There are thousands and thousands of gloves out there in the world, but every ballplayer feels the same about the one in their bag. There’s just something special about your gamer. That’s why we’re going to talk about building a custom baseball glove.

The perfect glove is about more than just turning slick plays in the infield or snagging a hot liner in the gap. It’s about the memories you put into it -- the hours upon hours of catch, the long tournament weekends, maybe even throwing it up in the air as you head to the dogpile after a big win.

We take this spirit seriously, and it’s why we put so much time and effort into creating the very best custom glove builder in the sport. There’s no feeling that can match hitting the diamond with a glove that you created.

Why Do Custom Gloves Matter?

The right custom glove can last you for years, but designing one can be a bit intimidating. Do you want your pocket flat or deep? Do you want to close your glove thumb-to-pinky or thumb-to-middle finger? Or somewhere in between? How about web style? How about length?

The point is, there are a lot of choices that come with making a ball glove. (The questions above don’t even get into cosmetic features!). And while we make tons of great stock gloves, it’s going to be rare to find an off-the-rack glove that satisfies 100% of your preferences.

For example, an infielder's glove is typically smaller (usually between 11.25 and 11.75 inches) and has a shallower pocket. However, some infielders, like 10x Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner Nolan Arenado, prefer something different: Nolan uses a 12-inch glove with a deep pocket that helps secure hot shots in the corner. Ozzie Smith, one of the greatest fielding shortstops of all time, famously used a 12-inch glove with a Trap-Eze web, a style usually reserved for outfielders.

When you know what you like, you know what you like. Building a custom glove means you don’t have to compromise on a thing.  

In this blog, we’ll walk you through some things to consider when building your custom glove. By the end, you’ll have all the info you need to level up your defense and start making some memories with your customized ball glove, just like the pros!

What Positions Are You Going to Play?

One of the first choices to make in the Rawlings Custom Glove Builder is position. That’s because different styles and patterns of gloves are better suited to certain spots on the field. Outfielders tend to use a larger-sized glove with a deeper pocket, which gives them more margin for error when catching balls on the run or dealing with a liner fading away from them. One of the most popular pro outfield patterns is the 300, which features an ultra-deep pocket and closes thumb-to-pinky.

Usually, infield gloves are all about quickness. These patterns are smaller, lighter, and feature shallower pockets that allow you to get the ball out of your glove faster. (Many pro infielders don’t even close their gloves all the way when fielding a groundball!) The most popular pro infield model is the 200, which has a balanced, almost circular shape to the palm shell.

Pitcher’s gloves are distinct as well: While some hurlers use similar patterns to other infielders, they typically use a closed-web with an ultra-deep pocket so they can grip their pitches without tipping anything to a hitter.

Some patterns have other customizations, as well, like Fastback or Wing-Tip design. You can also choose to get special finger stalls that accommodate a “finger shift,” where you move your ring finger over toward your pinky.

Catcher’s mitts and first basemen’s mitts, obviously, feature totally different patterns suited to those positions. (Have you ever tried tracking down fly balls with a first baseman’s mitt? Not fun.) 

What Materials Do You Want to Use?

When building your custom glove, you’ll also have to choose the leather. Baseball players can choose between our two top glove lines, Pro Preferred and Heart of the Hide, which use kip leather and ultra-premium steerhide, respectively. (Younger players might also want to try customizing a Gamer XLE, which uses softer, more game-ready leather.) Both Pro Preferred and Heart of the Hide gloves are built to last for multiple seasons without losing their shape or feel, and that’s all thanks to our high-quality leather.

However, you will have some non-leather options for your custom glove as well: These specialty materials reduce the weight of your glove and can add a slick cosmetic touch, too. Explore our pro-style mesh back, Hyper Shell, Speed Shell, and Croc-Embossed leather options and see if any of them pique your interest.

What About Webs?

After you’ve selected your pattern and materials, you’ll want to decide on a web. Again, this choice will depend on what position you play and what characteristics you value most in your glove.

One of the most popular webs for infielders is the Pro-I, which is lightweight and provides good “bounce,” allowing for quick transfers. Outfielders generally prefer a web with some more give, like an H-web or the Trap-Eze. Below is a non-comprehensive breakdown of different groups of webs to choose from:

Look Into Color & Cosmetic Options

Now you’re getting to the fun stuff. Building a custom glove means designing the perfect colorway to match your style on the field. Our custom glove builder allows you to choose the colors of your web, outer shell, palm shell, inner welting, outer welting, binding, lacing, stitching, palm liner, palm pad, patch, custom embroidery, and trim. Phew!

Whether you’re looking for something classic-looking, like Gleyber Torres, or something bold and bright like Byron Buxton, you’ll be able to customize every detail when you build your gamer.

Be sure that you put the icing on the cake when you're buying a custom glove with some personalized embroidery, too. You can add an MLB team logo, a flag, special script like your name or favorite Bible verse, or just roll with the iconic Rawlings Oval-R on your glove! You can even blend customizations, like we did with this Aaron Judge glove we gave away on Instagram.

Choose Your Glove Break-in

Another plus to custom-building your glove: getting to choose your break-in style. With our Custom Glove Builder, you can choose how soft your want your glove when it arrives. You can select between a 10% and 65% factory break-in, depending on how much control you want over the shaping process. Check out our[ blog on breaking in your glove] for more guidance on getting the perfect-feeling gamer!

Select a Trusted Brand to Make Your Glove

A custom glove is an investment in your game: If you get it right, you’ll reap the benefits for seasons to come, with a glove that ages perfectly alongside your game.

We’ve been customizing gloves for big leaguers for more than a century, and we like to think we’re continuing to get better at it. If you’re looking for a big-league experience, head into the Custom Glove Builder and get started making new memories with your dream glove.