All of the lore surrounding Wilson ball gloves seems to center around their bread and butter product: the A2000.
But even though the A2000 has been the staple of Wilson’s glove offerings for nearly 70 years, they have not rested on their laurels. Wilson has sought to continually improve the A2000, but they’ve also attempted to build models that could be considered upgrades as well.
Notedly, they tried to usher in the era of the A3000 which featured an exoskeleton look to it that definitely generated glances:
Ultimately, the A3000 didn't last long.
But one stab Wilson took to improve the A2000 has endured. That attempt came in the form of the A2K series crafted during the 2007 year. Instead of implementing intricate designs to the glove, Wilson stuck to processes and materials with which they were familiar. The result was the creation of an A2K glove that offered baseball players an option that was technically better than an A2000.
The A2K has endured into 2025 with this latest Winter release from Wilson featuring fresh looks and more professional models! Read on...
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The A2K Mainstays
If you decide that one of these 2025 Summer edition A2Ks will be the glove that you don on the field next season, you can expect a few features to be present…
Pro Stock Select Leather
Before we can understand what makes the Pro Stock Select leather of the A2Ks so special, we first have to understand what makes the Pro Stock leather of the A2000s such an excellent material.
According to Wilson’s Glove Guru, Aso, the Pro Stock leather used to build A2000s is perfect for providing the needed level of “softness” and “stretchiness” in a glove. Simultaneously, Pro Stock leather also provides the necessary structure for an A2000 to last for many seasons of use. For years Wilson has sought to select the perfect leather for their A2000s that will always deliver (1) Softness (2) Stretchiness (3) Structure.
Now that we have a little background on the Pro Stock leather of the A2000s, we can move to the A2Ks.
To get the leather to be used for the A2Ks, Michael Markovich of Wilson informs us that they triple sort all of the Pro Stock leather for “consistency and flawlessness” so that they are able to find the absolute top 5% of the Pro Stock material. That top 5% is deemed to be the Pro Stock Select material and that is what is used on A2K gloves and mitts. Markovich also indicates that the leather deemed to be Pro Stock Select is typically harvested from the thickest part of a sample of Pro Stock leather. This should allow it to be stronger and more durable (when compared to regular Pro Stock material).
You might be wondering “Are the A2000s and A2Ks made of the same material?” The answer would technically be “Yes”. However, the A2Ks are built with the top 5% of that material and thus we know that they technically are the superior glove regarding the quality of material used. Another way you could think of it is that all Pro Stock Select leather can be considered Pro Stock leather. But not all Pro Stock material is considered Pro Stock Select.
Double Palm Construction
When an A2K glove is built, it receives a little extra component in its construction that won’t be included on any A2000 gloves. This exists in the form of a thin piece of leather that is placed between the inner palm liner and the palm shell:
When that extra piece is put in place within an A2K glove, Wilson says that the glove has “Double Palm Construction”.
The Wilson Guru, Aso, comments that this extra element may add a little bit of weight to a glove, but more importantly he says that it should promote “longer life” and “no wrinkles” in the palm of the glove. Wilson’s general marketing materials (like that shown above) will mention that Double Palm Construction provides maximum "pocket stability" and should also help the glove "hold its shape better over time".
3x More Craftsman Shaping
As mentioned above, the Pro Stock Select leather used to construct an A2K is usually cut from the thickest part of a sample of Pro Stock leather (remember that all Pro Stock Select is technically sourced from Pro Stock leather). The glove is therefore durable and strong, but it is also really stiff. Because of this, the glove technicians at Wilson’s factory will pound and shape an A2K glove three times more than they will pound and shape an A2000 glove.
When you receive your A2K, it is still going to be stiff, but it will be much easier to get into game ready condition than if Wilson’s technicians only gave it the same level of pounding and shaping as an A2000 glove.
Recent A2K Innovations
Since its introduction in 2007, the essential design of the A2K series has remained the same. That being said, there have been some small features and updates introduced on A2K gloves and mitts that have allowed A2K release day to be a marked date on the calendars of glove aficionados.
An Updated Launch Cadence
During the 2024 year, Wilson revitalized their Pro Stock offerings (i.e. their A2000s and A2Ks) by deciding to launch new gloves within each series every three months. Instead of having one day each year where stock A2000s and A2Ks were released, there will now be Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter launches each and every year. The key features of these updated launches will be the small batches in which these A2000s and A2Ks will be made and the sparkling colors included within all of these releases. Check out the podcast we recorded with Wilson where discussed all the details of the new launch cadence:
Pro Player Models
Over the past handful of years, Wilson has been able to haul in a number of uber-talented professionals to rock the A2Ks on the diamond. From Wilson's last few seasonal launches, they've had a handful of pros with featured A2K models for players to shop:
- Matt Chapman 2024 Winter Collection A2K
- Michael Harris II 2024 Fall Collection A2K
- Mookie Betts 2024 Fall Collection A2K
- Brenton Doyle 2025 Summer Collection A2K
Two 2025 Summer Expert Picks
1) Wilson A2K 1786 11.5" Summer Collection Baseball Glove: WBW103290115
If summer had a glove, this would be it. This A2K looks like a sunset and plays like a dream. You’ve got the classic 11.5” length and trusty Wilson H-Web, making it a go-to for shortstops, second basemen, and even some hot corner warriors.
Pro Stock Select leather gives it next-level durability, while three times more shaping during construction means you’ll be breaking it in faster than you'd think for an A2K.
The shallow pocket and flared shape make glove transfers quick and easy. Add in comfort features like the Double Palm Construction, moisture-wicking Dri-Lex wrist lining, and Pro Lux leather inside, and you’ve got a glove that’s as comfortable as it is dependable.
2) Wilson A2K 1750 12.5" Summer Collection Baseball Glove: WBW103291125
This glove is based on Wilson’s popular 1799 pattern, just trimmed down to a 12.5” length. That means you still get the long reach and deep pocket you need in the outfield, but with a slightly smaller profile that’s easier to control. The Pro Stock Select leather and Double Palm Construction give it that classic A2K performance, while the SuperSkin backing keeps things light and durable.
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The 2025 editions of the Wilson A2K series are here and ready for you to pick one up! That being said, we know that there is often a lot of thinking that needs to be done before making a multiple hundred dollar glove purchase. If you have questions about the new A2Ks or any glove that we have featured at JustGloves, please reach out to our Glove Experts. They can be called at 866-321-4568, emailed via experts@justgloves.com or you can simply Live Chat with an expert at THIS LINK!
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