified Double Platinum by the RIAA.
Think of all the mammoth songs released by the Turnpike Troubadours over the years. What is far and away their most streamed songs? It’s their take on John Hartford’s “Long Hot Summer Day,” in large part because MLB All-Star Matt Carpenter used it as his walk-up music.
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April 18, 2025 @ 10:35 am
I have never wished injury on anyone else, but damn if it means not having to hear whatever the hell “BigXthaPlug” is at the ballpark this summer….well, may the Tommy John’s commence!
April 19, 2025 @ 3:43 pm
Bigxthaplug is better than most country music. He’s bringing southern rap back
April 18, 2025 @ 10:37 am
I’d use “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder. It’s got a great instrumental and so much of batters pre-pitch routine is guided by superstition as well.
April 22, 2025 @ 1:17 pm
I’d be afraid that the umpires would take offense.
April 22, 2025 @ 1:19 pm
Ha! Good one
April 18, 2025 @ 10:49 am
“Loud and heavy” being Jinks’ most commercially successful song will never stop being hilarious.
Arguably not even a Top 5 track on that album with a hook was that was co-written by a preschooler.
Hard to beat Uncle Ted and one of the most badass riffs of all time in “Stranglehold” for a walkout though, so good on him (and his son)!
April 19, 2025 @ 7:02 am
True, but it’s also on his best album. A not top 5 Adobe Sessions song is kind of a best career song for many artists.
My top 5 Adobe Sessions songs:
1. Rock and Roll–so relatable for anyone who goes sober or gets control of their drinking.
2. David–No explanation needed.
3. Dirt
4. Ready for the Times to Get Better
5. Mamma Song
I would put Loud and Heavy at 6. The song from that album I find a tad overrated is Cast No Stones.
April 19, 2025 @ 11:38 am
That’s a fair point. I’d agree, even though I’d personally give the nod to “What Else is New”, “Birds”, and “Cast No Stones” too.
“Me or You” is another one just because of how personal it is. Was at a show once where someone yelled out to request it and Jinks looked at him and said “I wrote that one back when my wife and I were having a lot of problems. One of the conditions she had for coming back was ‘don’t you ever play that f**kin song again’ and I haven’t since.”
Not sure if he’s completely stuck to that over the years, but I still think about that every time that track plays.
April 18, 2025 @ 10:54 am
I unequivocally hate the song ‘God’s Country’. Make steroids legal and maybe the 90’s level of enthusiasm can come back to Baseball.
April 18, 2025 @ 12:08 pm
I was listening to a Cleveland (Indians at the time) game a few years back. They were playing the Reds that game, and I heard “Jolene” by Dolly playing when in the background. I think it was Joey Votto at bat. I remember Tom Hamilton( who is one of the best play by play announcers in sports, and going in the MLB Hall of Fame this year) commenting on what an odd choice it was for a walk up song.
April 18, 2025 @ 1:00 pm
They are still the Indians.
April 18, 2025 @ 12:23 pm
I was at a Detroit game one year and someone had RWH’s “Snake Farm” as theirs.
April 18, 2025 @ 12:41 pm
Love the article, but I think that’s a list of pitcher songs. Noticed it because God’s Gonna Cut You Down is a classic for a closer to walk out of the bullpen to. As far as I can tell, the pictures are all pitchers.
April 18, 2025 @ 12:52 pm
There are some pitchers in this list too, and I just clarified the article to reflect that. They get “walk-up” songs when they take the mound. When walk-up music was first a thing, pitchers didn’t get that luxury, which I think we all agree is unfair.
April 19, 2025 @ 4:52 am
Paul Skenes’ mound music last season was Charles Wesley Godwin’s “Cue Country Roads.” I can’t confirm if that’s the case this season, but I’d bet the farm it’s still a CWG song because those two have become friends since Skenes came to Pittsburgh. CWG has been a guest of his at Pirates games and Skenes was at CWG’s Backyard Brawl concert last year.
April 21, 2025 @ 8:27 am
I think Mariano Rivera was the first pitcher to get entrance music (“Enter Sandman”). The whole idea traces back to professional wrestling.
We’ve got a summer collegiate baseball league team up this way (Vermont) and country songs pop up in walk-up music there, too. Unfortunately, the only song I specifically remember from last season’s lineup was FGL’s “Cruise.”
April 25, 2025 @ 2:17 pm
at the cost of being picky, pitchers have “warm up” songs, hitters have “walk up” songs.
April 18, 2025 @ 1:00 pm
Tony Sanchez once had “Let It Go” from Frozen as his walk-up song.
April 18, 2025 @ 1:08 pm
Gerardo Parra’s “Baby Shark” is the greatest walkup of all time.
April 18, 2025 @ 3:19 pm
I always thought “Loud and Heavy” would be a great entrance song for a pro wrestler/mma fighter. Some thunder sound effects and lightning on the screens. Or maybe these beers are going down too good.
April 18, 2025 @ 3:24 pm
“God’s Gonna Cut You Down” is a cool choice! But I think I would be severely tempted to use either “So Whatcha Want” by the Beastie Boys or “Army of Me” by Bjork. 😀
April 18, 2025 @ 7:16 pm
“Sinner” by Whitey would be a fantastic walk-up song. Some many points of entry to make the clip from too.
April 19, 2025 @ 8:24 am
Remember “Eastbound and Down” getting a minor-league crowd going on a nightly basis for a .200 hitting shortstop in the minors.
April 19, 2025 @ 8:26 am
It takes a little too long to be a good hitter walkup, but Corb Lund’s “Dig Gravedigger Dig” would be a great pitcher intro.
April 20, 2025 @ 11:23 am
Interesting list. I often think what would mine be, I think it would be Outlaws Ain’t Wanted Anymore by Jackson Taylor. NASCAR drivers get to pick their song in the fall race at Bristol each year.
April 21, 2025 @ 9:23 am
No “Cheap Seats” by Alabama. Dang
April 21, 2025 @ 10:34 am
I heard that before every game in New Britain (Eastern League) for several years.
April 22, 2025 @ 10:49 am
He’s not in the MLB anymore because he’s old, but Matt Carpenter waking out to Long Hot Summer Day was always great
April 24, 2025 @ 9:11 am
Matt Carpenter rotated between “Long, Hot Summer Day” and “Hurricane” by Band of Heathens. Ryan Doumit had “Alabama” by Ragweed