Best 11-Inch Baseball Gloves (2026): Youth Infield & Pitcher Picks, Ages 9-12
An 11-inch baseball glove is the right size for most 9-to-12-year-old infielders and pitchers: big enough to handle a hard-hit ball at 12U, small enough to close with a young hand. The best one for most kids is the Rawlings Select Pro Lite 11 in (about $54), a real leather glove that is game-ready in a week. Here are eight verified 11-inch gloves from $25 to $60, which ages and positions they fit, and what to skip.
In this guide · 7 sections
Quick picks
Our top recommendations — full reviews below.
Best overall: pro-pattern leather that closes in a week
~$54 price and availability on Amazon
View on Amazon →Key takeaways
- 11 inches fits ages 9 to 12 at shortstop, second, third and pitcher. Under 9, go 10 to 10.75 in; 12-year-old outfielders and bigger 12s step to 11.5 in.
- Best overall: Rawlings Select Pro Lite 11 in (~$54). Pro-pattern, real leather, 80 percent broken in, and the glove most 10U-12U travel infielders end up with.
- Best budget: Easton HAVOC 11 in (~$25). Game-ready out of the box; buy it for rec ball or a kid who is still deciding on a position.
- Pitchers want a closed web. The Select Pro Lite and Sure Catch gloves hide the grip; the HAVOC's open H-web is an infield web.
- Break-in is the hidden cost. A $28 glove that never closes costs more in dropped balls than a $54 glove that closes in a week. Our break-in guide covers the one-week method.
Buy an 11-inch glove for a 9-to-12-year-old who plays infield or pitches, and buy the Rawlings Select Pro Lite 11 in (about $54) unless the budget says otherwise. Eleven inches is the size youth baseball is built around: it is what Little League and 10U-12U travel infielders wear, it is the pitcher's size at those ages, and it is the size a kid can actually close on a ground ball without a second hand. Go bigger and the glove flops; go smaller and a 12U line drive finds the gap.
Every glove below is a verified, in-stock 11-inch model from Rawlings, Easton, Mizuno, Wilson or Franklin. We ranked on how fast it becomes game-ready, how well it closes for a young hand, and price. Position notes are included because the web matters: pitchers want a closed web, infielders an open one.
At a glance
| Pick | Best for | Price* | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rawlings Select Pro Lite 11 in Youth Glove (Nolan Arenado pattern) | Best overall: pro-pattern leather that closes in a week | ~$54 | View → |
 | Rawlings Select Pro Lite 11 in Youth Glove (Corey Seager pattern) | Best for pitchers and shortstops: basket web hides the grip | ~$56 | View → |
 | Rawlings Sure Catch 11 in Youth Glove (Aaron Judge) | Best game-ready glove from Rawlings: 100 percent broken in | ~$41 | View → |
 | Rawlings Sure Catch 11 in Youth Glove (Fernando Tatis Jr.) | Same Sure Catch feel with the pattern kids ask for | ~$44 | View → |
 | Easton HAVOC 11 in Glove (Pro H-web) | Best budget 11-inch: game-ready and $25 | ~$25 | View → |
 | Rawlings Flex Palm 11 in Glove | Easiest to close: the flex palm for the smallest 9-year-old hands | ~$28 | View → |
 | Mizuno Prospect PowerClose 11 in Youth Glove (RHT) | Best closing mechanism: Mizuno's PowerClose for 9-11 | ~$40 | View → |
 | Franklin Field Master 11 in Glove | The backup glove: lightest and cheapest from a real brand | ~$25 | View → |
*Prices at time of writing — they move; check the listing.
Rawlings Select Pro Lite 11 in Youth Glove (Nolan Arenado pattern)
~$54
The Select Pro Lite is Rawlings' youth version of a pro pattern: a real leather shell and palm, an 80 percent factory break-in, and a youth-scaled hand opening so a 10-year-old can actually close it. The Arenado pattern is a third-base and shortstop glove with a Pro H-web, and it is the glove we see on more 10U-12U travel infielders than any other. Expect about a week of catch and a mallet to reach game-ready.
- Real leather at a youth price
- Closes for a young hand
- Pro pattern the kid will not outgrow in skill
- Week-long break-in
- Needs that week; not out-of-box ready
- Open H-web shows the grip if he pitches
Rawlings Select Pro Lite 11 in Youth Glove (Corey Seager pattern)
~$56
Same Select Pro Lite construction, different pattern: the Seager model uses a closed basket-style web, which is what a youth pitcher wants (the hitter cannot see the grip) and what many shortstops prefer for transfers. If the kid pitches and plays short, this is the one glove that does both jobs.
- Closed web for pitching
- Same leather and break-in as the Arenado
- Two-position glove
- A few dollars more
- Basket webs run slightly stiffer at first
Rawlings Sure Catch 11 in Youth Glove (Aaron Judge)
~$41
The Sure Catch series is Rawlings' 100 percent factory-broken-in youth line: soft shell, a hand opening sized for a 9-year-old, and a pattern that closes the day it arrives. It gives up some leather quality and durability against the Select Pro Lite (expect two seasons rather than three), in exchange for zero break-in and a $13 lower price.
- Game-ready out of the box
- Youth-scaled hand opening
- Rawlings at $41
- Softer leather wears faster
- Not a pro pattern
Rawlings Sure Catch 11 in Youth Glove (Fernando Tatis Jr.)
~$44
Same Sure Catch construction as the Judge model with the Tatis Jr. signature pattern and colorway, which is the one a lot of 10-year-olds want. Identical advice: game-ready now, two seasons of life, fine for rec and travel at 9-11.
- Game-ready
- The pattern kids ask for
- Youth-scaled
- Softer leather
- Price moves with the colorway
Easton HAVOC 11 in Glove (Pro H-web)
~$25
The HAVOC is the answer to "I need an 11-inch glove for under $30 that works today." Synthetic-and-leather build, fully broken in, an open H-web for the infield, and a hand opening that fits an 8-to-10-year-old. It will not last like the Select Pro Lite and it is the wrong web for a pitcher, but for rec ball and the kid who is still figuring out a position, it is the right amount of money.
- $25
- Ready out of the box
- Fits younger hands
- Synthetic-heavy build wears in a season or two
- Open web shows a pitcher's grip
Rawlings Flex Palm 11 in Glove
~$28
Rawlings' Flex Palm line exists for one problem: the kid who cannot close a glove. A flexible palm insert and soft shell let a small-handed 9-year-old squeeze an 11-inch glove shut on day one. The trade is durability and feel; this is a one-to-two-season glove, and it is exactly right for that.
- Closes with a weak grip
- Rawlings at $28
- No break-in
- Short lifespan
- Soft feel a 12-year-old will outgrow
Mizuno Prospect PowerClose 11 in Youth Glove (RHT)
~$40
Mizuno's PowerClose technology is a hinge built into the thumb and pinky that helps a young hand squeeze the glove shut, and on an 11-inch glove it is the difference between a catch and a bobble for a lot of 9-year-olds. Real leather palm, a V-Flex notch, and a Tartan flex web that works for the infield. The Prospect is the glove a lot of coaches recommend first for 9-11.
- PowerClose hinge for young hands
- Leather palm at $40
- Coach-recommended for 9-11
- Feels basic to a 12-year-old
- Brown Tartan only in the RHT listing
Franklin Field Master 11 in Glove
~$25
Franklin's Field Master is a lightweight synthetic 11-inch glove that is ready to use and costs about $25. It is the right glove for a backup in the bag, a sibling who tags along, or a first season of coach-pitch. Not the glove to take into 12U travel ball. Stock runs by date; check the listing.
- Lightest glove here
- $25
- Zero break-in
- Synthetic feel
- Availability comes and goes
Is 11 inches the right size? Age and position chart
| Age | Infield (SS/2B/3B) | Pitcher | Outfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7-8 | 10 to 10.75 in | 10.5 in | 10.75 to 11 in |
| 9-10 | 11 in | 11 in | 11 to 11.5 in |
| 11-12 | 11 to 11.5 in | 11 to 11.5 in | 11.5 to 12 in |
| 13-14 | 11.25 to 11.75 in | 11.5 to 12 in | 12 to 12.5 in |
Measure the hand, not the age, when in doubt: a kid who cannot close the glove with one hand needs a smaller glove or a PowerClose/Flex Palm model. The full chart by position is in our baseball glove size chart, and the 8U-specific picks are in best baseball glove for 8U.
Open web vs closed web at 11 inches
Infielders want an open web (H-web, I-web) so dirt falls through and the ball is visible on the transfer. Pitchers want a closed web (basket, Tartan, two-piece) so the batter cannot see the grip. At 9-12 most kids do both, which is why the Seager-pattern Select Pro Lite and the Mizuno Tartan web are the two-position answers here. If the kid only plays infield, the Arenado H-web is the better infield glove.
Break-in: the one-week method
The Select Pro Lite gloves need about a week: play catch daily, work the pocket with a mallet or a ball and rubber band overnight, and skip the oven, the microwave and the shaving cream. The Sure Catch, HAVOC, Flex Palm and Franklin gloves are ready out of the box. Full method in how to break in a baseball glove, and the break-in kits that actually help.
Also worth a look
Rawlings Glove Break-In KitThe $12 kit that turns a week of break-in into a three-day one.~$12 · View on Amazon →
Wilson A450 10.75" Youth Infield Baseball GloveThe 10.75 in Wilson A450 for the kid who is not quite ready for 11 inches.~$35 · View on Amazon →
Wilson A500 11.5" Youth Infield Baseball GloveThe 11.5 in step-up for a bigger 12-year-old.~$59 · View on Amazon →
FAQ
What age is an 11-inch baseball glove for?
Ages 9 to 12 for infielders and pitchers, and 9 to 10 for outfielders. Under 9, a 10 to 10.75 inch glove is easier to close; 12-year-old outfielders and bigger 12s move to 11.5 inches.
What is the best 11-inch youth baseball glove?
The Rawlings Select Pro Lite 11 inch (about $54) is the best overall: real leather, a pro pattern and a youth-scaled hand opening that closes in about a week. The Easton HAVOC (about $25) is the budget pick and is game-ready out of the box.
Is an 11-inch glove good for a pitcher?
Yes, at ages 9 to 12. Choose a closed-web model (the Seager-pattern Select Pro Lite or the Mizuno Prospect's Tartan web) so the batter cannot see the grip.
Is an 11-inch glove too big for an 8-year-old?
Usually. Most 8-year-olds close a 10 to 10.75 inch glove more easily. If an 8-year-old is big for the age, the Rawlings Flex Palm or Mizuno PowerClose 11 inch are the two that a small hand can still close.
Is an 11-inch glove too small for a 12-year-old?
For the infield and pitching, 11 inches still works for most 12s; bigger 12s and anyone moving to the 50/70 field often prefer 11.5 inches. Outfielders at 12 should be in 11.5 to 12 inches.
We're the team behind MAVTRAX — pitch-calling software used by baseball and softball teams from 9U travel ball up. We spend our days around dugouts, gear bags and tournament weekends. Picks are chosen on specs, durability for youth-sports abuse, real-world price, and owner feedback — not on who pays the highest commission. Full criteria on how we pick.