Many types of baseball gloves exist, each with different features that makes it suitable for particular playing styles or positions. The best way to choose the right glove for you is to test different models during a baseball practice, which allows you to determine whether specific features, such as webbing or size, help or hinder your performance.
Position
The position you play on your baseball team might determine what type of glove you'll need. Catchers, for example, use gloves that don't have separate fingers. The heavy padding of the catcher's glove minimizes hand injuries from fast pitches. Other positions within the infield --- that is, first through third base, pitcher, and shortstop --- each have specific glove requirements that suit the typical actions they perform during a game.
Infield vs. Outfield
Generally, infield gloves have shallow pockets, allowing players to quickly grasp the ball and throw it to the appropriate base for a quick out. Outfield gloves, on the other hand, have deeper pockets to assist with difficult catches. They also are longer to give outfielders more reach.
Webbing
Webbing refers to the pattern of material between the thumb and finger of a glove. Pitchers prefer gloves with closed webs so they can hide the ball from batters and runners on base. Closed web gloves also work well for players in the outfield or at third base because the additional webbing provides extra support. Open webs are best for players who need to remove the ball quickly from their gloves.
Size
Gloves come in different sizes based on age ranges and position, so examine a glove's packaging to determine if it is the right size for you. Typically, children younger than age 8 use 9-inch gloves for infield positions or 11-inch gloves for outfield positions. Children between 9 and 13 years old use gloves that are 9 to 10 inches for infield positions or 11 to 12 inches for outfield positions. Older people use 10 1/2- to 11 1/2-inch gloves for infield positions or 12- to 12 1/2-inch gloves for outfield positions.
Considerations
No easy choices exist when it comes to baseball gloves. Player preference is everything. For example, some players like gloves with open backs because they provide greater flexibility, while other players like closed backs for their extra support. Other important factors include whether the glove allows you to adjust the wrist enclosure and how much padding the glove provides. Professional players often use leather gloves, but synthetic leather is suitable for amateur or youth players.
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