A new catcher's mitt has a wonderful and unique smell, shape and texture, but all of that won't help a catcher use it to snag balls and strikes. A softening and breaking-in period helps a new catcher's mitt turn into a serviceable glove that will handle just about any pitch that comes its way, as well as throws to the plate trying to keep runners from scoring. Plenty of oils, creams and other methods have been tried with varied results, but there are a few products and procedures you can follow that will help soften your catcher's mitt without damaging it in the process.
Lanolin
Lanolin, an oil secreted by sheep and other wool-bearing animals, can be found in some shaving creams, cosmetics, skin lotions and other products, such as Glove Stuff, which is specifically manufactured to help soften gloves. Lanolin is the main ingredient in Glove Stuff, so rubbing other products over your mitt that use lanolin, such as the skin lotion Lanocreme, also will help soften it quickly. Rawlings also makes a lanolin-based product called Glovolium, which is sold in sporting goods stores.
Soaking in Water
Wrapping up a new catcher's mitt with a ball inside and soaking it in water is a long-standing approach to softening the mitt, but it might seem wrong to take a beautiful new glove and submerse it in water. But baseball coach Tonto Genovese of Fayette County, Georgia, swears by this method. Place a ball in the pocket of the mitt and tie up the mitt tightly. Soak the mitt in a bucket of water for several minutes and let it dry in the sun or another dry place for a couple of days. Then, if necessary, toss the glove by itself in a clothes dryer, the use it as you normally would, with the occasional rubdown of lanolin or lanolin-based cream.
Use it Every Day
Oils, creams, water, binding, drying and all other "proven" methods have their place, but nothing will help soften and break in your catcher's mitt better than using the glove day after day to catch pitches. If you use the glove repeatedly, you're training it to catch pitches with your hand, which will serve you best. Flex the glove open and closed with you hand. Bend it, pull on it and stretch it, but use it for catch as often as you can in practice before you have to debut that mitt in a game.
Warnings
Just because one type of oil is recommended or has been effective doesn't mean that any type of oil will do the trick. Soaking your mitt in motor oil, for example, could leave the glove floppy, soggy and ineffective. Likewise, a common method of mitt softening, running the mitt over with a car, isn't recommended because while it might help soften it up, the mitt also will be damaged by such abuse.
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