Welcome to Ball Gloves Online, your Headquarters for Baseball Gloves. Below is a summary of our best content on picking the correct glove, caring for your baseball glove, and other necessary information about gloves:
Accessories are hardly necessary for keeping your glove in top-notch shape. However, several of them can certainly make this ongoing process a lot easier. In this post we break down the best baseball glove accessories to make protecting your glove’s shape simple and easy.
Mitt Spit Glove Cleaner and Conditioner: This US-made product is the best conditioner on the market. It both smells good and gives your glove a clean, smooth feel after application. Pick it up here.
Extra baseball or softball: When you are not using your glove, it is helpful to leave a baseball (infield glove) or softball (outfield glove) in the pocket. This helps you maintain the shape of it in a cost-effective manner.
Lacing kit: Laces sometimes snap, leaving you in a tough situation to either send your glove away or fix the lacing yourself. With a lacing kit and a few Youtube videos, you can fix the lacing yourself both effectively and affordably. Here’s our favorite lacing kit, and Wilson sells a full-service one as well.
Glove Mallet: A wooden mallet is a good way to mimic catching a baseball when breaking in your glove. While not necessary, using a mallet is an affordable and effective way to break-in your glove quicker. Buy one here.
Webgem Glove Care System: The Webgem is a carrying case for your glove that keeps it protected and maintains it shape. They have models for fielders and catchers. Albeit pricey, they are a good way to maintain the desired shape of your glove. Get one here.
Accessories we don’t recommend:
Most glove conditioners: There’s a million types of leather conditioners for sale, but most are either a) not for baseball gloves, or b) contain chemicals that are questionable for your mitt. We recommend sticking with what we listed above.
Glove Wrap: Albeit cheap, most glove wraps are largely ineffective. They break-in and shape a glove unnaturally, and we recommend either carrying your glove or putting a baseball in the pocket if you must store it somewhere enclosed.
Sting Pads: Most sting pads are uncomfortable and provide limited benefit. If your index finger is stinging too much, we recommend going index finger-out grip or figuring out why the padding in your palm is failing.
Taking simple steps to care for your glove is the easiest way to ensure its longevity for many seasons. However, most players don’t know how to take care of their glove off the field, and in this post we break down the simple methods to keep your glove in tip-top shape:
Keep your gloveout of extreme weather: You can’t always control this when on the diamond, but when you’re not using the glove, you should not let it sit in the rain, in a hot car, in the sun, or anywhere else where the climate may affect or damage the leather.
Store it correctly: Most players throw their glove in their bag. Instead, you should aim to either carry your glove or place it in a bag with a baseball (infield mitt) or softball (outfield mitt) in the pocket. A pricey option is a Webgem glove care kit.
Use Oil on it Infrequently: Glove Oil is an easy way to clean and condition your glove, but too much of it can damage and weigh down the glove. We recommend using Mitt Spit glove conditioner and only using it once every few months.
Wipe off excess sweat/dirt: If you’re on a dusty field or it’s particularly hot out on the field, your glove is going to soak up sweat and dirt. After one of these days, take a dry towel and wipe the excess sweat and dirt from the leather.
Tighten the Laces Frequently: Unless you truly like the loose-lace feel, tightening the laces on your glove is in your best interest. This protects the leather from unnecessary strain that will break it down over time. And when the laces are worn out, relacing them is a great idea.
Use It Frequently: The best way to keep your glove’s shape is to use it. While this isn’t a problem during the season, your glove may sit dormant over the winter. By using it regularly, even a few days per week in the offseason, you’ll allow it to stay ready for the next season.
Breaking in a glove can be a time-consuming and difficult process. But it can also be a fun and interesting one if you employ the best methods of doing so. In this post we detail the best methods to break-in your baseball glove in the most time-efficient and effective manner:
Best Method: Playing Catch
Cliche, but breaking your mitt in by playing catch allows your glove to truly break in to how your squeeze your hand. This makes the glove both more comfortable and easier to close over time.
A hack to make this easier is to find a flat concrete or brick wall and throw dimpled baseballs at the wall. They’ll come back at you, replicate the act of having a catch, and help break-in your glove without another person.
This is the most time-consuming method, but it truly is the best method to break-in your glove the most natural way. Plus, there are many other skill-related benefits to having regular catches to break-in your glove.
An OK Method: Hot Water and a Mallet
Wilson’s Aso has recommended this method for years, in which you pour hot water over the pocket of your glove and hit the pocket of your glove with a wooden glove mallet. Here’s a video displaying the process.
This method will break-in your mitt very quickly, but at the expense of slightly damaging the leather of your mitt. Hot water will certainly help loosen the leather, but it harms the long-term durability of it as well.
We only recommend this method for players who need their gloves broken-in quickly or who only use their gloves for a short time. If you are looking to keep your glove in-shape for a longer time, we recommend simply playing catch.
What You Shouldn’t Do
Glove Steaming: A process in which you or someone else heats your mitt in a steamer, oven, or microwave. This breaks the glove in quickly, but it damages the leather of the glove significantly. We wouldn’t recommend in pretty much any circumstance.
Running Over Your Glove with a Car: This flattens the glove, giving it a broken-in feel, but it creates an unnatural squeeze that’s going to be uncomfortable. Never recommended.
Glove Wrap: Wrapping your glove with a rubber band and a baseball in pocket is a decent way to store your glove, but a bad one to break one in. This also creates an unnatural squeeze and honestly doesn’t really break-in your glove all that much.
Spin Control has made its return the Wilson lineup after a long hiatus. After being used in 1990s and 2000s gloves, Wilson finally revamped and improved the technology for the latest series of gloves. Here’s everything you need to know about it:
Spin Control is a technology that uses a dimpled palm and special oiling process to reduce the amount a ball will move in the pocket upon catching the ball.
The Spin Control technology comes in the palm and, usually, the web. These are the areas where the ball typically hits and begins to torpedo in the leather, where either you corral the ball or watch it squeak out.
Why would I need this? Due to its spherical nature, a baseball likes to rotate all kinds of ways in the air or in your pocket. This tech simply reduces the amount of spin that can effect how well you catch the ball.
Does it actually work? We haven’t tried it out yet, but it seems like MLB players have been using it and liking it so far. We’ll have more information on how well it works soon, but for now it seems pretty good.
Is it worth it? Right now, Spin Control mitts aren’t any more expensive than regular A2000 gloves. Although we don’t see it as the latest, greatest feature to get on your glove, if you want to be one of the early adopters of this glove tech, it’s probably worth it.
Right now there are a few gloves that come with this technology, as it roll-out has been calm and measured. These are the models where Spin Control is used:
Wilson A2000 1786 Spin Control: Our favorite middle infield glove that measures at 11.5″ with and shallow pocket and I-web. Get it here.
Wilson A2000 1975 Spin Control: An 11.75″ mitt that is largely an oversized 1786. Good for shortstop and third base. Buy it here.
Wilson A2000 H12 Spin Control: A 12″ glove that is an oversized 1787, with a medium depth pocket and I-web. Good for third basemen and some shortstops. Check it out here.
Wilson A2000 M1D Spin Control: A 33.5″ Catcher’s mitt. Probably the best mitt to have Spin Control, as catcher’s deal with a lot of different stuff behind the dish. Get it here.
Wilson A2000 OT6 Spin Control: A 12.75″ outfield mitt that comes with a trapeze web and elongated feel. Spin Control is probably good for outfielders to avoid weird flyballs popping out of their gloves. Buy it here.
Baseball gloves are getting awfully expensive, with prices pushing $300 on gloves that cost half that a decade ago. In this post we rank the best gloves for the infield on a budget, so you can ball out without spending a ton of cash.
Mizuno MVP Prime11.5″: A really nice model for around $100 (many times a good amount less). Can get through a few seasons and features a really nice shallow pocket and Mizuno’s cross web. Highly recommend for tight budgets. Buy it here.
Rawlings Encore EC1150: An 11.5″ mitt that features an I-web and shallow pocket. Priced at $160, it’s not the cheapest glove, but it is worth the price and almost half the price of the next Rawlings model. Check it out here.
Mizuno Franchise 11.5″: Another Mizuno model, this time priced at $80. Materials don’t feel great, but they will last a few seasons are are the best at the price point. Good pattern for the middle infield as well. Buy it here.
Rawlings R9 11.5″: Another $100 option that features materials about the same as the above model. Decent design and pocket, but feels a bit overpriced for what you would be getting. See it here.
Wilson A700 11.5″: An $80 glove that really isn’t worth the money. Feels OK, but is mostly built for younger players and won’t stand up to any later teen/high school play. Wilson’s best budget offering. Check it out here.
Some Wild Card Options
Snagging a discounted A2000 or Heart of the Hide: Sometimes you can find our favorite higher priced models in the $150-$180 range on eBay or Amazon. You can typically find them in July/August, but deals are largely random. Look for an A2000 1786 or HOH PRO204.
Customized 44 Pro Glove: A fully customized, high quality mitt for $185. Again, may be a bit out of the “budget” category, but you get amazing bang for your buck. We recommend an 11.5″ mitt with an I-web. See them here.
Wilson’s premier A2K series returns for the 2020 and 2021 seasons as one of the best glove series in the world. And once again, Wilson has outdone themselves on the designs and materials on the 2021 Wilson A2K Gloves.
[toc]
2021 A2K Materials
The 2021 Wilson A2K Gloves feature the best materials Wilson has to offer, including:
Pro Stock Select Leather: a buttery smooth leather that will stay strong for many years.
Double Palm Construction: a double layer of leather in the palm that doubles durability and shock absorption
Superskin (Some Models): Lightweight synthetic material that decreases weight and increases durability
Snakeskin (Some Models): Textured leather that adds a cool look and feel to a mitt.
Put all of these together and you get a glove(s) that is sleek, durable, and will help you perform at the highest level in the field.
2021 Wilson A2K Infield Gloves
Here are the infield models in the 2021 Wilson Glove Line:
2021 Wilson A2K 1786
The 1786 is an 11.5 model with an I-web, shallow pocket, and saddle tan and black colorway. It’s our favorite middle infield model for 2020-2021, and you can pick it up here.
2021 Wilson A2K 1786SS
The 1786SS is the same model as the 1786, but with the synthetic Superskin backing. This makes it lighter weight, helping you turn quicker double plays. Get it here.
2021 Wilson A2K 1787
The 1787 is an 11.75″ mitt with an I-web and medium depth pocket. This glove is perfect for second base, shortstop, or third base, and you can buy it here.
2021 Wilson A2K 1795
The 1795 is a 12″ Third Base Mitt with an H-web and deep, rounded pocket. It’s nicknamed “Blaze” for the red/metallic and gray look, and you can get this Western-themed glove here.
2021 Wilson A2K 1795SS
The 1795SS is the same 12-inch, deep pocket model as above, but with a lighter Superskin shell. Buy it here.
2021 Wilson A2K Outfield Gloves
Here are all the 2021 Wilson A2K Outfield Gloves:
2021 Wilson A2K 1799SS
The 1799SS is a 12.75″ Outfield Mitt with an H-web, deep pocket, and Superskin shell. It is one of our favorite outfield models for 2020-2021, and you can pick it up here.
2021 Wilson A2K JS22
The new JS22 is the Juan Soto game model glove and is a replica of the above 12.75″ 1799 with a different colorway. You can buy it here.
2021 Wilson A2K 1775SS
The 1775SS is a 12.75″ mitt with a single post web and deep pocket. It’s a bit different than the above 1799, which we detail below. You can get the 1775SS here.
Compared to the aforementioned 1799, the 1775 will have a rounder pocket and play bigger, which will help you snag more flyballs in the outfield.
2021 Wilson A2K Pitcher’s Gloves
The Following are the Pitcher’s Gloves in the 2021 Glove Line:
2021 Wilson A2K B2
The B2 is a 12″ Pitcher’s glove that comes with a medium-to-deep pocket and grip-concealing 2-Piece Web. Get it here.
2021 Wilson A2K D33
The D33 is an 11.75″ model with a Closed Pro Lace Web, deep, rounded pocket, and Superskin back.
Compared to the B2, it’s a bit shorter, lightweight, but with a deeper pocket. You can buy it here.
2021 Wilson A2K First Base Gloves
Here are all the 1B Mitts in the 2021 Glove Line:
2021 Wilson A2K JA79
The JA79 is the Jose Abreu game model and a 12.5″ 1B mitt with a Snakeskin back and single post web. It’s Wilson’s biggest 1B glove in the A2K model.
In addition, the mitt comes with a “Spin Control” pocket that reduces the changes of a ball popping out of the pocket. Get it here.
2021 Wilson A2K 2820SS
The 2820SS is a 12.25″ First Base Mitt with a Superskin back and Single Post web. This model comes with a deep pocket and double break palm. You can buy it here.
2021 Wilson A2K Catcher’s Mitts
There’s only one A2K Mitt in the 2021 Glove Line, the M1D:
The M1D is a 33.5″ Catcher’s Mitt with a Half-Moon Web and extended pocket. It’s one of the best catcher’s mitts on the market, and you can get it here.
The 2020 Wilson Glove Line includes two pitcher’s gloves that will help any hurler defend the mound from hard comebackers. Here is our guide to the 2020 Wilson A2K Pitcher Gloves:
2020 Wilson A2K B2
The B2 is a 12″ mitt with a 2-Piece Web and medium-depth pocket. It’s one of our favorite mitts for the mound and an overall solid mitt to don. Get it here.
2020 Wilson A2K D33
The D33 is an 11.75″ mitt with a wide and deep pocket, and is honestly a pretty funky pattern. We don’t recommend it over the B2, and suggest trying it out before buying it.
Wilson’s 2020 Collection of A2K Outfield Gloves includes thrre models in both left-handed and right-handed throw. Here is our guide to the 2020 Wilson A2K Outfield Gloves:
2020 Wilson A2K 1799
The 1799 is a 12.75″ outfield mitt with an H-web and deep pocket. It’s Wilson’s best outfield model and highly rated among the best outfield mitts on the market. Get it here.
2020 Wilson A2K MB50
The MB50 is Mookie Betts’ Game model, and is a flashy 12.5″ mitt with a deep pocket. If you’re looking for a flashy mitt for the outgrass, this is a top choice for 2020. Buy it here.
2020 Wilson A2K 1775
The 2020 Wilson A2K 1775 is a 12.75, narrow-width, deep pocket model for the outgrass. While we don’t recommend it outright, we do recommend trying it out before buying it.
Wilson’s Glove Lines always include a first base mitt, and for the 2020 Glove Line, that lucky model is the 2820SS. Here’s out guide to the sole 2020 Wilson A2K First Base Mitts:
2020 Wilson A2K 2820SS
The 2820SS is a 12.25″ First Base mitt built with a lightweight Superskin back. There’s not a ton to say about it besides it’s a really solid mitt for one baggers. Get it here.
