Finding the right baseball glove in the right size from a brand you trust can be difficult for everyone, especially ball players that are left-handed. The simple fact is that the majority of mitts, along with practically everything else in the world, are designed for right-handed people because 90% of the world’s population is right-handed. We realize that, because of this, it can be extra tough to find a great left-handed baseball glove, so we wanted to give you some tips and recommendations that should simplify your shopping process. Here, we’ll be going over some of the best gloves for left-handers, along with some general information about what positions make the most sense for a lefty to play.
The best left-handed baseball gloves
The Heart of the Hide model from Rawlings has become a household name in recent years, and you’ve likely seen some of the league’s stars like Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, and Christian Yelich trot out on the diamond with one of these gloves in hand. It’ll be tough to find a left-handed baseball glove with better craftsmanship and materials like these, as Rawlings handcrafts each one and uses top 5% steer hide that’s thicker and a lot more durable than other leathers. It’s everything you want in a glove – durable, firm, easy to shape, and has a great feel.
The Wilson A2000 series has a different model for every position, along with gloves for fastpitch and even tee ball, meaning they make a left-handed baseball glove for anybody. When you go with a brand like Wilson, you can rest assured knowing that the quality of the leather and other materials is supreme, but the quality materials do mean you might be in for a longer than usual break-in period. If you go with one of these gloves, expect to spend a couple of weeks breaking it in. That extra time spent breaking it in will certainly be well worth it, as this is a high-quality left-handed baseball glove that can last you years.
We know how hard finding a good left-handed baseball glove can be, and it gets even more difficult when looking for softball gloves. Thankfully, there’s the Miken brand and their excellent pro series. Although Miken isn’t a brand that’s as widely known as some others, they make some great mitts at a very cost-effective price. There’s also a good variety of sizes available, and the series is generally recognized for a cozy fit around the hand.
The Rawling Liberty models are another great option for those that need a left-handed baseball glove for softball. It offers the full suite of premium glove features you’d expect from a brand like Rawlings and comes in a variety of colors, but that isn’t all there is to like. The all-leather design is unique, and there is very little break-in time required for a good fit.
What positions are best for lefties?
The most common positions for lefties to play are first base, outfield, and pitcher.
Aside from first basemen, which most managers prefer to be left-handed, it’s typically very rare to see a lefty in the infield. It’s not impossible for a left-handed person to play third base, second base, or shortstop, but it’s a lot harder for them to excel at these positions compared to right-handers because they’d have to turn their entire body away from the play to throw the ball to first base.
Catcher is another position where it’s rare to see a left-hander. Since most batters are right-handed and will be batting from the right side, most throws to the pitcher or second base from the catcher’s position would be obstructed. It would also be tougher for a left catcher to throw runners out at third and tougher for them to tag out runners at the plate. But rest assured that you can still find a left-handed catcher’s glove if you want to prove all the doubters wrong!
