If you are a baseball player and want to purchase a glove, you can search online, how much does a baseball glove cost? If you are still confused about the cost, then you have arrived at the right destination.
In this article, we have discussed about baseball gloves, things to look for in a baseball glove, and their cost. We have also recommended a few best-selling brands and the most expensive baseball gloves in this article.
Before knowing the cost, let us know the baseball glove.
What is a baseball glove?
A baseball glove, also known as a ‘mitt’ is a large leather glove that the baseball players of the defending team wear, to easily catch and field balls hit by a batter or thrown by a teammate.
Conventionally, a glove that fits on the left hand but used by a right-handed thrower, is called a right-handed (RH) or “right-hand throw” (RHT) glove. Conversely, a left-handed glove (LH or LHT) is worn on the right hand, allowing the player to throw the ball with the left hand.
Types of Baseball Gloves
The shape and size of a glove can be well described by its pattern. We can find different types of modern baseball gloves. Let us discuss all.
Catcher’s mitts lack individual fingers, like mittens; hence they are called ‘mitts’. They feature an extra padding and a hinged, claw-like shape that helps them to funnel fastballs into the pocket and provide a good target for pitchers.
First baseman’s mitts like the catcher’s mitts also lack individual fingers. Generally, they are very long and wide to help the player to pick or scoop badly thrown balls from infielders. These mitts usually come in 12.5- to 12.75-inch patterns, measured from wrist to the tip.
Infielders’ gloves are smaller in size. They feature shallow pockets that allows fielders to remove the ball easily in order to make a quick throw to a base. Infielder’s gloves typically come in 11- to 12-inch patterns.
Pitchers’ gloves usually feature a closed, opaque webbing to allow pitchers to conceal their grip on the ball from the batter. Pitcher-specific gloves come in 11.75- to 12-inch patterns; some pitchers also come in 12.25 inches.
Outfielder’s gloves feature deep pockets and are quite long that helps the player to catch fly balls on the run or in a dive. It also keeps outfielders from having to bend down as far to field a ground ball. These gloves typically come in 12- to 12.75-inch patterns, measured from wrist to the tip.
Switch-thrower’s gloves have a second thumb pocket on the opposite side of the glove, which allows it to be worn on either side of the hand. At the major league level, only switch-pitcher Pat Venditte has used this type of glove.
Left-hand throw gloves can be any of the gloves above. They are designed to be worn on the right hand (for left-handed players).
What is the cost of a baseball glove?
The price of glove varies depending on the material, brand, support, and durability. A good baseball glove can cost you around $120 – $300 on average. A professional league player uses gloves that is priced between $200 -$400.
However, low cost gloves are not poor at quality. You can find a lot of gloves that cost less but provide good performance for a long time. For young players (under 12), you can expect to spend $60 – $150 if you want to get an ideal glove that will last for years.
As an outfielder, you can purchase baseball gloves at around $200. These gloves are usually manufactured by some popular brands.
How Much Does It Cost To Manufacture A Baseball Glove?
The manufacturing cost of a baseball glove depends on various things from spending on collecting leather, labor, packaging, customizing, and shipping to advertising. Basically, the price depends on its quality. If you choose to purchase a leather glove, then you have to spend more bucks than the synthetic ones.
However, you cannot guess the manufacturing cost of a baseball glove exactly as manufacturers do not reveal the cost price to public. However, a manufacturer makes 30% of profits on the cost price that includes the advertisement cost in every glove. For example if you take a glove for $200, you can expect the production cost somewhere around $140.
Factors that make baseball gloves so expensive
The cost of baseball gloves depend on their materials and construction. You can purchase a $25 glove for yourself or for your kid. At the same time, you can also buy an expensive $14000 baseball glove.
The leather cost adds more expenditure to the baseball; the most expensive Steer hide leather is a perfect example of why the cost of baseball glove is so high. The leather is durable, stiff, and gives long-lasting performance are worth it.
But the synthetic ones are inexpensive. This type of glove uses synthetic materials and is ideal for kids. Synthetic gloves are not useful and well-constructed as leather. As a beginner, you can purchase this type of glove.
How to buy a good baseball glove
While buying a baseball glove for you, you should look for basic four things:
The laces: They should be tight and flexible so that the player can catch and pitch the ball comfortably.
Stiffness: Always check if the palm of the glove is stiff or soft. Good baseball gloves should be little stiff to provide support to the player.
Comfort: The glove should give proper comfort to the players when they wear it. The uncomfortable ones may hamper the quality of performance.
Warranty: Never buy baseball gloves that do not provide warranty. You should not buy such an expensive product without checking its warranty.
Top Brands
We have made a thorough research online to find out the top “baseball glove brands” for you. Here is a list of top five manufacturing brands that you can check out.
Wilson: It is one of the most trusted brands of American sports that started manufacturing baseball gloves in 1989 from Chicago. Every year, the brand makes 3 million baseball gloves worldwide. Thomas E Wilson founded this brand.
Rawlings:. Most of MLB players use gloves from this brand. The brand provides a lot of collection of high-quality gloves. The brand is named after its founder George and Alfred Rawlings who started the journey in 1887.
Mizuno: This Japanese sports-manufacturing company was started in1906 at Osaka by Rihachi Mizuno. They have emerged as a good competitor of the top American brands with their unmatched quality and durability.
Easton: The brand was founded by Doug Easton started in 1922. Initially they used only 10 workers that increased to 1000 and above employees in present context.
Akadema: This brand was found by two brothers, Joseph and Lawrence Gilligan.
How much does a Major League Baseball (MLB) glove cost?
You can expect to spend $400 on the most expensive baseball glove. However, you can purchase MLB gloves at $200-$500 in the market. Most of the MLB players are getting these gloves at $200.
Major League Baseball players need not buy any of their own equipment, as manufacturers sponsor their gloves. You can say, it is one type of promotion for the manufacturers. The top brands that we discussed above, manufacturer MLB gloves.
The manufacturers customize the gloves for MLB players as per their requirements.
Most Expensive Baseball Gloves:
Now, let us discuss the most expensive baseball gloves that are available, used, or sold ever.
HERMES BASEBALL GLOVES
This type of glove features a high-end leather goods and accessories and is manufactured by Hermes. According to the Hermes, this baseball glove is made of gold swift calfskin that took around 25 hours to hand stitch. The glove is priced at US$14,100 , which is the most expensive Baseball Glove ever sold.
RAWLINGS PRIMO BASEBALL GLOVES:
The Rawlings Primo features 2 layers of Italian leather with break points strategically placed for maximum movement capabilities. The glove is capable of absorbing ball impact and allows you to close your hand as naturally as possible at the moment the ball impacts on the hand. The glove is priced at US$450.
Conclusion
The bottom line is, there are a lot of baseball gloves available in the market; some are highly expensive and some are inexpensive. So, you have to be a smart shopper to shop according to your requirements. If you are a beginner, then purchase low cost gloves so that you can learn on those gloves. If you are a professional player, you can definitely go for costly ones. The choice is yours. However, you can purchase the synthetic ones if you are intending to buy baseball gloves for your kids.
