Best Youth Baseball Glove

Are you searching for a baseball glove for your child? We will examine what you should look for in a new glove, then we will review our top 3 best youth baseball gloves below.

First we should define that a youth baseball glove is generally referring to an age of 12 and below although older kids and teens can certainly still use them as well. Many parents think that they should get a stiff, high quality, over-sized glove that their child can grow into and use for many years. However, youngsters will develop better skills with a properly sized glove that is also properly broken in and not stiff. As they grow they will need to get larger sizes to fit them properly.

If your child has problems with fielding, or even just the ball popping out while playing catch that often means they have the wrong glove. There are usually three problems with baseball gloves – they are too big, too stiff, or poorly made. That is why we recommend getting a pre-broken-in youth glove that is the proper size. You can buy cheaper models over more expensive ones since you will need to buy larger sizes as needed as the child grows.

You will see sizes of gloves listed in inches. This refers to the distance from the heel of the glove to the top of the index finger. You can measure your child’s hand size by placing their hand palm side down on a table, then measuring from the top of the longest finger to the bottom of the wrist. Then you should select a glove that is at least 2 inches larger (at most about 4″) than that measurement so it will not be too snug. Youth sizes usually start at 9 inches. Make sure you also pay attention to right-handed or left-handed gloves. Makers will refer to either a right handed thrower baseball glove which means the glove actually fits on the left hand or a left handed thrower that fits on the right hand.

Parents should also be wary of positional mitts. Most youth baseball teams below the age of 11 will rotate players through different positions, so they need a glove they can use at any position. Once players get to about 12 or 13 years old they will start focusing on one position. The only exception might be a catcher. A catcher’s mitt will provide extra padding to protect the hand from fastballs and are measured in circumference instead of length.

You should also be aware that if you see the term ‘fastpitch’ in a glove’s description that is referring to a softball glove. Those are designed for and should only be used for softball.


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#1)

Rawlings Select Pro Lite Baseball Glove Series

We selected the Rawlings Select Pro Lite Baseball Glove Series, priced from around $40 and up, as the best youth baseball glove. The quality is quite good for the price and we don’t really recommend spending a ton on a glove since your child will outgrow it anyway. This series features several different MLB player designs to choose from. Other variations include different sizing options and different web patterns.

This glove series has a lightweight, soft leather shell that comes with smaller hand openings and is 90% broken in so it is perfect for younger players from about 10-12 years old.

Overall the Rawlings Select Pro Lite Baseball Glove Series provides a good value that won’t break the bank for a glove that your youth player will outgrow in a few seasons anyway.


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Mizuno Prospect PowerClose Youth Baseball Glove Series

If you are looking for a good glove for a teeball or rec player from about 5-9 years old then the Mizuno Prospect PowerClose Youth Baseball Glove Series is a perfect choice. With pricing from $28 it is very affordable, especially since you will have to buy more gloves as your child grows.

The best feature of these gloves is the patented PowerClose technology that acts like a hinge in the glove to make catching and holding onto the ball easier. The glove is also lightweight, super soft, and needs very little breaking in.


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#3)

Rawlings Renegade Series Catchers Mitt

We selected the Rawlings Renegade Series Catchers Mitt as the best youth baseball catchers mitt. Priced from about $32 the Renegade comes in two sizes – 31.5 or 32.5 inches. They come with palm and index finger padding to diminish the ball impact. They are also 80% broken-in already, so it won’t take long for a player to finish breaking it in.

Overall this Rawlings catchers mitt is really good quality with a deep pocket that is perfect for youth catchers.


Best Youth Baseball Glove Comparison Chart

Youth Baseball Glove Rating Best Price Level of Play Material Sizes Offered Positions Feel /
Broken In
Rawlings Select Pro Lite Baseball Glove Series 9.2 $39.99 Youth Leather 9.5″,10″,10.5″, 11″, 11.5″, 11.25″, 11.75″, 12″ Infield, Pitcher, Outfield Broken In 90%
Mizuno Prospect PowerClose Youth Baseball Glove Series 9.2 $27.99 Rec and Teeball Full Grain Pig Skin 9.00″, 10.00″, 10.50″, 10.75″, 11.00″, 11.5″ Utility Little Break-In Needed
Rawlings Renegade Series Catchers Mitt 9.1 $31.91 Youth / Rec Synthetic 31.5″, 32.5″ Catcher Broken In 90%