Best Softball Catcher's Mitt | Bases Loaded Softball

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If you’re a catcher looking to play at the top of your game, there’s few things more important than choosing the right catchers mitt to compliment your skill and technique. But with so many catcher’s mitts on the market, it’s difficult to know which one to buy. That’s why we’ve simplified the process for you, and broken down the best softball catcher’s mitt you can buy whether you’re a college player, or a youth player. Here’s our guide to the best fastpitch softball catcher’s mitt for you!

Best Fastpitch Softball Catcher’s Mitt
Best Catcher’s Mitt for College Softball
Best Youth Fastpitch Softball Catcher’s Mitt
Best Way to Break in a Softball Catcher’s Mitt

Best Fastpitch Softball Catcher’s Mitt

Rawlings Heart of the Hide 33 Inch PROCM33FP-24BG Fastpitch Softball Catcher’s Mitt

Rawlings Heart of the Hide Catcher's Solid Web Mitt (1 Piece), 33"

DESIGNED FOR CATCHERS, this Heart of the Hide R2G 33 inch one-piece solid web catcher's glove has a narrow fit and was made to maximize protection, durability, & comfort while behind the plate
IDEAL FOR AVID PLAYERS FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO THE PROS

Last update was on: September 15, 2024 12:29 am

out of stock

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The Rawlings Heart of the Hide series is one of the best professional softball glove makes in the world, and is enjoyed by a wide number of female professional players. This glove is made from only the most premium materials—durable leather that will last you a lifetime. Although this glove does come 80% pre-broken in, getting it broken in that final 20% may prove to be a challenge, as the leather is so strong. Still, this glove has an amazing fit that is super easy to close on the ball. This is largely owing to Rwling’s signature Dual Core Technology. For the quality of this glove, it comes at a great value. If you want to use the glove that the pros are using, this is the glove for you.

Features of the Rawlings Heart of the Hide 33 Inch Catcher’s Mitt

33 Inch
Made with Dual Core Technology that assists on closing the glove quickly around the ball.
Made with 100% premium leather that will last season-after-season.
Crafted with Rawling’s soft, heart of the hide leather.
Easily adjustable back strap.
Extremely well padded to help eliminate hand sting upon impact.
Pocket made with an H-Web design.

What players are saying:

Really solid glove, super worth it for the price. I found that the dual core also broke in much faster and easier than other Heart of the Hide models, which was a big relief. I didn’t even use any oils or any of that nonsense. Just tossed around a ball for some good solid sessions. This glove is really good for middle infield positions. This glove is also a looker. It goes well with any uniform. I was overall very impressed by this glove. It came super fast in shipping too, which is always a huge plus! I would recommend this glove to others.

- Clint

I actually like that my gloves come out of the box a bit stiffer so I can break them in the way I like and have them form to the contours of my hand. It also signals to me that this is a glove that’s super durable and will last me for years to come. I broke this glove in and brought it to a game, and it did not disappoint. I caught all the balls easily and confidently. It also didn’t have barely any hand sting, which is supper important for a catcher’s mitt. This glove is the real deal!

- Luke

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Best Catcher’s Mitt for College Softball

Mizuno Franchise 34 Fastpitch Softball Catcher’s Mitt GXS90F3

MIZUNO SOFTBALL BALL GLOVES - FRANCHISE SERIES FASTPITCH SOFTBALL CATCHER'S MITT 34" - 312745

The Mizuno Franchise Fastpitch series is Gender Engineered and designed specifically for the female softball player.

75.00

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Mizuno GXS90F3 Franchise Series Fastpitch Softball Catcher's Mitts, 34", Right Hand Throw

Designed for the fast pitch player
Java leather: pre-oiled tumbled leather that is game ready and long lasting
HiLo lacing: alternating lace pattern retains the integrity of a fully-laced web with greater flexibility

Last update was on: September 15, 2024 12:29 am

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This catcher’s mitt by Mizuno is an extremely well-balanced glove that comes at an incredible value for its quality make. The Mizuno Franchise 34 is a snug fitting glove that forms perfectly to a player’s hand, and requires very little break in time. This glove is crafted with soft Java leather that makes it highly comfortable, and ready for competitive play right out of the box. The Parashock Palm Pad in this glove will also help to eliminate hand sting upon the ball’s impact. While this glove may not last as long as some of the others on this list, it has a fantastic feel that will let you catch effectively without breaking the bank. This glove features a deep pocket that makes it perfect for easy, effective, and confident catching.

Features of the Mizuno Franchise 34 Fastpitch Softball Catcher’s Mitt:

23 Inches
Dual Post Web
Pre-oiled, soft, pre-tumbled Java leather.
Glove’s pocket sits under the index finger.
Adjustable back strap.
Closed back.
Parashock Palm Pad to help eliminate hand sting.
Professional grade HiLo lacing.

What players are saying:

All of the mitts I was looking at were either way out of my price range, or horrible quality and frankly not worth the money. So I’m super glad I found this glove! It’s exactly what I was looking for. Reminds me of the glove my own Dad used to use when tossing balls around with me. I always wonder how it got so broken in because I was never able to sufficiently break in a glove. But this glove came broken in immediately. It’s so soft and really fits your hand like…well like a glove. I would buy this mitt over and over again. No need to go spending hundreds if you’re just a casual player who likes competition like me! Just buy this glove.

- Landan Eastwood.

I bought this glove for my daughter as she’s just starting out in her college league and I was looking for a sort of good valued starter mitt. Her older sister has been playing competitively for years, so I had a feeling she would take to the game, and wanted to also make sure I got a good mitt that wasn’t going to disappoint in terms of quality but also wasn’t a million dollars. This glove is exactly that. In fact, it’s waaay better than expected based on the price. It’s super well made and is actually kind of hard to believe that it goes for the price it does. After using it, I would probably have paid another $50 dollars or so for the quality of this glove. 100% smart buy, recommend, recommend, recommend!

- Carl G.

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Best Youth Fastpitch Softball Catcher’s Mitt

Mizuno Prospect GXC105 Youth Catcher’s Mitt:

MIZUNO SOFTBALL BALL GLOVES - PROSPECT SERIES YOUTH FASTPITCH CATCHER'S MITT 32.5" - 312591

Mizuno Prospect Series uses full grain pigskin leather, providing great durability, enhanced softness, and Mizuno’s innovative easy close technologies, making catching easy. 32.50

70.00

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Mizuno Prospect GXC105 Youth Catcher's Mitt (32.50-Inch, Right Handed Throw)

ButterSoft Palm Liner: PU palm lining for increased durability, feel, and comfort.
Less 2 Lacing: Removes the last 2 lace loops on the web to increase flexibility along the closing axis.
Parashock Palm Pad: Mizuno's exclusive palm pad absorbs the shock of repeated use providing outstanding protection and ideal comfort

2 used from $59.84
Free shipping

Last update was on: September 15, 2024 12:29 am

in stock

$68.99

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The Mizuno Prospect is a spectacularly designed youth catcher’s mitt that incorporates a number of advanced technologies to elevate your game, and give you the confidence you need to perform at your best.

To start off with, this glove uses Power Close technology to make it extremely easy for younger players to close the mitt around the ball for perfect catches every time. This is aided by the glove’s V Flex Notch, a design that reduces resistance when trying to close the glove.

The Mizuno Prospect was also crafted with a ParaShock palm pad to help eliminate hand sting on the ball’s impact, protecting the hand and making for comfortable catches every time. This padding allows players to confidently catch the ball without fearing its impact.

This is a fantastic catcher’s mitt for youth, and for those in the in between stages between youth and adult mitts and gloves.

Features of the Mizuno Prospect:

32.5 inches
Youth designed.
Power close technology to assist younger players in easily closing the glove.
V Flex Notch design to make closing the glove extremely natural.
ParaShocl palm pad to eliminate hand sting, increase comfort, and allow younger players to make confident and fearless catches.
Free shipping
Easy to break in.

What other players are saying:

I had done a tone of research on the best mitt to buy for my son. Naturally, I want him to have the equipment and confidence he needs to play his best. After scouring the internet, I decided on this glove and boy am I glad I did. This glove is simply awesome. The first time my son used it in practice he said he loved it, and that it was a huge step up from the previous glove he was using (which was also a good glove). Mizuno really pulled out all the stops for this glove and put all the right technologies in it. Unlike other stiff gloves that take forever to break in, especially for youth players who don’t throw and catch as hard making it more difficult to break in, this glove was good to go right away. I highly recommend this glove!

- Lester P.

This glove was good to go in game right out of the box for my 10 year old, which is really key for younger players with less patience. No breaking in necessary. I was also concerned that the 32.5 size would be too big for my kid but it fits like a glove! (no pun intended.) I’d recommend this sizing for any 9 – 11 year old. Overall this glove plays fantastic. I especially love how easy it is to close around the ball right away. That’s one of the main problems younger players like my son has, and this glove just responds perfectly to his hand and lets him close the mitt around the ball fast. No more balls hitting the mitt and falling out. I recommend this glove to any other parent looking to give their kid a super solid piece of equipment to play ball with!

- Rodger Wittenberg.

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Best Way to Break in a Softball Catcher’s Mitt

Breaking in a catcher’s mitt is an essential part of the process that simply cannot be skipped or overlooked. If you’re using a catcher’s mitt, there’s one thing you better be able to do consistently: catch. And without breaking in your mitt properly, your chances of catching consistently are diminished.

So how do you break in a catcher’s mitt properly? The truth is, the absolute best way to break in a catcher’s mitt is simply by playing with it a lot. Catching hard and fast balls in the mitt will eventually break it in the best possible way. And whenever you’re not using the mitt, put a ball inside of the mitt right in the spot where you want to catch it, tie up the mitt, and let it sit like that.

You want to make sure you’re creating a ball-shaped groove near the centre of the mitt, just under the webbing, so that you’re catching it and retrieving it from the mitt in the same place every time.

But what about if you’re pinched for time and have a competitive game the next day, and don’t have time to break in your mitt properly? This is how you break in your mitt over night. Again, these methods are only recommended if you’re stretched for time and absolutely need to break your mitt in quick.

Fastpitch Softball Mitt Sizing Guide for Catcher

Catchers mitts are not only built differently than gloves, but their sizing is also much different. This can make it confusing to find the right sized catcher’s mitt at first. But once you know the correct sizes, it’s easy! There’s only a few different sizes of mitt you can buy. Keep in mind that your size will not only depend on your age, but also on how big you are for your age compared to the average. For example, if you’re a particularly big 13 year old with very large hands, you may want to consider just going with a high school and college player’s sized glove.