What Are the Different Types of Baseball Glove?
To the average person, a baseball glove is a baseball glove. But did you know there are actually different types of baseball gloves? They vary in style, purpose, and design, and each has a specific use that its design lends itself best. After all, there’s a rhyme or reason to just about everything in baseball.
Whether you’re shopping for a new glove for your kid, you saw a glove that looked strange, or you need to know what type of glove you need for men’s league, this guide on the different types of baseball gloves will explain it all.
Note: Very little of the following information applies to softball glove sizes and positions, whether we’re talking about fastpitch or slowpitch softball gloves. Softball players should keep an eye out for our upcoming article on choosing a softball glove.
What Are the Different Types of Baseball Gloves?
Before we get into the specifics about how to choose a glove, let’s look at the different types of baseball gloves that shoppers can choose from.
Infield Gloves
Things happen fast on the infield, whether the ball hit is a line drive, fly ball, or grounder. Infielders (first, second, third, and shortstop) that successfully field balls usually have a chance to throw out a runner. For that reason, their gloves are designed to allow them to transfer the ball from the pocket to their throwing hand quickly. As such, an infielder’s glove is usually small and light (except for the first baseman’s glove, which we’ll discuss in a bit). These gloves have short fingers and a shallower pocket, and they’re usually open web gloves to allow dirt to pass through.
Outfield Gloves
Outfielders have a lot of ground to cover, and they’re often just barely getting to the spot on time. For this reason, an outfielder’s glove is usually a longer glove with a large web. This length provides just a little bit more stretch when tracking down fly balls and home runs over the fence or cutting off ground balls in the gap. They typically have an open web design as well.
First Baseman’s Mitts
First baseman’s gloves look different than the other infielders’. These gloves are larger with an extremely deep pocket and a rounded heel. The rounded heel makes it easy for the first baseman to scoop or pick balls out of the dirt when the other infielders have to rush a throw. Their webs always have an open design, and they also feature more padding than infield gloves (after all, Elly De La Cruz just threw a ball 97.9 across the diamond. Imagine catching that!).
Catcher’s Mitt
Catchers take a beating, whether it’s from foul tips, backswings, or wild pitches. But their catching hand also takes a beating from fastballs. For these reasons, catcher’s mitts are designed to protect the catcher’s hand. They’re round and thickly padded with a closed web. Some pockets are deeper than others, depending on the style and how the catcher broke their glove in.
Pitcher’s Gloves
Most pitchers have at least three pitches that they can throw for strikes, and each of these pitchers requires a different grip to execute them. If the batter can see the grip, they’ll be able to recognize the pitch, know what it’s going to do, and smash it. And since pitchers grip the ball in their throwing hand in the glove, the glove has to be large enough and have a deep pocket to hide the hand and the ball. They also require a closed web style, such as a solid web or a two-piece closed web.
How To Choose a Glove Size and Style by Position
With that rough idea of the different gloves, it’s time to learn more about choosing the right baseball glove for the position at hand. There are even common glove sizes listed below so you can find the right size glove for whichever position you play. Keep in mind that this may seem like personal preference, but there are reasons why certain gloves have longer fingers or shallow pockets.
First Baseman’s Mitt
Size: 10.75 to 11.75 for youth players/ 12.25 to 12.75 for 13+ players
While technically infielder’s gloves, first baseman’s mitts are longer, larger gloves (much larger than a middle infield glove) with rounded heels and a deeper pocket. While they’re more flexible than catcher’s mitts, they do have plenty of padding and strong fingers to funnel balls back into the deep pockets. This glove is available in both right and left-handed configurations, as first base is really the only position on the infield that lefties often play.
As a large glove with a deep pocket, a first baseman’s glove is great at scooping balls thrown in the dirt by rushing shortstops, catching fly balls in foul territory, or scooping ground balls. But they’re not great for quickly transferring the ball from the mitt to the throwing hand. For this reason, they’re position-specific gloves, and children under 9 who don’t primarily play first are best served by getting another glove.
However, for kids who do play first base as their main position, I find a glove in the 11.75 range is best. These gloves generally have small enough hand stalls for smaller hands and are easier to close while still providing the same benefits as larger first baseman’s mitts.
For adults, 12.75 is the sweet spot. This provides a long, round glove with a deep pocket. Players around 13 or 14 may find a smaller first base glove (12.25) a better fit.
Second Basemen’s Glove
Size: 11.25 to 11.75
Players that play second base are middle infielders, and as such, their job is to quickly glove a batted ball and throw to a base for an out. Their baseball gloves need to be small and nimble with plenty of dexterity. And, since many balls that second basemen gobble up are grounders in the dirt, an open web allows the dirt to pass through. I-web designs are the most popular.
These second base gloves range from 11.25 to 11.75 inches, with the true sweet spot for second basemen being 11.25 to 11.5 inches. They’re generally designed for right-handed throwers with the glove hand being the left.
Shortstop’s Glove
Size: 11.25 to 11.5
The shortstop is usually the best athlete and best defensive player on the team. Statistically, they make the most plays on the infield and have some of the most challenging throws to turn double plays or receiving relays. Shortstop gloves need to be short, stout gloves with shallow pocket depth so they can quickly find the ball and throw it to where it needs to go. They also need open webs to keep the shortstop from grabbing a handful of dirt and a snug fit to keep the glove from rattling.
Generally speaking, most shortstops use 11.5-inch infielder’s gloves, but 11.25-inch gloves are popular for younger players who need a smaller glove. They’re also almost exclusively right-handed gloves, with the glove hand being on the left.
Third Basemen’s Glove
Size: 11.75 to 12
Third basemen play what’s known as the “hot corner.” Balls are typically hit hard to third base, and as the fielder typically positioned the closest to a right-handed batter, they don’t have a lot of reaction time. This requires a slightly stiffer, bigger glove for the protection and reach. Open webs are the norm, and deeper pockets that allow the third basemen to secure hard-hit balls (but not nearly as deep as outfield gloves or those of the first baseman).
The most common third base glove sizes are 11.75 to 12 inches. These gloves are also great general-purpose gloves that can double for youth baseball players at almost any other position.
Catcher’s Mitts
Size: 29.5 to 34.5
Catcher’s mitts are all about padding. These baseball players may have to catch balls thrown at speeds over 100 miles per hour, and they need plenty of protection for their fingers, palms, and thumbs. They also need to close fully, like clamshells, without creating excessively deep pockets. After all, catchers have to be able to quickly grasp the ball on a transfer and throw out a stealing runner.
Youth players may prefer a smaller glove, such as 29 to 30 inches. However, older catchers who spend plenty of time behind home plate usually prefer a 33 or 34-inch catcher’s mitt. But, as a position-specific glove, youth players who only catch occasionally should choose a different type of baseball glove. Since the overwhelming majority of players catching being right-handed, most catchers’ gloves only come in right-hand configuration.
Pitcher’s Glove
Size: 11.5 to 12.25
Pitchers need a bit more room to hide their pitches, so larger gloves are the norm. They’re also finishing their pitches at around 54 feet, But, more important than the size of the glove is its design: they all have a closed web design of some sort. This is to prevent the battery from glancing through the web and noticing the pitcher’s grip.
Younger Players don’t need quite as large of a glove, and since they rarely have more than one or two pitches, almost any option will do for their needs. But, for someone determined to get a pitcher’s glove, an 11.5-inch model with a solid web is best. For adults, a 12 or 12.25-inch glove with a closed web works. These gloves are also available in right or left-hand configuration, with a finger hole.
Outfield Gloves
Size: 12 to 13.5
An outfielder’s glove needs to be large with long fingers and a deeper pocket than other gloves. This style allows baseball players playing the outfield to reach a little further and cut off balls in the gap or rob a home run. These gloves usually feature open webs that players can see through to prevent missing a ball.
Generally speaking, outfielder’s gloves will be 12 to a whopping 13.5 inches, with deeper pockets than a smaller, lighter glove. Popular webs included single-post web and trapeze. These gloves are widely available in both right and left configurations.
Baseball Glove vs Baseball Mitt
Two glove types often confuse folks that are new to baseball: the baseball glove and the baseball mitt. A lot of people use the terms baseball glove and baseball mitt interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing. A quick explanation for the difference is baseball gloves have individual fingers while baseball mitts have a solid web design with finger stalls inside the glove. Essentially, mitts don’t have visible fingers when viewed from the outside. Mitts generally have extra padding, too.
There are only two players on a baseball field that are allowed to use a mitt: the catcher and the first baseman. These two positions have the duty of corralling hard-thrown balls and need as much control over their glove as possible. The catcher’s mitt is stiff with plenty of padding, ensuring the ball stays secure in the glove. The first baseman’s mitt isn’t quite as stiff and doesn’t have as much padding, but is designed for scooping balls out of the dirt.
An infielder’s glove or outfielder’s glove will have individual fingers that are laced together at their tips. This includes shortstop, second, and third base gloves, as well as outfielder’s glove options.
FAQs
How many types of baseball gloves are there?
There are essentially five different gloves that baseball players may wear, including those for infielders, first basemen, catchers, pitchers, and outfielders.
Is there a difference between baseball gloves?
Yes. Baseball gloves are designed for specific purposes on the baseball field. These gloves have different pocket depths, finger lengths, and shapes.
Should I Get an Infield or Outfield Glove?
This depends on where you usually play. If you’re a player that bounces between infield and outfield play, I would suggest an 11.75 infield or a 12-inch outfield glove. Older players who want the most from their gloves will usually own one of each.
