Best Baseball Gloves for Left Handed Throwers

Being a lefty is certainly an advantage when playing baseball, especially at specific positions. However, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Almost everything is made with right-handed players in mind, which is true both in and out of sports.

There are millions of gloves out there on the market, with probably less than a tenth of those designed for left-handed players. In a way, it’s advantageous. With a smaller pool to select from, it’s a bit easier to weed out the chaff and find the best baseball gloves for left handed throwers, a.k.a right handed catchers.

If you’re looking for the best baseball gloves for left handers, it’s important to narrow it down to a small list, so you can pick from the best available options. Because finding a baseball glove for a left-handed player isn’t always the easiest of tasks, we’ve compiled a list of some highly rated and reviewed gloves for your perusal. Not all gloves are created equally, so be sure to approach it from the perspective of field position.

In a Hurry? Here Are Our Picks for Best Lefty Baseball Gloves…

TOP PICK

Rawlings Heart of the Hide Baseball Glove Series

• First base and pitcher
• Heavy-weight full grain oil tanned
• Palm, thumb and pinkie full-grain finger back lining, pro grade lacing

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RUNNER UP

Mizuno Pro Select Baseball Glove Series

• Outfield and 1st base
• US steer hide leather
• Elite leather palm liner, thumb slot, specifically tailored pockets

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BEST BUDGET PICK

Rawlings Sandlot Series Baseball Gloves

• Pitcher, infield and outfield options
• Full grain oiled leather
• Zero-shock palm and padded finger backed lining

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Which Hand Does a Baseball Glove Go On?

For newbies, a baseball glove always goes on your non-throwing hand. If you’ve never played baseball before, it may take some getting used to—not the throwing part but the catching. Our non-dominant hands always have a bad habit of being a bit slow. So you’ll have to teach it how to catch, how to scoop a bad hop, how to quickly transfer to your throwing hand after you’ve flared it, and how to make a basket catch. You’ll get the hang of it with a bit of practice.

What Type of Glove Does a Left-handed Person Use?

A left-handed person will almost always use a glove that goes on the right hand or a right-handed catching glove and it is called a left handed glove. That’s because the dominant hand usually throws the ball after the non-dominant one catches it and passes it to the dominant one. This means that a lefty catches the ball with the right hand but the glove on that hand is called a left-handed glove! This is quite similar to how a left-handed golfer would wear a glove while golfing.

Are There Left-handed Baseball Gloves?

Most manufacturers make both left and right handed gloves for some of their models. Because certain field positions are more conducive to left-handers than others, you will always find a left handed outfield baseball glove or pitcher’s glove that’s a mirror of the right-handed one. However, not all retailers keep them in stock at all times, so it may be slim pickings on the shelves. The best place to look for baseball gloves for lefties is online.

Best Positions for Lefties

The best baseball positions for lefties are, in order of importance, right field, first base, and pitcher. It all boils down to the positioning of your throwing arm in relation to the rest of the field and the players, both infield and outfield. Consequently, you’ll find almost no left-handed catchers.

A good manager will take advantage of a leftie’s body angle by playing them at these positions, as a left-handed player’s body is naturally positioned to throw to second or third base and a right-handed fielder is naturally facing the rest of the field.

As a pitcher, a left-handed player has an advantage because both right or left-handed batters rarely see balls coming across the plate from a left-handed thrower. That’s because they wouldn’t have faced as many lefty pitchers before. It looks unnatural to them and the angles seem to be all wrong.

As a pitcher, it’s all about the optics from the batter’s point of view, while everything else is body positioning. A manager would never put a left-handed player at third base, as they would have to twist back to their left to throw across the field.

How to Pick the Right Baseball Glove by Position

There are advantages and disadvantages for every type of glove out there. Finding the right one amounts to what the best aspects of the glove apply to a particular position. Some advantages are things you wouldn’t normally consider, but make plenty of sense when you think about it.

• Basket Trap: These have a closely stitched pattern in the pocket that resembles a checkerboard or a chessboard. It’s a favorite of pitchers since it hides the ball really well.
• Modified H-Web: Great for playing first base because the way the stitching is designed creates an extra layer along the top which, in turn, creates a larger surface area for fielding the ball.
• Half-Moon and One-Piece: Catcher’s mitts only, with a lot of extra padding to reduce or eliminate the sting from a fastball.
• I-Web: Best for infielders, as the stitching in the pocket creates an I bar with plenty of space in between strips of leather. Since there’s a lot of space between the strips, the dirt from the infield easily falls through and out of the glove when fielding a grounder. This also allows the first baseman to still see the ball coming at him while he positions the glove in front of his face.
• H-Web: Similar to the I-Web and another great option for infielders.
• Trapeze: Designed with outfielders in mind with interlaced pockets that create a deeper well for catching fly balls.

A lot goes into comfort as well. Most baseball gloves, regardless of what type they are and what material went into the crafting, take some “break-in” time because they will feel quite stiff in the beginning. How long that time period is depends on the material of the glove and the amount of use.

In general, synthetic leather doesn’t take as long to break in but is usually a material that is abandoned once the player moves up in skill and into high school or collegiate baseball. Of course, there are ways to break in baseball gloves quickly, but it’s always better to let the process unfold naturally or you risk shortening their life.

For a more basic understanding, first basemen are better served with a wide, deep pocket with webbing to see and handle grounders and fast-coming throws from other infielders.

The rest of the infield positions would do well with smaller, lighter pockets for the quick action and transfer of the ball from the catching hand to the throwing hand.

Pitchers need a glove that conceals the ball well. Lastly, outfielders need a glove that has a deep pocket for catching flyballs. Grounders that make it to the outfield are usually not the kind of scorched-earth projectiles that infielders are used to dealing with.

Left Handed Baseball Gloves for Adults

Wilson A2000 PS 1st Base Baseball Glove

Wilson’s A2000 series has been out for a while, with the Wilson A2000 PS hitting the market in 2016. The first thing you should know about this glove is that it is 12″, which is perfect for 1st base where you don’t want the ball popping out because of a too large glove. Since it is designed for first basemen, it makes sense, in terms of weight, it’s not the lightest.

This glove is pre-SuperSkin and utilizes more of the Pro Stock leather Wilson is known for. Unfortunately, Pro Stock leather is twice the weight of Super Skin material. Wilson also utilizes a “flat finger binding,” so if you like playing with your index finger out, you’ll love this feature.

It has a reinforced single post web which perhaps isn’t quite as deep as a first baseman would prefer, so it’ll take some additional break-in time but the pocket is designed with double break points near the heel so that you can speed up shaping it with hot water and a glove mallet.

The DriLex wrist lining is a great feature to keep your hand dry, especially if you’re averse to fur linings.

Rawlings Heart of the Hide Baseball Glove Series

Available in both 11.75″ and 12.75″ for left hand pitchers and first basemen respectively, Rawlings Heart of the Hide refers to the 5% portion of the steer where the hide is thickest. This gives the glove both durability and makes it a great glove to mold to your preference as you break it in. The symbol resides in the palm where a padded layer was added, the inside of the thumb and pinkie with soft full-grain finger back linings fit smoothly, and it has hand-sewn rawhide external side welts.

The hand-opening is thermoformed with the idea of creating a more comfortable fit and feel. The pitcher’s glove is designed with a modified closed web pocket that is great with the transition and best for pitchers wanting to hide the grip position. The first base glove with the horizontal Bar X-lace web has comfortable finger hole placement.

Rawlings is known for their thicker and stronger lacings and materials and there’s no exception to be made here. To ensure that the lacings don’t harden quickly, use conditioner to break it in instead of steaming and the stiffness will disappear quickly.

Mizuno Pro Select Baseball Glove Series

The Mizuno Pro Select Baseball Glove for lefties is a 12.75” outfield design with a very deep pocket. The blonde and black aesthetic is exclusive to Mizuno, so you won’t find this exact look anywhere else. This glove features an H-Web pocket with a leather reinforced palm.

Because of the pocket depth and H-Web design, this particular glove is recommended for the shortstop and 3rd base, however, this is a series and Mizuno has each position covered with multiple designs in the Pro Select lineup. The problem is they don’t make all of them in a lefty version. Other than the deep pocket glove, there’s also a left-handed 1st base mitt.

The Mizuno left handed baseball gloves are made from US steer hide leather and will require a bit of break-in time, but nothing too rigorous. They also feature a thumb slot for increased comfort and a fur-lined wrist. Each glove is modeled for specific positions, so there’s something for everyone.

Rawlings Sandlot Series Baseball Gloves

The Rawlings Sandlot series was initially released in 2016 and caught a lot of attention. Rawlings does 80% of the break-in process for you so you’re getting a ready-to-play glove right out of the box. The closed basket web featured on this glove is great for pitchers. You also have a choice of a modified trapeze web.

Fortunately, the closed web design isn’t alone and the Sandlot series made sure to cover every position and hand size with their designs. These gloves also feature “zero-shock” palms for increased protection and comfort that includes padded finger back linings.

This is another full-grain leather design that’s affordable yet superior to many other leather models and synthetic molds as well.

Franklin Sports Baseball and Softball Glove – Field Master

For a choice of closed basket web, I-web, or trapeze web, the Franklin Sports Field Master Baseball and Softball Glove is perfect for pitchers and some infield positions. It has reinforced, synthetic leather backing over the web pocket for longer lasting durability.

For a budget glove, Franklin covers most of the bases here (pun intended). It includes a custom-designed fit system with thumb-adjustment technology and adjustable wrist strap that are supposed to expand or tighten over large or smaller hands and seems to do so reasonably well. They are available in multiple sizes too.

Serious baseball players may want to look elsewhere, but there’s a lot to like with Franklin’s budget-friendly Field Master glove.

Left Handed Baseball Glove for Youth

Shoeless Joe Professional Series V-Lace Baseball Glove

For a pitcher’s preference, the Shoeless Joe Pro Series V-Lace is designed for young players, with a closed-web pocket to keep the ball well hidden. This V-Lace is designed like all Shoeless Joe gloves, with stained and treated leather using an antique tobacco process.

This glove is also good for a third baseman or shortstop with a pocket that’s not too deep for ball retrieval but has plenty of surface area. These are individually hand-cut gloves that arrive already broken in through a professional, rigorous routine that works.

These are open-back gloves that resemble an old-style look that might not appeal to everyone.

Wilson A2000 SuperSkin Baseball Glove Series

Thanks to the addition of the A2000 SuperSkin, Wilson managed to sneak into the lineup twice. These aren’t first basemen gloves, however, they’re meant for the outfield and they’re very lightweight, as advertised. SuperSkin is also claimed to be twice as durable and that claim has held up under fire.

Lastly, SuperSkin doesn’t soak up rain like a sponge but rolls it off like premium wax on a car. This particular glove is a T-Web pro laced and designed with a deeper pocket for outfielders. However, there are several designs in this series that fit well with other positions. For example, the first baseman option features a single post web and thin heel pad that allows for better closure and a quicker break-in.

This outfielder’s glove is designed with a Pedroia fit for those with smaller hands or youth players and sports a cool aesthetic design appeal with blue, black, red, and blonde highlights. At 12.25” this glove also features flat finger binding and dual welting for better comfort and long-lasting durability.