Your Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Baseball and Softball Glove Size
Choosing the right softball or baseball glove size is crucial for success in either sport. Whether you’re in the outfield, infield, on the pitcher’s mound, at third base, or anywhere else, a properly-fitting glove will be your game’s foundation.
Identifying the correct measurements can be tricky, which is why we’ve put together this guide. Keep reading for our recommendations based on age and position.
Softball and Baseball Glove Size Charts
The ranges in our sizing charts accommodate smaller, average, and larger hands. We carry each size in our baseball, fastpitch, and slowpitch collections.
Youth Baseball Glove Size Chart
| Age | Outfield | Catcher | First Base | Second Base/Short Stop | Third Base | Pitcher |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11–13 | 11.75–12.5" | 31–32.5" | 11.5–12.5" | 11–11.5" | 11–11.75" | 11.5–12" |
| 8–10 | 10–12" | 31–31.5" | 11.5–12" | 10.5–11.25" | 10.5–11.5" | 10.5–11.5" |
| 7 and under | 9–10.5" | na | 11.5" | 9–10.5" | 9–10.5" | 9–10.5" |
Adult Baseball Glove Size Chart
By age 14 and above, ideal glove sizes become standardized.
| Age | Outfield | Catcher | First Base | Second Base/Short Stop | Third Base | Pitcher |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 and above | 12–13" | 32–34.5" | 12.5"–13" | 11.25–11.75" | 11.5–12" | 11.5–12.5" |
Youth Fastpitch Softball Glove Size Chart
| Age | Outfield | Catcher | First Base | Second Base/Short Stop | Third Base | Pitcher |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11–13 | 11.75–12.5"" | 31–32.5" | 12–13" | 11.5–12" | 11.5–12.5" | 11.5–12.5" |
| 8–10 | 10–12" | 30–32." | 11.5–12" | 10.5–11.5" | 10.5–11.5" | 10.5–11.5" |
| 7 and under | 9–11" | n.a | 11.5" | 9–10.5" | 9–10.5" | 9–10.5" |
Adult Fastpitch Softball Glove Size Chart
| Age | Outfield | Catcher | First Base | Second Base/Short Stop | Third Base | Pitcher |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 and above | 12–13" | 33–34" | 12–13" | 11.5–12.5" | 11.75–12.5" | 12–12.5" |
Slowpitch Softball Glove Size Chart
Slowpitch softball gloves come in a smaller range of standard sizes that fit players of all ages.
| Outfield | First Base | Second Base/Short Stop | Third Base | Pitcher |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15.5–15" | 31–32.5" | 11.5–12.5" | 12.5–13" | 12.5–13" |
How should a baseball/softball glove fit?
As you can see in the charts above, recommended baseball and softball glove come in a range of sizes. To ensure a glove’s suitability, you’ll need to evaluate how it fits on the players wrist and hand. The glove should fit snugly. A floppy glove will reduce your ability to catch properly whereas an overly-tight glove will make for an uncomfortable fit.
Key factors to consider when choosing the correct glove size are the wrist size and fit on the hand. If a glove is too large it will feel loose on the hand, palm and fingers. A glove with an adjustable wrist strap is a great option for younger players or those with smaller hands.
How to measure a baseball/softball correctly?
New gloves come with specifications on the tag. You can typically find the measurements etched into either the thumb or pinky finger. If your glove doesn’t have any specifications, stretch a measuring tape between the tip of the index finger, down along the glove, and to the center heel.
Tips for selecting the right Baseball or Softball Glove
Everything you need to know about webbing, padding and glove materials
Carefully consider the type of webbing
Webbing comes in different styles, some of which are better suited for particular positions. See the chart below.
| Type Of Webbing | Description | Ideal Positions |
|---|---|---|
| Two Piece Closed | A two-piece closed web allows you to hide the ball and your fingers. It’s popular among pitchers for this reason. |
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| Modified Trapeze | If you don’t have a particular webbing preference yet, the modified trapeze style is versatile enough to start with for most positions. |
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| Trapeze Web | The trapeze web style is very popular among outfielders because it helps with catching balls that make it out that far. |
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| I-Web | I-Web gloves are very popular with infielders because the large gaps easily allow dirt and debris to fall through. |
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| H-Web | The H-Web design is very sturdy. Large gaps also allow players to keep an eye on fly balls. |
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| Basket Web | The basket web is another style that allows you to hide the ball easily, which pitchers prefer. |
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Fastpitch softball players should choose an open web design for the following positions:
The open web design helps you get the ball out of your hand and ready for throwing much faster.
The following positions fastpitch baseball should use closed web designs for their additional support:
Choose an appropriate amount of padding
The ideal amount of padding also depends on what position you play. See the chart below.
| Position | Amount Of Padding Needed | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Catcher | Extra | Pitches travel very quickly. Ample padding is needed to prevent injuries. Padding also wears down quickly in a catcher’s mitt, which is why you need plenty to begin with. |
| First Base | Extra | The first baseman requires mobility when scooping balls out of the dirt. |
| Pitcher | Not Much | The pitcher’s glove is designed to be flexible, light, and comfortable. Pitchers still do need to catch drives coming in their direction but generally aren’t as concerned about padding as players in other positions. |
| Infielder | Not Much | Infield gloves tend to be on the smaller side to allow for faster transitions. |
| Outfielder | Not much; more emphasis on support for fingers | Outfield gloves are typically on the wider side with more support in the fingers. This makes it easier to catch from this position. |
Try different types of leather
There are four main types of leather used to produce baseball and softball gloves. They are as follows:
Full-grain leather
Full-grain leather gloves are stiffer than most other types. This is a result of the grain being left intact during the manufacturing process. Once the glove breaks in, however, you’ll find it lasts longer and feels better than most other types of leather.
Ideal For: Frequent players, given the rigorous activity required to break a full-grain leather glove in.
Premium Steerhide
As the name would suggest, premium steerhide is one of the more luxurious baseball glove materials. It still arrives fairly stiff and will need to be broken in. Professional players typically use premium steerhide.
Ideal For: Serious players who don’t mind spending a bit more money on a glove.
Kip
Kip is also a premium baseball and softball glove material but arrives more supple than premium steerhide.
Ideal For: Players who want a premium glove but don’t want to spend hours breaking it in.
Basic Leather or Cowhide
This is the base-level glove. It breaks in very quickly but also wears down rapidly, showing its age faster than the other types of leather.
Ideal For: Casual players or those just getting started in the sport.
Don't have preferences yet? Stick with the basics
Padding, webbing, material, and fit give you plenty of variables to think about when choosing a baseball or softball glove. If you’re new to the sport and haven’t had time to develop preferences, don’t worry! Here are our recommendations for each position.
| Sport | Catcher | First Base | Pitcher | Infield | Outfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseball | |||||
| Fastpitch | |||||
| Slowpitch |
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Components of a Baseball/Softball Glove
When shopping for gear, you need to consider not just your softball or baseball glove’s size but also its various components and how they’ll affect your gameplay. Let’s look at the various components of softball and baseball gloves.
Webbing
A baseball or softball glove’s webbing connects the thumb and fingers. This component is essential for catching the ball and keeping it in your mitt. Certain hits like fly balls and line drives would be near-impossible to catch without webbing.
Palm
The palm on a baseball or softball glove is heavily padded (for some positions more than others) to offer protection against impacts. This prevents the ball from damaging your lunate, ulna, scaphoid, and radius bones.
Heel
Your glove’s heel lies just below the palm. It’s also typically padded.
Hinge
Baseball and softball gloves have a section at which they fold shut. This section is called the hinge and it makes holding onto your catch possible.
Adjusters
Adjusters aren’t present on every glove but tend to be found on those meant for youth baseball and softball. They’ll allow you to customize your glove’s fit based on conditions.
Fingers
A baseball or softball glove’s fingers are, of course, where your four digits go. Some gloves actually lock the middle and index fingers in place to offer better control. This is an alternative to what many players do, which is stick those fingers outside of the glove.
Lace
Lace is what holds the baseball or softball glove together, giving it form. These are typically thin pieces of leather that become more flexible over time as your glove “breaks in.”
