Baseball Gloves

At JustBallGloves, we have over 500 models of baseball gloves for sale from all brands, big and small, including Wilson, Rawlings, Nokona, Mizuno, SSK, All Star, and many more. To ensure you end up with the perfect ball glove, we offer an unmatched 100 Day Love Your Glove Guarantee - Try it out, break it in, even use it in a game. If you don’t love it, send it back and try another one with free shipping both ways until you find the one for you. We also want you to know you are getting the best deal with our Lowest Price Guarantee.

Choosing a Baseball Glove

When it comes to choosing the right glove, there are a lot of things to consider including throwing hand, position, size, and leather quality. Most importantly, find a glove that fits the player well and is comfortable for them to wear. With regards to sizing, baseball gloves are measured by the length vertically between the hand opening and top of the pocket. The exception to this is catcher’s mitts, which are measured by circumference. Here is some more detailed information to help you find a great mitt. 

Glove Construction

Throwing Hand - Gloves are labeled by the hand that a baseball player throws with, not the hand the glove is worn on. A right hand thrower glove will be worn on the left hand. A left hand thrower glove will be worn on the right hand. 

Leather Quality - Baseball gloves come in a wide range of prices which reflect the quality of leather used. As a general guideline, more expensive gloves will use better quality leather which holds its shape and lasts longer. The trade-off is a longer break-in time due to the stiffness of the leather. We offer many ways to save on high quality gloves including our closeout gloves, used baseball gloves, and our Bundle and Save program.

Glove Backing - The back of a glove is the area behind the wrist and is described as an open back or closed back. This is mainly personal preference but some positions prefer one over the other. 

Wrist Adjustments - Some gloves allow the wrist opening to be tightened or loosened with a velcro strap or D-ring to accommodate different preferences. 

Glove Types and Sizing

Infield Gloves - Infield gloves are typically small and light to allow optimal control for ground balls and superior quickness on transfers and relays. Middle infielders playing second base and shortstop will generally use a glove between 11”-11.5”. Third basemen tend to use a slightly larger glove with 11.5” and 11.75” being the most popular sizes for hard hit balls to the hot corner. Most infield gloves will feature an open web pattern to allow dirt to sift through after fielding a ball as well as an open back for more wrist flexibility.

Pitcher Gloves - Pitchers will normally use a glove between 11.5”-12” with a specific web type that hides the ball to keep opposing players from seeing the grip of the pitch. These web types include some form of modified trapeze or fully closed. Pitcher's gloves are also sometimes lighter than other gloves of the same size. 

Outfield Gloves -  Players in the outfield prefer a larger glove to maximize reach and pocket size for pop flies and diving catches. Outfielder gloves range in size between 12”-13” and come in a variety of web styles including H-Web, Double Post, Trapeze, and Modified T. Many outfields also prefer a closed back with a finger hole for extra support. 

Utility Gloves - Many players, especially youth play multiple positions on the field and are referred to as utility players. Utility gloves are good all around gloves for this use. 11.75"-12.25" is the typical size range for utility gloves for adults and 10"-11" for youth players. They most commonly feature a closed web type to accomodate different spots on the diamond.

First Base Mitts - First base gloves are unique with a flat scoop on one side to help with digging low throws out of the dirt and picking short hops. First base mitts come in many different color patterns sporting a variety of open web types that allow dirt to sift through. Typical sizes fall within the 12”-13” range.

Catcher’s Mitts - Catcher’s mitts feature a closed web with an oval shaped pocket. Extra padding is added to protect the player’s hand and withstand the repeated impact of catching pitched balls. Catcher’s mitts are measured by circumference with youth mitts being in the 30”-31” range while adult mitts are 32 inches or greater. 

For more information, check out these helpful blog articles:

• A Breakdown of Different Glove Web Types
• Best Baseball Glove Sizing Guide
• What are the Best Baseball Glove Brands?

If you still have questions, our glove experts are always here to help via live chat, phone, or email. Be sure to check out our Glove Coach as well to help guide you through the process of finding a glove.