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Welcome to Baseball Gear
To get started in baseball, there are some fundamental pieces of equipment and baseball gear you must have - baseball glove, baseball bat. We go over some great choices below and where you can get them to make your life a bit easier. Note: We are not sponsored or affiliated with any item shown here.
Baseball Gloves
Baseball Gloves
Every player needs a good quality baseball glove as part of their baseball gear. There are many great brands (i.e. Wilson, Rawlings, Nakona, Akadema, Mizuno, Easton, etc.) to choose from. Prices range from $10 to over $500. It is important to know that an expensive glove does not make a great player. I recommend not spending a fortune on a glove until your player is serious about baseball and in high school. My son's favorites over the years have been the Wilson A2K and the Wilson A2000. While you can purchase gloves on Amazon and other sites, I do recommend actually feeling and trying on the glove. Academy, Scheels, and Dicks Sporting Goods generally have good selections. If you know what you want, JustGloves is a great site with great selection and great prices for a glove. Please note, a well-maintained glove can last for years. Lastly, be sure to get the correct size glove based on age, position, and throwing hand. A sizing chart is included to the left to help you in your selection process. I have included our top recommendations below.
Top Recommended Infielder Gloves:
- Nokona S-1150I Handcrafted Alpha (Approximately $400-450)
- Wilson A2K 1787 11.75" (Approximately $300-400)
- Shoeless Joe Professional 1150MT (Approximately $200-220)
Top Recommended Outfielder Gloves:
- Wilson A2K SuperSkin 1810 12.75" (Approximately $300-400)
- Rawlings Heart of Hide R2G 12.75" (Approximately $250-300)
- Mizuno MVP Prime 12.75" (Approximately $100-120)
Top Recommended First Base Gloves:
- Wilson A2000 1620 12.5" - Advanced ($250-300)
- Rawlings 12.5" Premium Series - Beginner (Approximately $80)
Top Recommended Catcher Mitt:
- All Star Pro Elite 33.5" (Approximately $400-450)
- Wilson A2000 SuperSkin M1D 33.5" (Approximately $250-300)
- Rawlings R9 32.5" - Beginner (Approximately $100-130)
Note: These makes and models are always changing and near impossible to keep up to date. These were based on our experiences. Please be sure to do your research.
Baseball Bats
Bats
The next important piece of baseball gear is a baseball bat. While your player might be able to borrow someone's for a while. Having one they can practice with and get comfortable with at home is a great idea. As with gloves, prices range from $10 to over $500, and you do not need to go buy a $500 bat for your little leaguer. You will need to be sure the bat is the proper drop for your player's age. A baseball bat's drop is the difference between length in inches and weight in ounces. For example, a 28" bat that weighs 18 ounces has a drop of 10. As they move up, the drop gets less and less until you get to BBCOR which is a drop 3 for high school and beyond. You will also want to understand loading. As an example, some bats are more balanced - others may be more end loaded. Discussing with your player's coach is often a good starting point to understand what might be best.
A sizing chart is provided for quick reference as well. You will need to be sure the bat is proper for your player's age and league of play (Click chart to the left to see sizing). As with gloves, there are a variety of stores you can go check out the bats. Our favorites are Scheels and JustBats. I have included our top recommendations below.
Top Recommended Drop 10 Bats:
- Rawlings Icon -10 USSSA (Approximately $350-400)
- Louisville Slugger Meta -10 (Approximately $200-400)
- Easton Alpha ALX -10 (Approximately $100-280)
Top Recommended Drop 8 Bats:
- Marucci CAT9 Pastime -8 (Approximately $150-250)
- Easton Hype Fire -8 (Approximately $400)
- Axe Avenge Pro 3 Hybrid -8 (Approximately $250-300)
Top Recommended Drop 5 Bats:
- Marucci CAT9 Pastime -5 (Approximately $100-300)
- Easton Hype Fire -5 (Approximately $400)
- Louisville Slugger Meta Prime -5 (Approximately $300-350)
Top Recommended BBCOR:
- Louisville Slugger Atlas BBCOR (Approximately $300-350)
- Rawlings Icon BBCOR (Approximately $250-500)
- DeMarini The Goods BBCOR (Approximately $350-400)
Note: These makes and models are always changing and near impossible to keep up to date. These were based on our experiences. Please be sure to do your research.
Baseball Catcher Gear
Baseball Catcher Gear
Some of the top catcher's gear brands are Allstar, Easton, Rawlings, Mizuno, and Under Armor. As with bats, catchers gear can be borrowed until your player really commits to that position. As a parent, our player's safety is our top priority. A good set will start out around $150. I can tell you my son was put in the catcher roll when he was 11U. I, like so many other parents, ran out and bought a $350 set of gear that he used for one whole season. He has not played sense! I have included our top recommendations below.
Top Recommended Catcher's Gear:
- All-Star S7 Axis Pro (Approximately $500)
- Mizuno Samurai Adult (Approximately $350-450)
- Rawlings Renegade 2.0 Youth (Approximately $200-250)
Note: These makes and models are always changing and near impossible to keep up to date. These were based on our experiences. Please be sure to do your research.