The Ultimate Guide To Selecting The Right Baseball Glove

The baseball glove is one of the most important pieces of equipment that baseball players own. Regardless of your age, skill level, or what position you play, selecting the right baseball glove is absolutely crucial to succeeding as a player!

This article is dedicated to being the ultimate guide to selecting the right baseball glove. We highlight different types of gloves, important factors to consider upon purchase, as well as some baseball glove care tips and tricks.

Factors To Consider When Selecting A Baseball Glove

Consider these factors when selecting a baseball glove to suit your needs.

Proper Fit

Control: A properly fitted baseball glove will give players more control than one that is too small or too large. Poorly fitted gloves will make it harder to get a good grip on the ball, which can lead to more unforced errors on the field.

Protection: Protecting your catching hand from injury is one of the most important reasons to make sure you select a well-fitted baseball glove. Loose or excessively tight-fitting gloves can make players more prone to injury catching high-velocity baseballs.

Youth baseball gloves will typically range in length from 10.75” – 11.75”. Try on multiple gloves and find the size that fits best to your hand.

Comfort & Feel

The goal is to make your baseball glove feel like a true extension of your body, in this case, your catching hand. Choosing a glove that is comfortable and feels natural on your hand will make you more responsive and accurate with your glove movements.

Position-Specific Design

There are different glove designs that have been developed specifically to meet the needs of different positions on the baseball field. Outfielders typically have larger gloves with a deeper pocket for catching fly balls, as opposed to an infielders glove with a smaller build and more shallow pocket.

For players who are sticking to one position, or set of positions (infield/outfield), get a position-specific glove for the best results.

Players who are moving around and playing multiple different positions can also opt for what is called a “utility glove”. These are designed for multi-position players who need a glove that can handle both infield and outfield style play.

Durability

Types Of Baseball Gloves

Infield Glove

• • Smaller in size compared to outfielders glove
  • Shallow pocket
  • More of a snug fit
  • Lightweight
  • Open webbing

Outfield Glove

• • Larger in size compared to infielders glove
  • Deeper pocket
  • Slightly heavier weight (heavier duty materials)
  • Closed webbing

Catcher’s Mitt

• • Extra padding
  • Wider surface area
  • Unique shape
  • Thick, extra-durable materials

Pitcher’s Glove

• • Tight mesh webbing to conceal ball & pitch grip
  • High-quality leather materials
  • Unique shape for control and comfort

First Base Mitt

• • Larger than other gloves
  • Spaced webbing
  • Unique shape for scooping ground balls and corralling wild throws

Care & Maintenance Of Baseball Gloves

Here are a few quick care & maintenance tips to help keep your glove in great condition.

Break It In

New gloves will need to be broken in and formed to ensure a nice comfortable fit, so make sure to use it as often as possible right away for practise, conditioning, and exercises. Use a glove conditioning oil and/or a glove mallet to help break-in the padding and create a nice form to your hand.

Store It Properly

When you aren’t using your glove, store it in a cool and dry location that is away from any direct sunlight or excessive heat. Use a modest amount of glove conditioner and/or glove oil to prevent it from drying out and cracking.

Repair Regularly

Staying on top of repairs to your baseball glove will help increase its lifespan and ensure it stays in tip top condition. Practice makes perfect applies to both your skills and your glove care routine. The most important parts of the glove to repair/replace include:

• • Laces
  • Stitching
  • Webbing

Avoid the need to replace and repair your glove by taking good care of it, using oils and conditioners when necessary, and storing it in a suitable location.

Conclusion

We hope this guide helps baseball players select the right glove for their needs, and provides some useful care and maintenance tips to keep it in great shape. Treat your glove with love and it will return the favor on game day!

Youth baseball is more than just a sport – It is a way of life that serves to enrich and elevate the lives of those who enjoy the game. 

Kids have the chance to develop physically and build baseball skills, but also to mature mentally, grow emotionally, and learn valuable social skills.

The benefits are truly endless, and that is what drives us to provide the best youth baseball development services we can. With the support of parents, coaches, and friends, the new generation of baseballers will flourish!

Tips For Parents, Coaches, & Players

Parents

Guide, Don’t Decide

It is important for parents to draw the line between providing insight to guide their child, and making all of the decisions for them.

Whether it is a simple decision like picking a glove or a pair of cleats, or something more significant like choosing what position to play – provide guidance, but leave the final say to your athlete!

This will help build confidence and self-esteem, while providing the independence that kids need to grow into successful young adults.

Avoid Excessive Pressure

Sometimes parents can put too much pressure on their kids without even noticing it, and the effects can be quite detrimental. Winning is never as important as enjoying the game of baseball and growing as an athlete!

That isn’t to say that small amounts of well-placed pressure at the right time can’t be beneficial, but parents should always aim to support without excessive pressure.

Coaches

Promote Positivity

Coaches are in a unique position of influence and leadership. Their demeanor, attitude, and energy is what will set the tone for their athletes and dictate the baseball experience!

It is incredibly important for coaches to be positive as the role models and example setters, as this will encourage positivity amongst the team. Athletes thrive in positive environments – it’s a fact!

Patience Is A Virtue

One of the biggest pieces of advice we have for youth baseball coaches is to always have patience. Remember that you are dealing with kids who are learning the game of baseball, and will move at different paces developmentally.

Your job as a coach is to meet them where they feel comfortable, and provide the support they need to excel. That doesn’t mean coaches shouldn’t drive their players and push them to achieve more, but knowing when and how hard to push is key.

Fundamentals First

Coaches should always start with the fundamentals of baseball when working with a beginner group or new team. Throwing, catching, hitting, and fielding are your first stops for evaluating players and determining how to proceed with training.

Players

Practice, Practice, Practice

Practice may not always make perfect, but it is one of the most important parts of improving at any activity or sport. Young baseballers should take full advantage of their free time to get in as many reps and as much on-field experience as possible.

Getting in a few extra hours of cage time a week, or committing to a group training session each week will get you feeling more comfortable and work wonders for your game!

Train Within Your Limits

Learning to train within your limits is an important part of avoiding injury and maintaining a healthy level of consistent growth. Over-training can be dangerous regardless of your age, but young athletes have a number of their own risks to consider.

Start with baseline measurements to track where your abilities are at before creating a training regimen. Set realistic development goals that are achievable without putting your body through too much stress. Strength, speed, endurance, agility, balance, coordination are valuable skills and qualities that make all the difference between being good and being great out on the field.

Wrap-Up

Youth baseball is a collective effort that involves not only the kids and their coaches, but the parents as well. It is important to communicate and collaborate as a group with the common goal of creating a positive and enriching baseball experience.

Bonus tip: Selecting the right baseball glove is absolutely crucial to succeeding as a player. A well-fitted glove enhances control, protection, and comfort, ensuring that young athletes can perform at their best on the field.

In this article, we have highlighted some of our favorite quick tips for parents, coaches, and players to consider. Thanks for reading, and feel free to visit us at Travail.com for more content and community updates!

Baseball is a sport that requires athletes to be in peak physical shape in order to perform and excel at the highest levels. Strength, speed, endurance, agility, balance, coordination are crucial, just to name a few.

Learning how to develop all of these skills and qualities synchronously is one of the most important parts of becoming a successful baseball player. Kids have the chance to develop physically and build baseball skills, which is vital for their growth in the sport. 

Conditioning refers to the process of training one’s body to improve their level of athletic ability, and physically prepare for the demands of a sport or activity. 

From a baseball standpoint, proper conditioning is absolutely crucial for players to perform optimally, stay in shape through the on and off season, and avoid injury. The importance of baseball conditioning is multi-faceted.

Top Exercises & Workouts

Let’s explore some of the top conditioning exercises and workouts for baseball players.

Cardio

Interval Training

Interval training workouts are characterized by an alternating pattern of high-intensity periods of exercise, followed by low-intensity periods of exercise. 

Athletes repeat this cycle of high and low intensity exercises to improve cardiovascular endurance, build stamina, and attune your body to short bursts of energy expenditure.

Circuit Training

Circuit training workouts are characterized by a series of exercises that are performed in immediate succession with little to no rest in between. 

Baseball players can customize their circuit training workouts to focus on a specific set of movements or skills that is unique to their position.

Strength

Squats

Baseball players need to keep their legs in shape, just as much as their core and upper body. A strong lower body will not only improve speed and agility, but it will also help players avoid injuries on the diamond and in training.

One of the absolute best workouts to build lower body strength is the squat (we like Bulgarian split squats the best). It works on quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings, among other muscles, all in one easy workout.

Deadlifts

Deadlifting is another awesome workout that works on both the hamstrings and glutes, as well as the lower back muscles and erector spinae (see image).

Deadlifts are a great double-threat kind of exercise that allows baseball players to build their lower body as well as their core muscles. It is important not to overlift when it comes to deadlifts as injuries are quite common. 

Start with a light load and more reps to get your form nailed down!

Pull-Ups

Pull-ups are a simple yet effective exercise that focuses on building upper body muscle groups, primarily the back, shoulders, and biceps.

Pull-ups typically use your bodyweight instead of dumbbells or barbells as the load, but weight can be added by using a weighted belt.

Bench Press

Bench press (barbell or dumbbell), is another awesome workout for building upper body strength. Bench press targets the chest, shoulders and triceps primarily, as well as some of the upper back muscles (traps & rhomboids).

Building upper body strength will help baseball players improve bat speed and hitting power, as well as throwing velocity and distance. 

Agility & Balance

Ladder Drills

Ladder drills implement the use of an agility ladder (image below). Athletes run, step, and jump through the ladder in different ways to help train foot speed and overall agility.

Box Jumps

Box jump workouts are simple yet extremely effective for helping baseball players develop their agility, and become more explosive on the diamond. 

Different variations of the standard box jump offer even more development potential (depth jumps, single-leg etc..)

Flexible Gear

Players who are moving around and playing multiple different positions can opt for what is called a “utility glove” to practise and play with. These are designed for multi-position players who need a glove that can handle both infield and outfield style play. It’s important for baseball players to choose the right baseball glove for their needs and style of play.

Tips For Staying Motivated

Conditioning training can be a grind, so it is extra important to stay motivated. Here are useful tips to do just that!

Set Trackable Goals

Set specific goals that can be tracked quantitatively (with numbers and figures) so that you can see tangible results. This can be a bench press goal, a weight gain goal, or a time goal on an agility course or distance sprint for example.

Implement Variations

Keep your workouts fresh by changing things up with variations of the conditioning exercises you are doing. Something as simple as swapping from a standard barbell squat to some bulgarian split-squats will help keep you on your toes, literally.

Conclusion

Baseball conditioning is essential for players of all ages and skill levels. Not only does it build crucial skills and attributes, it also strengthens your body and decreases your chances of experiencing injuries.

We have discussed some of the top baseball conditioning exercises and workouts, and provided a few tips and tricks to get the most out of your training. Find out what works best for you, and always remember to respect your limits and train safely!