Baseball Glove Size Chart for Youth & Adults

When it comes to baseball gloves, fit and feel in the hands are both crucial to a player’s success on the field, from big leaguers to young players who are just learning the ropes. Questions such as “what size baseball glove do I need?”, “what size glove do I get my son or daughter?” are commonplace, and this comprehensive guide with a baseball glove size chart for youth, and adults should help you narrow down on the correct baseball glove size for you.

Read on!

Baseball Glove Size Chart

A well-fitting glove is comfortable, and easy to use. The first step in picking the best baseball glove is choosing the baseball glove size that’s right for you based on age, position and hand size. Check out the baseball glove size chart below for more information on glove sizing in relation to age, and position.

Youth Baseball Glove Size Chart

Adult Baseball Glove Size Chart

As you can see, sizing greatly depends on a player’s position. For this reason, baseball gloves come in a range of sizes: 8” to 12” for a pitcher’s glove, 8” to 13” for an infielder’s glove, and 29” to 34.5” inches for a catcher’s glove.

Gloves that are too big feel awkward in the hands, and make it difficult to focus on the game, while gloves that fit snugly make it easier to catch and secure the ball, allow for greater control, and make it easier for a player to get their glove and body in a good position to make catches and inspire confidence on the field.

Youth players needn’t settle for gloves that are bigger than they need to be. Youth gloves are specifically designed for younger players, and account for their smaller hands in their design e.g., with smaller, narrower finger stalls. They are also made from more pliable leather, making them easier to close, quicker to break in, and ultimately cheaper.

And while parents may buy bigger gloves in the hope that their young stars eventually grow into them, gloves that are larger than they need to keep beginners from learning the fundamentals and refining their skills. Unless your child has hands that are bigger than usual, stick to the baseball glove size chart above.

How To Size a Baseball Glove

Knowing how to measure and size a baseball glove is crucial when picking out a glove. Here’s everything you need to know:

Catcher’s mitts are measured differently, accounting for their circumference rather than their length top to bottom, because catcher’s need as much “catching area” as possible to make secure catches. They range between 29.5 to 34.5 inches in circumference.

Baseball Glove Size Chart By Position

Choosing the perfect glove involves choosing a glove depending on the position you play, as baseball gloves are constructed depending on a position’s needs. For instance, gloves meant for different positions will have different glove web types or pockets.

Catcher’s Mitts

Catcher’s mitts aren’t like your run-of-the-mill fielding gloves. They feature fingerless construction, closed webbing for additional support, and are stiffer and heavily padded to deal with hard repetitive throws, thus needing a lot more break in time. Most catchers buy new gloves several months in advance to give themselves adequate time to work them in.

Sized by their circumference instead of their length, youth catcher’s gloves range from 29.5 to 32.5”, while adult catchers mitts range between 32 - 34.5″.

First Base Gloves

First baseman gloves are like catcher’s gloves in that they are fingerless, but with longer finger stalls, less padding, and a shallow pocket and open web combo that makes for quick ball retrieval for fast plays. 

They are more flexible, giving players the versatility to boss first base with ease. While they aren’t as firm as a catcher’s glove, they are sturdier than gloves used for other positions.

First baseman’s gloves range between 9″ to 10″ for youth players, and between 12″ and 12.75″ for adults.

Infield Gloves

These are often the smallest gloves on the field, with smaller, shallower, open pockets for quick glove-to-hand ball transfers.  These gloves carry a variety of glove web types but mostly use an open web typically i-webs, dual post webs, or modified trapeze webs. Third basemen, however, use a closed web for a sturdier glove for additional support against hard hit balls. 

Infield gloves typically range between 9” to 11.75” for youth players, and up to 12.25” for adults.

Outfield Gloves

Outfield gloves are typically bigger, longer and have deeper pockets with extra support in the fingers. Their construction helps give players more reach for snagging pop flys and during long extension plays such as diving catches and snow cones. These gloves have a deeper pocket to catch and hold the ball in the glove, and use an open pocket design to allow outfielders to see through the glove, while keeping the sun or stadium lights out of their eyes, without obscuring the ball. The main glove web types being H-web, Single post, Trapeze, or Modified Trapeze web. 

Outfield glove sizing ranges between 10.75”-12.5” for youth baseball players and 12 and 13” for adults.

Pitchers Gloves

Pitcher’s gloves are just as small as infield gloves, with a closed glove web that helps the pitcher conceal their grip from the batter. These gloves typically have closed webs, to keep the type of grip hidden from the batter. Glove web types for this position are basket webs, two-piece closed, closed webs, or modified trapeze webs. 

They range in size from 9” to 12.5” for youth players, and 11.5”-12.5” for adults. 

Utility Gloves

Utility Gloves suit players who play in several different positions and require a glove that can serve both the infield and the outfield. To strike a middle ground, these gloves are bigger than infield gloves, and often use a closed-web design to suit pitchers. Utility gloves range between 11”-12” for youth players, and 11.75”-12.5” for adults.