Best Baseball Gloves Under $100

Who doesn’t love baseball? It’s called “America’s Favorite Pastime” for a reason! Not just in America, it’s been a popular game around the world for more than a century. There’s nothing better than seeing Aaron Judge stepping into the batter’s box and connecting a 500 foot home run (and yes, I’m a Yankees fan). 

Different people play different positions as they like. Maybe you are a catcher or a pitcher or a fielder. The point we are trying to make is that the common gears you need according to these positions are none other than your gloves. Well, different kinds of gloves, but gloves indeed. And gloves are what we will be discussing today. 

There are different types of gloves available in the market. If you are buying, you are in the right place (check out our Buying Guides according to your needs below). We will be discussing every type of baseball glove, their materials, their designs, their differences for different positions in the game, and suggesting some of the best gloves found in the market right now with their positive sides as well as their negatives within your price range. 

Our choices of top 5 Best Baseball Gloves Under $100

Here are the Top 5 best baseball gloves, not in order, found in the market right now, under 100 bucks only! For your information, we are not ranking the gloves themselves as every one of them is the best in this price range. Or else, we wouldn’t pick them.

Mizuno Prospect GXC105

These gloves are specially designed for younger players with their PowerClose™ Technology. This series has every kind of gloves you need for your position. They are light-weighted and well-crafted. They have PU palm lining for a more comfy feel as well as more durability. Parashock Palm Pad provides more protection for your hands.

Pros

• Full-grain pigskin leather,
• PowerClose™ Technology for better grip on the ball,
• Fits perfectly at any size,
• Great value for money,
• Durable as well as comfortable.

Cons

• The pocket may seem shallow for some people,
• Not recommended for professional playing.
• Hand orientation of the gloves can be tricky, so carefully check the description of the gloves and ask the seller before buying.

Rawlings Player Preferred Baseball Gloves

These gloves are made for recreational players of various ages. So, you can play catch in your yard or play professional baseball with these gloves. The most exciting part of these gloves is that you can play any position with these gloves (infield or outfield). It has a conventional back with a flex-loop velcro strap for an easily adjustable fit. For increased protection, while catching, it has zero shock palm padding.

Pros

• Great value for money,
• Different sizes available for different ages,
• Great craftsmanship,
• Zero Shock Palm Padding Technology for better catching,
• Original Rawlings leather (buffalo leather),
• Strong as well as soft.

Cons

• Pocket not deep enough to play softball,
• Sizes may not satisfy all hands, you must check the descriptions and ask the sellers carefully before buying.

Rawlings RSB™ Adult Slowpitch Softball Glove

Rawlings RSB™ series is an economical series specially designed for adult slow-pitch softball players. Players can use them for recreational or competitive adult slow-pitch softball or baseball games. Super functional pockets that perfectly matched with Basket-Web® designs and adjustable Velcro® strap closures will improve your skills in the game. 

Pros

• Designed for any position you can play,
• 90% factory-made and 10% player break-in so you can wear and play right out of the box,
• Neo-Flex Back and velcro strap allows fitting comfortably at any size,
• Durable and light-weighted,
• Economically suitable gloves for most people.

Cons

• Not suitable for fast-paced softball games,
• Sizes may not satisfy everyone,
• Not recommended for professional games.

Rawlings R9 Baseball Gloves

Rawlings R9 series comes with pro-style patterns and a reinforced for impact protection. A durable all-leather build guarantees your safety and is game-ready. As Rawlings claims, the gloves come with 80% factory break-in and 20% custom, so you can wear and play right out of the box.

Pros

• Great value for money,
• Padded thumb sleeve for added comfort,
• Padded finger back liners provide a comfortable feel during game,
• Has the necessary thickness for durability and safety.
• Great for practicing softball in your yards.

 Cons

• Suitable for 8-14 years old only.
• Not recommended for professional games.
• Some may complain about “80% factory break-in”

Wilson A360 12.5″ Utility Baseball Gloves

Wilson A360 baseball glove provides a full pigskin palm and web. It also has a hook and loop strap to make the glove feel more durable and more comfortable. The A360 model is specially designed for younger players to play any position on the field to help develop their game. It’s worth mentioning that Wilson A360 baseball gloves are one of the most affordable baseball gloves on the market!

Pros

• Perfect glove for those just learning the game (softball or baseball or just catch-and-throw).,
• Great value for money, 
• Suitable for younger players,
• Helpful just to learn the game,
• Durable pigskin leather also makes it comfortable to wear.

Cons

• Not suitable for adults and any professional game,
• Build quality may not satisfy everyone.

Types of Baseball Gloves:

As we said earlier, there are different types of baseball gloves according to your position in the game. Different positions have different styles in game. So, choosing your specific gloves gives you advantages in the game at a specific position. Here we will be discussing the types of baseball gloves and the benefits they serve. 

There are, generally, 6 types of baseball gloves-

Catcher’s Mitt: The catcher has to catch the ball coming at high speed all the time. So, his gloves should be able to withstand as well as protect. That is why a catcher’s gloves are larger than the other gloves as well, which gives other infielders a larger target to throw the ball in time. Also, you must check the comfort and fitting of your gloves before buying one of those.

Batter’s Gloves: The hitter or batter has to hit the ball coming at high speed. His gloves don’t have to catch the ball. So, the priorities of a hitter’s gloves are comfort, smaller and good grip. Also, when the bat hits the ball, the hitter’s gloves have to absorb the vibration of the collision. So, that’s another priority before you buy your gloves.

Pitcher’s Gloves: The pitcher doesn’t have to really worry about the gloves he wore. But there’s a catch (pun intended)! If the pitcher wants to trick the hitter, it’s better to wear gloves with a closed web that hides the ball and the handgrip. Otherwise, any kind of infielder-type glove will do the job.

First Baseman’s Gloves: They have different types of gloves than the other infielders. If you know anything about baseball, you know the reason. That’s why their gloves are without any finger holes and have a unique curve at the edge. Their gloves are also larger in size, like the catcher’s gloves, which aids the other infielders and outfielder’s to throw the ball at a larger target.

Infielder’s Gloves: Aside from first baseman’s gloves, other infielders have the same sized and designed gloves, which are light-weighted and smaller than the others. This is because the infielders have to transfer the ball among themselves quickly to turn double plays or tag the runners. An interesting fact is that the 2nd baseman has the smallest gloves among the infielders. Others have longer kinds of gloves with open webs and deeper pockets mainly because of the ranges.

Outfielder’s Gloves: For obvious reasons, the outfielders have the longest gloves. With deeper pockets, the outfielders can catch the flying balls, so the fly balls won’t pop out of the gloves (and that is not intended by any player, at all). The longer gloves also help the outfielders to track the fly balls while catching. Sometimes you can even see outfielders catching fly balls from the edge of the wall, turning a home run into a flyout.

Buying Guides of Best Baseball Gloves Under $100

It is complicated choosing to buy a baseball glove and be satisfied with it. Because there is no such thing as “All in One Baseball Gloves”. If you find otherwise, try calling 911!

The safest way is to buy more than one baseball glove according to the positions you play in the game. That way, you will have the benefit of each position-wise gloves and then be satisfied with it. This is just one of the things to put in your mind before buying your baseball gloves. Let’s categorize all the things you must pay attention to, the ‘3F’-

• Fit: Too small or too large gloves can hinder your performance in game unexpectedly. Try different sizes that are available at the shop to justify your perfect fit. 
• Fashion: Baseball gloves that are available in the market now have a variety of colors and designs to choose from. Choose your color and look to stand out from others.
• Feel: As we said earlier and we will say it again, comfortable is must for your baseball gloves. Your gloves have to be flexible enough to aid your quick response and strong enough to withstand years of catching.

However, we strongly recommend consulting with your coach before you buy one of these as your coach can guide you for glove size and type according to your position in the game.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How to clean the inside of a baseball glove?

Like every piece of equipment, you need to take care of your baseball gloves periodically. Here we are providing a list of how you should clean your gloves in a professional way:

Gently remove the dirt from the outside and the inside of the glove with a soft, clean, dry piece of cloth.

Dampen another clean dry piece of cloth into warm-soapy water and wring the water well. Now gently wipe the inside of the glove and the outside, especially finger holes and palm areas.

After cleaning with a wet cloth, again wipe it with a dry cloth to remove any excess water. 

Keep the glove in a cool and dry place for at least a week.

Rub some professional glove oil thinly to keep the leather healthy.

That’s it. Your glove is ready to play.

Can baseball gloves be washed?

If your gloves are made of leather, like our top picks above, never wash by hand or washing machine. It will clean all right, but you will also ruin the leather and ultimately the glove itself.

But some manufacturers use synthetic leather for their baseball gloves. They are sometimes washable, so read the descriptions or ask the seller in detail about it.

Why should I break in a baseball glove?

Many baseball gloves come with factory break-in, as the manufacturers say, to make it ready to play right out of the box. But most people find it not ready to play as they have to break in themselves.

So, you might ask why you should break in your baseball glove. Usually, baseball gloves are made totally of leather, except for small plastic reinforcements for the base and some nylon threads. In time, they become rigid and cannot bend well. But you need a flexible glove to catch the ball. Like outfielders use more pinky to thumb to catch. Hence, to soften the padding of the gloves, players use different methods to break in their gloves. Also, some gloves eventually break in after using it several times and get softer, like playing catch.

How to break in a baseball glove?

We discussed that sometimes you need to break in your glove just to make it work perfectly. But how do you do it?

You will need professional quality glove oil, a glove mallet and  obviously, your glove.

Before you start breaking in, it’s important to know exactly how and where you want to break your glove. So we recommend to play some catch to know how your palm comfortably behaves when catching the ball.

1. Take a rack and spray some glove oil on it, not too much as overuse of oil can ruin the leather, and apply it to your glove thoroughly. Do not spray directly onto your glove as it may leave dark spots. 
2. Applying this oil helps the leather to soften up and to work it. Make sure to apply the oil smoothly and evenly, otherwise it may cause uneven break in. 
3. After the oiling, begin to work your glove with your hands like rolling the fingers, throwing out the thumbs. It will help to close your gloves better.
4. The main restriction points you will feel is in the heel of the padding. Now take the glove mallet and pound on the heel pad a couple times. It will help to loosen it up. If you want your glove to thumb-to-pinky, then close your glove and pound on one side of it a couple more times. 
5. Now for the deeper pocket, take the mallet and pound on the pocket area.
6. After all this, go back outside and play some more catch with your glove to loosen up perfectly. Do these processes again until you find the perfect break in.

This is only a general process for breaking in a baseball glove. But players around the world use their own processes and those work out perfectly for them. So, it’s your choice what to do with your glove.