As you most likely already know, there are five types of baseball gloves, each built for the special needs the different positions in baseball have. You do not want to play as an outfielder and wear an infielder’s glove for this, as these positions have distinct differences, which also requires different gloves, like the first baseman baseball glove!
In this post I will take a look at the best gloves for first basemen. Before I present you my favorites, let’s first take a look at the general properties a baseball glove for the first baseman should have:
No fingers: A first baseman baseball glove does not have any fingers at all. It looks similar to a catcher’s mitt, but it is even wider. This allows the first baseman to scoop up poorly hit balls by the batter or also poorly thrown balls by the teammates.
Deep pocket with a closed webbing: Being the first baseman is all about consistency in catching balls. Speed is not really important here. The first baseman is the first position on the field that can strike out an offensive player and prevent the opposite team from gaining ground (if you ignore the pitcher of course). A deep pocket and a closed webbing allow to catch every kind of ball easily.
The widest of them all: Yes your read that right. The first baseman glove is the widest baseball glove out there. It is again about consistency in catching here. The wider the glove, the easier the catches. Nothing is worse than the first baseman losing control over an easy catch and by this allowing the offensive team to gain bases. This is why the glove is built in a way, that increases the likelihood of successful catches.
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Lower end (up to $120)
These gloves are good if you started to take the first base position serious and want to make this your main position to play. These gloves are better suited for this position than some kind of utility glove, nevertheless a lot of things are not optimal with these gloves. Even if you have a tight budget, I would suggest to save up a bit more money and invest in a higher end glove that will last you a long time and comes with great features.
Rawlings Renegade 12.5″ First Base Glove
Material: full grain leather
Webbing: Single Post Double Bar
Size: 12.5”
Rawlings used full grain leather for the Rawlings Renegade 12.5″ First Base Glove, which is a solid choice if durability is the priority. The downside to this kind of leather is, that it is not as soft as some higher grade leathers, which will result in decreased feel while catching the ball. Nevertheless durability is not an issue with this glove, as the full grain leather is extremely durable and keeps the glove shape perfectly.
Apart from the leather choice, you also notice that this glove is not one of Rawlings top quality gloves, as it does not have the Zero Shock palm pads, but uses high density cushion pads instead.
An open back and a single post double bar web make this glove ideal for the first baseman position, as they allow for consistent catching with a lot of wrist action.
Pros:
- durable leather
- very cheap price
- black color will not look dirty quickly
Cons:
- leather choice leads to lower levels of feel
- glove is almost completely broken in
Rawlings Sandlot 12.5″ First Base Glove
Material: full grain oiled shell leather
Webbing: Pro H web
Size: 12.5”
The Rawlings Renegade 12.5″ First Base Glove is made from full grain oiled shell leather. This means that the leather is really durable, but not soft at all. You will not have a lot of feel with this glove. This glove is also mostly broken in already, which means that it will not adapt to your hand as much as a higher end, not broken in baseball glove.
Apart from this, this first baseman baseball glove features Rawlings’ well known Zero Shock palm pads for added comfort. Ther open back and open pro H webbing are perfect for a first baseman’s glove.
Pros:
- cheap
- cool look
- features Zero Shock palm pads
Cons:
- low tier leather
- already broken in to a high degree
Wilson A900 12″ First Base Glove
Material: full grain leather
Webbing: Single Post
Size: 12”
This glove is the only one being 12” instead of the usual 12.5” for a first baseman baseball glove. It is also made from full grain leather, which is a great choice for a durable baseball glove, but lacks any feeling.
Apart from this the Wilson A900 12″ First Base Glove features a single post web and and open back. If you order this glove, you can expect a broken-in piece of equipment, which means that it will not adapt to your individual needs much more.
Pros:
- cool old school look
- long lasting
Cons:
- is broken in from the factory
- slightly smaller than the other gloves in this category
Mizuno MVP Prime 12.5″ First Base Glove
Material: Bio soft leather
Webbing: Deep 4 Mitt web
Size: 12.5”
In case you have overlooked it, I will stress it again. This glove is made from bio soft leather. Soft. Leather.
Other than its competitors, this glove features bio soft leather, which improves the feeling massively. Combined with professional grade laces, which help the glove keep its shape, the Mizuno MVP Prime 12.5″ First Base Glove has the optimal balance between durability and feel for a ca. $100 first base baseball glove.
Next to the great leather choice, Mizuno also took the right decision with the deep 4 mitt web, which allows for consistent catches but at the same time allows any dirt to fall through the holes in the web, to keep the glove clean. This first base baseball glove moreover features a deep pocket depth, which improves control while catching balls even more.
Pros:
- bio soft leather for the perfect feel
- professional grade laces
- black color stays clean for a long time
Cons:
- still searching for something negative
Easton Flagship 12.75″ First Base Glove
Material: steer leather
Webbing: Dual bar web
Size: 12.75”
The Easton Flagship 12.75″ first base glove features a mix of two different types of leather. The shell is made from durable Diamond Pro Steer leather, while the palm and finger lining is made from oiled cowhide. As usual with the lower priced gloves, the leather choice is not optimal. The leathers used are durable but lack feel while catching balls.
This baseball glove is produced with a sheep wool wrist liner for added comfort and has a deep pocket with a closed webbing, which is the optimal combination for the first baseman position.
Pros:
- very durable
- old school look
- sheep wool wrist padding
Cons:
- cheap leather, that lacks feel
Middle class ($250)
If you are on a budget, but you still see a baseball glove as an investment and you want to have a long lasting glove by your side, then this is the category for you.
These gloves are definitely not the cheapest ones out there, but they offer great durability and higher tier leathers, that offer a lot of comfort and feel.
I would always prefer a glove from this category over a cheaper one, as they just perform much better, adapt to your individual hand better and are overall just a better product.
Mizuno Pro Select 13″ First Base Glove
Material: top quality US steerhide leather
Webbing: two-piece web
Size: 13”
This first baseman baseball glove is the first one in this review 13” big. Of course glove size is always a personal preference, but in general a bigger glove is helpful for the first baseman position.
Mizuno used top quality US steerhide leather for this glove, which shines with its incredible durability. The downside is, that this kind of leather is extremely stiff in the beginning, which is why you should expect a longer break-in time. I can only stress, that this is actually a good thing. Breaking in a glove takes some time, but it allows for a more individualized piece of equipment afterwards, which is what you should be looking for with higher priced gloves.
The Mizuno Pro Select 13” First Base Glove also features a deep pocket with a closed webbing, which is ideal to scoop up any poorly thrown balls off the ground.
Pros:
- needs some break-in work
- deep pocket with a closed webbing
- looks super cool
Cons:
- Mizuno just used steerhide leather here instead of some high tier leather
Wilson A2000 Superskin 12.5″ First Base Glove
Material: Pro Stock American steerhide leather
Webbing: Double Horizontal Bars web
Size: 12.5”
This 12.5” glove is made from Wilson’s well known Pro Stock American steerhide leather and features a reinforced single post web, which allows for consistent catches and any dirt to fall off the glove.
Wilson manufactured this glove with a double break in design, which means that the break-in time is drastically decreased even though the glove is not strongly broken in in the factory. Combined with the moisture wicking wrist lining, this glove has a lot of positive things speaking for itself.
Wilson also used special, flat finger binding, to increase the comfort levels of this glove
Pros:
- Double break design to minimize break-in time
- special flat finger binding used, to increase comfort
- Single post web allows dirt to fall off the glove
Cons:
- just 12.5” in size
Easton Pro J70 12.75” First Base Glove
Material: pre-oiled Premium Reserve USA steerhide leather
Webbing: Dual Cross bar
Size: 12.75”
First of all I have to say that this glove looks incredibly cool, doesn’t it? Really cool old school vibe and subtle color. I love it.
Apart from the cool colorway, the Easton Pro J70 12.75” First Base Glove is also very durable, because it is made from Premium Reserve USA steerhide leather, while the palm lining is made from oiled cowhide to maximize comfort.
Easton uses a sheep wool wrist liner, which also adds comfort to this glove.
This 12.75” first baseman glove of course has a closed web and deep pocket, which makes it an ideal choice for a first baseman.
Pros:
- cool look
- sheep wool wrist lining for comfort
- perfect size for a first baseman glove
Cons:
- leather is pre-oiled
Rawlings Heart Of The Hide 20BGS 12.25″ First Base Glove
Material: steerhide leather
Webbing: Modified pro H
Size: 12.25”
This slightly smaller than usual first baseman glove is manufactured from the top 5% of steerhide leather available to Rawlings, which is quality sign for the Heart of the Hide range from this manufacturer.
Apart from the looks, which you might have to get used to, Rawlings did a lot of things right with this model.
The steerhide shell combined with the USA-made leather lacing adds a lot of durability to this glove, while the soft leather finger lining provides unseen comfort levels.
The modified pro H web allows dirt to fall off the glove, while, at the same time, it makes consistent catching possible for the first baseman wearing this glove.
Pros:
- durable glove with soft leather finger lining for comfort
- just the highest grade steerhide leather is used
- 70% of the break-in is required to be done by the player
Cons:
- colorway
- slightly smaller than other first baseman gloves
Higher end (starting at $350)
These gloves are the best of the best. The crème de la crème. The absolut best there is. They are usually made from kip leather, which is the best kind of leather available for baseball gloves. Kip leather is extremely durable but at the same time soft and provides a great feeling while catching the ball.
Kip leather is tight in the beginning and needs some break-in time, but after a while it will mold perfectly to your hand and I bet you will fall in love with your glove.
Mizuno Pro 13″ First Base Glove
Material: tight fibred US kip leather
Webbing: Dual post
Size: 13”
This first baseman baseball glove is available in two different colorways. There is a camel colored one and a black one. I personally prefer the camel colored one, because of the old school look it has. It just looks classy.
Apart from the cool look, Mizuno made sure to use tight fibred US kip leather for this glove, which is a trademark for Mizuno’s Pro line. This leather provides a lot of durability as well as a soft feel.
Of course the Mizuno Pro 13″ First Base Glove features a deep pocket and a webbing, that allows dirt to fall off the glove.
Pros:
- two different colorways available
- 13” is the perfect size for a first baseman
- made from high tier kip leather
- palm liners are made from kip leather as well
Cons:
- not really sure there is something negative here
Rawlings Pro Preferred FBM 13″ First Base Glove
Material: Full-grain kip leather
Webbing: Single bar
Size: 13”
Rawlings’ Pro Preferred line is their highest quality line available currently. It features full-grain kip leather for extreme durability combined with awesome feel, as well as 100% wool padding, that allows for easier pocket forming and keeps the shape longer.
Rawlings does not use kip leather for the lacing, but instead uses rawhide leather from the USA for this kind of the glove. This is done, so that the durability is increased even more and the glove keeps its shape, once it is broken in.
Talking about breaking-in the glove, this glove has to be broken in by the player mostly. I can only stress again, that this is a great thing with higher tier gloves, as they will mold to your hand after a while. You can basically say, that the time spent breaking.-in the glove has a higher return with high quality gloves.
Maybe the only negative thing about this glove is its colorway. Of course this is a personal thing, but I have to get used to the camel and black combination.
Pros:
- kip leather used
- rawhide laces for increased durability
- needs to broken in by the player
- 100% wool padding
Cons:
- not really objective, but maybe the colorway?
Wilson A2K Superskin 12.5″ First Base Glove
Material: Top 5% of steerhide leather
Webbing: Dual Bar
Size: 12.5”
Let’s start with the elephant in the room: No. Kip. Leather.
Honestly I have no clue why Wilson does not use kip leather with this glove. Sure, the top 5% of the steerhide leather available is definitely not a bad choice, but I would have preferred to see kip leather with this glove. Kip leather is just softer and offers a better feel than the more rigid steerhide leather.
Apart from this, Wilson did a lot of things right with this glove. The double palm construction (this means there is an extra leather piece sewn into the glove at the palm area) adds a lot of stability, durability and comfort.
I also really like the look of this glove, and the Dual Bar web and the open back make this a great choice for any player, who takes the first baseman position seriously.
Pros:
- looks great
- Double palm construction
- great stability and durability
Cons:
- NO. KIP. LEATHER!!
Mizuno Pro Limited Edition 12.75″ First Base Glove
Material: Northern European kip leather
Webbing: Modified Trapeze
Size: 12.75”
The most expensive glove in this review is extremely similar to the Mizuno Pro 13″ First Base Glove, which does not really surprise, given that it is a limited edition of this glove. It features the same webbing and open back. Overall the look is extremely similar, except for the different color used.
Where these gloves differ is in the material used. This limited edition glove is made from Northern European kip leather, which has even tighter fibers than the normal Pro models. This means this glove should be even more durable and last even longer.
Durability seems to be the trademark of this glove, as Mizuno even offers a one-time free reconditioning for this glove. This restores it to the original condition. You basically buy two gloves instead of one with the Mizuno Pro Limited Edition 12.75″ First Base Glove.
Pros:
- Northern European kip leather for even more durability
- one-time free reconditioning by Mizuno’s baseball glove experts
- basically buy two gloves, for the price of one
- everything that is also great about the non limited edition
Cons:
- even though you get a free reconditioning, the price tag is hefty
That’s it. I bet you now have a great idea what kind of glove might be suitable for you and your budget.
Get home safe,
Jan
