Let us start by asking another question: What's in a name?
When it comes to baseball gloves, apparently, a lot. According to WhatProsWear.com, most pro MLB players use Rawlings or Wilson gloves on the field. Brand awareness, historical presence, and craftsmanship all play a part in what glove a player loves to use. This goes from youth players and all the way to professionals!
There’s a lot to consider when it comes to deciphering a brand of glove to use, but don’t worry, we’ve already looked into it for you. And we aren’t just picking from the most expensive gloves! We at JustGloves have reviewed 8 of the best baseball glove brands according to customer and player feedback. Whether you’re looking for a catcher’s mitt, fielders glove, or first base glove, you’re sure to find a great glove from any of these top brands.
These baseball glove companies aren't listed in any order.
Wilson Gloves
The Brand
When Chicago-based manufacturer Ashland Manufacturing started making gloves in 1913, their company was known for meat. By the time they changed their name to Wilson Sporting Goods in 1931, baseball gloves were the more savory dish to serve. Now, pro players from Clayton Kershaw to Juan Soto sport Wilson's popular models. Glove Guru Shigeaki Aso is the company's Master Craftsman. Wilson is responsible for some of the top-performing gloves on the market, including the fan-favorite A2000 series. We have no doubt that Wilson will continue to be one of the best baseball glove brands for the foreseeable future.
In 2024, Wilson updated their launch strategy and they are now releasing Pro Stock gloves (A2000s and A2Ks) for fastpitch and baseball every three months. The gloves included in these launches will be full of color. And they are even supplementing those quarterly launches with small launches in between. These launches include gloves like their Savannah Bananas themed glove shown above!
Why Buy Wilson
Our customers love Wilson gloves. The brand offers a great overall experience from look to performance. And they've really expanded their color pallette of late. The latest Wilson Pro Stock releases have been limited in number, so if you grab a Wilson A2000 or A2K nowadays, there is a good chance that you might be the only person on your team or even league with that glove!
Rawlings Gloves
The Brand
The "Sure Catch" glove put St. Louis-based Rawlings on the map. In 1912, that one-piece glove with sewn-in finger channels didn't look the part, but it was better than the alternatives. Years later, a former Cardinals pitcher (Bill Doak) revolutionized the game by pitching Rawlings on a multi-thong web laced feature into the finger and thumb. This, essentially, created the first natural pocket. Today Rawlings Heart of the Hide leather gloves are loved by players everywhere and are the most used glove series by professional players. Rawlings also presents the Gold Glove awards to MLB infielders and outfielders who exhibit exceptional performance.
Rawlings shocked the glove market with the introduction of the REV1X gloves. This line of gloves introduced a 3D-printed backing to gloves for the first time. These backings allow for limitless customization in regard to graphic design (as can be seen on the glove shown above) and a consistent shape and feel from season-to-season.
Why Buy Rawlings
Rawlings is another brand beloved by many. They appear to be in a race with Wilson to dominate the industry especially in regard to providing the most colorful gloves. The REV1X Series is certainly helping them do that. As well, Rawlings is the official glove of Major League Baseball and if you want to wear the same brand as the majority of professionals, Rawlings is the brand to purchase!
Nokona Gloves
The Brand
Not many companies can still claim that a good portion of their manufacturing is done in the United States, but, since 1934 Nokona gloves have been fully crafted or at least designed out of Nocona, TX. Made with top-grain hides, this brand utilizes quality leathers tanned to Nokona’s specifications. Each baseball glove is carefully cut, stamped, stitched, laced, and embroidered. Hall of fame pitcher Nolan Ryan has said, "My first glove was a Nokona. The high quality of these gloves is what today's top players need, and they're the gloves I've chosen for my grandkids." It’s hard to deny that Nokona is one of the best baseball glove brands out there.
Nokona has innovated plenty in recent years, dropping their Edge X gloves which are all meticulously handcrafted. In 2024, they introduced a technological spinoff of the Edge X gloves. They call the tech their Edge Preceision technology. The best way that we can describe the technology is as follows:
"Instead of building the shells of the gloves inside-out and then flipping them outside-out, they are built in an outside-out orientation from the start of construction. This build allows for a soft feel right from the first catch that is pretty rare to find on a glove of this quality!"
Two of their recent series feature this Edge Precision Tech: The Hunting Season Series and the S1 All-American Series.
Why Buy Nokona
Nokona is the obvious choice for those customers who want to purchase from a glove manufacturer that does nearly all of their production in the United States. They legends within their line-up like the Nokona Alpha Series gloves for youth players that have been adored for generations. And the recent technology addition of Edge Precision has allowed for their high-quality gloves to feature a softness that has not yet been experienced at that price point!
Marucci
The Brand
Since Marucci's founding by two former Big Leaguers and their athletic trainer, Marucci has handcrafted bats and gloves for some of the game's best players. MLB players have invested their time and money to advise Marucci - based in Baton Rouge - on how to craft their gloves. And since then, the keys to Marucci's glove line have been handed to one of the biggest figures in the glove market: The Glove Cowboy. The results have shown that Marucci baseball gloves and Marucci fastpitch gloves are quality made items for players everywhere, from that first pee-wee game to the final championship.
Why Buy Marucci
Marucci gloves have quality leather and feature overall high value. Especially when you look at their Capitol or Cypress Series gloves. However, Marucci remains in a lot of people's minds though because of their NightShift series. The "Drippy" glove (pictured above) is crafted purely to catch the attention of onlookers. Whether the glove goes on a mantle or on the glove hand of a fielder, Marucci doesn't have a preference. But if you want a glove that stands out, Marucci is a brand to consider buying.
All-Star
The Brand
Family-owned and focused on quality and detail, All-Star is most known for their catcher's mitts. More than just mitts, they serve the whole catcher as the company holds the patents for wraparound shins, triple knees on leg guards and lightweight wire masks. Their flagship Pro Elite mitts feature very stiff leather, which guarantees pro-level performance season-after-season. And don't forget their Pro Guard Padding (PGP) which provides exceptional protection to defend a catcher's glove hand against batted balls. The attention to design is just one of the many reasons All-Star gloves stand above the rest.
Why Buy All-Star
All-Star's signature line mewntioned earlier, the Pro Elite, serves catchers both young and old. And if you want to hop into that top-line series, you don't have to wait till high school. They actually taper down the design (and drop the total price) to reduce the barrier of entry for young players.
At this point, you're probably tired of hearing us go on about the All-Star Pro Elite Series Catcher’s Mitts, so we’ll just let a review convince you to buy one...
"The best catchers mitt made. Provides excellent protection for the thumb. The ball sounds great into the glove." - JG Customer, Baseball Nut
Akadema
The Brand
Although they may not have a timeline of history as long as brands like Wilson and Rawlings, Akadema has accomplished a lot since they were founded in the late 1990s. With a number of patents, they have been able to be truly innovative within the baseball and softball glove. Overall, they have found new ways to construct glove patterns! This innovation has allowed them to craft youth gloves extremely well and become a brand that parents shopping for youth gloves must consider!
Why Buy Akadema
As we mentioned above, Akadema gloves need to be considered if you're buying for a youngster. Their advances in construction, very much benefit the youth player. But they have even started to build gloves with bold colors to match the growing trend of colorful gloves that keep popping up in baseball in softball. In late 2024, they even provided a few Akadema Exclusive gloves that will only be found from JustGloves. Whether your player is starting out or looking for a look to stand out from the crowd, Akadema needs to be considered!
Mizuno
The Brand
Mizuno was started in Japan in 1906 by Rihachi Mizuno and the glove company has dazzled baseball, fastpitch and slow pitch players for 100 plus years! They've always prided themselves on providing high-quality equipment for players of all ages. And like Akadema, they are a great vendor for youth players. Their Prospect gloves are built for small hands, are butter soft and close super easily from day one of use. However, they deliver for older players too! Check out their Pro Select line if you are an older player wanting a high quality Mizuno. You won't be disappointed!
Why to Buy Mizuno
Similar to Marucci's NightShift series, Mizuno has started to differentiate themselves in regard to the look of their gloves. They've released a many small collections of gloves like the Mizuno "Clear" shown above since 2023 and they continue to do so on a regular cadence. If you're looking to differentiate your look or get a killer glove for your player just starting out, please do yourself a favor and snag a Mizuno!
Shoeless Joe
The Brand
Headquartered in Hays, Kansas; Shoeless Joe crafts modern day ball gloves that have a vintage look to them. All Shoeless Joe gloves are handmade with special aged Antique Tobacco Leather that is hand rubbed with old time ingredients to bring a certain amount softness to the leather and a very distinct scent. These Professional Series gloves perform like modern gloves, but with a retro look.
Why Buy Shoeless Joe
If you are a father pining for the old days when baseball and softball were simply "just games", then a Shoeless Joe needs to go in your shopping cart. With one sniff of the Antique Tobacco leather, these gloves will take you back to a different age of our Nationall Pastime.
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Thank you for taking the time to read through our entire list of top baseball glove brands. If you still have some questions please know that our JustGloves Glove Experts are standing by to get you the help you need. Please call them at 1-866-321-4568, email them via experts@justgloves.com or LIVE CHAT them right here.
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