Finding the right baseball glove is admittedly a confusing process. At Sports Unlimited, we have gloves of every size in every position, left handed gloves, fastpitch softball gloves, slowpitch softball gloves, and even a huge collection of pink baseball gloves. And although we are proud of our huge selection, we know it can be near impossible to find the right one for you. With all of this choice, and so many seemingly similar gloves out there, it can be difficult to tell one glove from the next, or understand why some are priced so much higher than others. But it's important to understand that although the form of most baseball gloves is the same, the devil, as they say, is in the details.
Features of a glove's build, its material, and its size, set it apart from others and make it unique. These features also help you determine which glove is right for your game, your position, and your budget. So let's investigate the identifying features of baseball gloves, so you know what to look for, and know what to avoid.
Every baseball or softball glove has a web connecting the thumb of the glove to the fingers. This web helps snag and hold onto the ball, and comes in a huge variety of styles, differing due to position and personal preference.
Webs are broken down into two major groups:
The pocket of the glove is the indentation in the palm where the ball falls after it's caught. Pockets are a great indicator of glove use and position, the key here being pocket Depth:
The back of the glove refers to the wrist closure. This choice has less to do with position, and more to do with personal preference, than does choosing a web or pocket, but there are definitely differences between the two types of backs. Most backs are referred to as being either "Open" or "Closed."
As you'll see in your searching, baseball gloves come in an assortment of sizes. "12 inch pitcher glove," "11.25 inch infielder glove," "32.5 inch catcher's glove." It seems that the sizing has something to do with the position the glove is meant for, but how do you know which size glove is right for you? If you have big hands, or small hands, should you look for a bigger or smaller glove? What are the differences between adult baseball gloves and youth baseball gloves? Are gloves for infielders smaller than gloves for outfielders?
To answer some of your questions, consult the following chart. It gives you a basic breakdown of the typical glove sizes, and which age and position they're meant for.
Glove Size (in inches) | Age | Position |
9" | Under 8 years old | Infield |
11" | Under 8 years old | Outfield |
9" - 10" | Between 8 - 13 years old | Infield |
11" - 12" | Between 8 - 13 years old | Outfield |
10.5" - 11.5" | High School - Adult | Infield |
12" - 13" | High School - Adult | Outfield |
To answer that question, let's take a look at how the features and size of a glove combine to form a glove's "pattern," which creates a glove specially designed for a position and a player.
The following chart describes the typical glove patterns associated with each position around the diamond:
Field Position | Size & Features | |
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To know which baseball glove brand is right for you, it's important to get to know the brand, its history in the industry, and what their gloves can offer your game:
Wilson has been in the baseball biz for as long as most of us can remember. They have created some of the most iconic gloves on the market, and continually revolutionize the game with advanced technologies, premium materials, and player-inspired styles. Wilson is the Official Ball Glove of Major League Baseball and USA Baseball, and is the most trusted brand of gloves amongst college, high school, and youth players. Seasoned pros like Dustin Pedroia, David Wright, Jorge Posada, Melky Cabrera, Roy Oswalt, Brett Myers, Carlos Ruiz, Freddy Sanchez, Ike Davis, and Brian Wilson all trust and wear Wilson baseball gloves on the field. Since their inception, it has been Wilson's dedication to excellence, and its passion for improving the game and how it's played, that has earned them their success.
Today, Wilson continues to be the premier glove of choice for baseball and softball players across the globe. Their full lines of Wilson youth baseball gloves and adult gloves, from the innovative A2K to the high-quality, affordable, and accessible A800 gloves, provides the perfect fit for any player, any skill level, any position, and any budget. They have even recently released brand new Pro Stock Game Model baseball gloves, replicating the game gloves of some of baseball's most popular and successful players, down to their exact specifications and personal tweaks. Now thanks to Wilson 2012 Pro Stock, you can play with the exact same glove that Evan Longoria, David Wright, Josh Hamilton, Brian Wilson, and Dustin Pedroia use!
Popular Wilson glove models
For a pro ball fielder, after a World Series ring, nothing is more coveted than an MLB Gold Glove Award. It celebrates excellence in the field, incredible talent, and consistently high performance in every game...and it's brought to you by a company that exemplifies all of those attributes through every glove they make; Rawlings. For over one hundred and twenty years, Rawlings baseball gloves have been synonymous with baseball. They have developed and created some of the game's most memorable gloves, supplying pro and youth players through the generations with high-quality, high-performance gear that has stood the test of time.
Never satisfied, Rawlings continues to lead the industry, creating incredible new technologies, developing the latest comfort and performance innovations, and utilizing premium materials to bring you top-choice gloves that outperform and outplay almost anything else on the field. Always classically styled, Rawlings series gloves can be found across the country, on fathers playing catch with sons, on little leaguers learning and loving the game, on sandlot stars playing pure ball in the park, and tons of pros at the top of their games. Players like Albert Pujols, Joe Mauer, Troy Tulowitski, Buster Posey, Howie Kendrick, Yadier Molina, and Derek Jeter all trust and depend on Rawlings to keep their games sharp.
Popular Rawlings glove models
Seemingly new to the game, Mizuno has taken the baseball world by storm, quickly becoming an industry leader and incredibly popular glove company, trusted by little league, high school, college, and major league pro players across the country and abroad. The keys to success have been their commitment to excellence, advanced technologies, premium materials, master craftsmanship, revolutionary designs, and player-first approach to the game, which has lead to some of the most interesting, high-performance, and player-preferred gloves on the market.
Never satisfied, Rawlings continues to lead the industry, creating incredible new technologies, developing the latest comfort and performance innovations, and utilizing premium materials to bring you top-choice gloves that outperform and outplay almost anything else on the field. Always classically styled, Rawlings series gloves can be found across the country, on fathers playing catch with sons, on little leaguers learning and loving the game, on sandlot stars playing pure ball in the park, and tons of pros at the top of their games. Players like Albert Pujols, Joe Mauer, Troy Tulowitski, Buster Posey, Howie Kendrick, Yadier Molina, and Derek Jeter all trust and depend on Rawlings to keep their games sharp.
Popular Mizuno glove models
Louisville Slugger TPX Baseball Gloves