How to Choose a Baseball or Softball Glove

Helping you choose the right baseball or softball glove — first time.

Independent advice from the UK’s official Rawlings distributor, trading since 2007.

Start here: which hand?

Before anything else, get this one decision right. The single most common mistake when buying a glove is ordering the wrong throwing hand.

You wear the glove on your non-throwing hand. Your dominant hand stays free to take the ball out and throw it.

• Right Hand Throw (RHT) — also called Regular: you throw with your right hand, so the glove goes on your left hand. This is the most common option.
• Left Hand Throw (LHT): you throw with your left hand, so the glove goes on your right hand. Fewer models are made in LHT, especially for catchers and first basemen, so check availability before settling on a specific glove.

Step 1: choose by skill level

Skill level is one of the most important things to think about, and the part most online guides skip over. A 12-year-old in their first season and a 35-year-old returning to fastpitch after years away both need very different gloves, even if they play the same position.

Use the table below to find roughly where you sit. We use this to point buyers at the right tier of leather and the right Rawlings range. The leather-grade detail follows further down.

A note on “growing into” a glove: don’t. Especially with kids. A glove that’s too big lets the player cheat — they catch with the wrong part of the pocket and never develop proper technique. Buy the right size now and replace it when they outgrow it. We’d rather sell you two correctly sized gloves over five years than one ill-fitting one that puts a player off the sport.

Step 2: choose by position

Different positions need different gloves — different lengths, different pocket depths, different web styles. Here is what to look for.

Baseball

Softball

Softball uses a bigger ball, so gloves run longer and pockets run deeper than the baseball equivalent. As a rule of thumb, an adult woman typically uses a 12″ glove (Rawlings 12″ Playmaker or Renegade is a good starting point) and an adult man typically uses a 13″ glove. Specifics by position:

Buying for a child or younger junior

If you’re buying for a player under 14, use the table below as your starting point. Position matters less at this age than getting a glove the player can actually close with one hand.

Step 3: choose by leather grade

Leather is where the price differences come from. A £100 glove and a £350 glove are not the same product with a different badge — the leather itself is different, the construction is different, and the lifespan is different.

Here is what you’re paying for at each grade. We’ve framed these around Rawlings because we’re the UK distributor and it’s the dominant brand in the category, but the principles apply across most major manufacturers.

If you’re unsure where to start: most adult club players are best served in the mid-tier (Sandlot, Select Pro Lite, Player Preferred). It’s the sweet spot — proper leather, proper construction, sensible break-in time, sensible price. Move up to Heart of the Hide if you’re playing regularly and want a glove that will last 5+ seasons.

Other features that matter

Webbing

• Closed web (basket, two-piece): preferred by pitchers (hides the ball), third basemen (extra support on hard-hit balls), and outfielders who want a deeper pocket.
• Open web (I-web, H-web, trapeze): preferred by infielders for the quickest possible transfer. Lets you see the ball into the pocket and lets dirt fall through.

Back style

Open backs are more flexible and allow more wrist movement — typical for infielders. Closed backs offer more support and structure — typical for outfielders and many softball gloves. Either can work for either position; it’s largely personal preference once you know the difference.

Wrist adjustment

Three common types. None is objectively better than another — it’s about what you find comfortable.

• Velcro: fastest to adjust, can wear out faster on heavily used gloves.
• Lacing: tighten or loosen with leather laces. Longest-lasting, slowest to adjust.
• Buckle: adjustable like a hat strap. Less common, very secure.

Padding

Modern gloves have more padding across all positions than they used to, but catcher’s mitts and first baseman’s mitts are the heavily-padded specialist items. Some gloves also have wrist padding for extra comfort — useful for infielders taking hard-hit grounders.

Breaking in your new glove

A new leather glove will be stiff. Breaking it in correctly means the glove moulds to your hand and forms a proper pocket where the ball will sit. Done badly, you can ruin a £200 glove in an afternoon — so it’s worth doing properly.

What to do

• Apply a thin coat of glove conditioner. We recommend Rawlings Glovolium or a similar leather-safe conditioner. A small amount on a clean cloth, worked gently into the palm, web and back. A light coating is all you need.
• Leave for 24 hours. Let it absorb. Wipe off any excess oil before using.
• Play catch. 50–70 throws is a good first session. Repeated catching is what actually breaks the glove in — oil softens the leather, but only use shapes the pocket.
• Shape the pocket. Store the glove with a ball in the pocket and a band or wrap around it overnight. This forms a defined pocket where the ball naturally sits.

What not to do

• Don’t over-oil. More oil is not better. A heavy soak makes the leather soft and floppy and shortens the glove’s life dramatically.
• Don’t use household oils. No olive oil, no Vaseline, no shaving foam. Use a proper glove conditioner.
• Don’t microwave or oven-bake. Internet advice that tells you to do this will void any manufacturer warranty and can crack the leather.

Looking after your glove

• Condition every few weeks during the season — more often in dry weather, less in damp. A small amount each time.
• Store cool and dry, away from direct sunlight and away from heat. A cupboard, not a car boot in summer.
• Always store with a ball in the pocket. Maintains the pocket shape between sessions.
• Check the laces. If they’re fraying, get them replaced before they break. We carry replacement laces and can re-lace gloves on request.

Ready to buy?

Browse our range by what matters most to you:

• By position: infield gloves, outfield gloves, pitcher’s gloves, first baseman’s mitts, catcher’s mitts.
• By Rawlings range: Heart of the Hide, Pro Preferred, Sandlot, Select Pro Lite, R9, Renegade, Playmaker.
• By sport: baseball fielding gloves, softball fielding gloves (fastpitch and slowpitch).
• Glove care: Glovolium conditioner, leather cleaner, replacement laces, glove cribs.

Still not sure?

Drop us a line. We’ve been doing this since 2007 and we’d rather spend ten minutes pointing you at the right glove than have you buy the wrong one. Email, phone or live chat — whichever suits.

This information is to be used as a guide only. If in doubt, ask.