Baseball Gloves

Size by position

• Infield: 11.25" to 11.75", shallow pocket, I-web or H-web. Second basemen and shortstops go smallest; third basemen a bit bigger.
• Outfield: 12.5" to 12.75", deep pocket, H-web or trapeze web.
• Pitcher: 11.75" to 12", closed web to hide the grip.
• Utility: 12" with a modified trapeze or basket web.
• Youth (8 to 12): 10.5" to 11.5" with a smaller hand opening.
• Catcher: 32" to 34" mitt. First base: 12.5" to 13" mitt.

How much glove do you need?

A pro-grade glove (Heart of the Hide, Pro Preferred, Marucci Cypress, Mizuno Pro Select, Easton Professional Collection, All Star Pro Elite) is stiff steerhide or kip leather that takes two to four weeks of catch to break in and then lasts a decade. It is the right buy for a high school player who is going to use it every day, and for anyone who wants a glove that will still be the same shape in five years.

A mid-grade glove (Rawlings R9 and Select Pro Lite, Marucci Ascension and Oxbow, Mizuno MVP Prime) uses softer, pre-oiled leather that is most of the way broken in out of the box, at roughly half the price. For most players 12 to 16 and most adults playing rec ball, this is the sweet spot.

A youth glove (Rawlings Sure Catch and Renegade, Marucci Acadia, Mizuno Prospect, Easton Future Elite) is light, soft and closes on day one, which matters more than durability for a kid who will outgrow it in two seasons.

Heart of the Hide, Pro Preferred and the Gold Glove Club

Heart of the Hide is US steerhide with a firm feel and the widest choice of patterns and webs; it is the glove to buy if you only buy one. Pro Preferred is the same patterns in kip leather with a sheepskin palm lining: lighter, faster to break in, and about $100 more. Most players cannot feel the difference in a game, so pick by pattern and web first. The Gold Glove Club is a Heart of the Hide that Rawlings releases once a month in a one-off pattern, leather and color, numbered and never repeated. We stock each month's glove in right hand throw at $329.99, and they are usually gone within a few weeks.

Frequently asked questions

How do I break in a new glove? Play catch with it. A little glove conditioner on the pocket and laces helps; the oven, the microwave and the shaving cream do not. A pro-grade glove needs two to four weeks; a mid-grade glove a few days.

What size for a 10-year-old? 11" to 11.5". Buy the glove that fits now, not the one to grow into; a kid cannot close a glove that is too big.

Do you carry left hand throw? Yes, wherever the manufacturer makes one. It is a separate option in the listing.

Which web should I get? Infielders and pitchers usually want an I-web or closed web; outfielders an H-web or trapeze; catchers and first basemen use mitts. Beyond that it is preference.