Best Softball Glove for 12U (2026): 8 Picks for 11 to 12 Year Olds

The best softball glove for a 12U player is a fastpitch glove between 11.5 and 12.5 inches, and 12 inches is the best all-around size for most 11 and 12 year olds. Our #1 pick is the Wilson A700 12" Infield Fastpitch Glove (about $100), a leather fastpitch glove that fits the 12U job description and lasts into 14U. The best value is the Rawlings Shut Out 12" (about $79), and the budget pick is the Rawlings Sure Catch 12" fastpitch glove (about $50).

12U is a big transition year in fastpitch. Most leagues move to the 12" ball, pitchers throw harder, and players start settling into positions. That changes the glove: the soft 11" youth glove from 10U is now too small for the ball, and for the first time position really drives size (infielders small and quick, outfielders long, pitchers closed-web). Below: the size answer by position, eight verified fastpitch gloves that fit an 11 or 12 year old, the full softball glove size chart by age and position, fastpitch vs slowpitch vs baseball, and the mistakes to avoid. Prices come from live listings and move often, so treat them as approximate.

A 12U softball player (ages 11 to 12) needs a fastpitch glove between 11.5 and 12.5 inches, and 12 inches is the best all-around size. Glove size is measured from the heel to the top of the index finger, following the pocket. At 12U, position drives the number:

Fit check: she should close the glove one-handed without strain, her fingers should reach well into the stalls, and the hand opening should not slide around. A smaller 11 year old may still be best at 11.5" everywhere; a youth pattern like the Rawlings R9 Contour Fit helps. The full ladder lives in our glove size chart.

Most leagues use an 11" softball through 10U and the 12" ball from 12U up (check your league), which is why fastpitch glove sizes jump at 12U:

Mitts are measured differently: first base mitts by length (12" to 13"), catcher's mitts around the outside (about 31.5" for small youth models up to about 34.5" for adults).

Buy a fastpitch glove. The switch to the 12" ball at 12U makes the difference bigger than ever:

• Fastpitch gloves have a deeper pocket for the 12" ball and a narrower hand opening and finger stalls sized for smaller hands. Most fastpitch patterns are built for girls and women. Every glove on this page is fastpitch.
• Slowpitch gloves are built for adult rec leagues: typically 12.5" to 15", with a wide hand opening and a very deep pocket for high-arc balls. Too big and too slow for fastpitch, and the hand opening is usually too wide for a 12 year old.
• Baseball gloves have a shallow pocket for a 9" ball. The 12" softball does not seat and pops out. A 12U player still using a baseball glove is giving away outs.

Look for "fastpitch" in the listing title or on the glove. Slowpitch gloves are often sold as just "softball glove," so a 13" to 14" "softball" glove with no fastpitch label is a warning sign.

1. Pick the size from her position using the table above. If she plays everywhere, 12" is the default.
2. Decide leather or soft. Travel players who practice several times a week should move to leather now (the Wilson A700, Rawlings Shut Out, Easton Fundamental, Mizuno MVP Prime, or Rawlings R9). Rec players do fine in a soft glove like the Sure Catch 12".
3. Choose the web. Pitchers need a closed web (basket or trapeze). Middle infielders prefer open webs (I, H, T) for a faster transfer. Outfielders like closed or H-webs that shade the sun on fly balls.
4. Check the fit for her hand, not an adult's. Smaller players should look at youth patterns like the Rawlings R9 Contour Fit.
5. Confirm the throwing hand. RHT is worn on the left hand; LHT on the right.
6. Budget: about $50 for a solid rec glove, about $80 to $100 for a first leather glove, $130 to $140 for premium.

If you buy a 12" glove at 12U, she may never need to size up as an infielder: 11.75" to 12" is still the normal 14U infield size. The changes at 14U are about position and quality, not length:

• Outfielders often move from 12.5" to 13" at 14U.
• Pitchers may go to 12" to 12.5" with a closed web.
• Travel players who have worn out a youth glove move up to higher-grade leather.

Our best softball glove for 14U guide covers that step. If your 12U player is on the small side, the 10U guide has 11" to 11.5" options that still fit a smaller hand.

• Keeping the 11" youth glove. With the 12" ball, a small youth glove drops balls. Most 12U players need at least 11.5".
• Buying an outfield-size glove for an infielder. A 12.5" or 13" glove on a shortstop slows every transfer.
• Buying a slowpitch glove. Big "softball" gloves without a fastpitch label are usually slowpitch. Skip them.
• Leather with no break-in plan. A stiff glove left in the bag stays stiff. Break it in with catch, and condition it with a glove care kit once a season.
• A pitcher in a white or open-web glove. Many rulebooks restrict pitcher glove colors, and an open web shows her grip.
• Using a fielding glove at catcher. 12U pitching is fast enough that a catcher needs a real fastpitch catcher's mitt.

Two rules matter for glove buying at 12U. Pitcher glove colors: many fastpitch rulebooks (USA Softball and high school rules among them) bar pitchers from gloves in the ball's colors, typically white, gray or optic yellow, and an umpire can make a pitcher change gloves mid-game. Details differ by organization and change over time, so check your league's current rulebook. Face protection: many leagues require or strongly recommend fielding masks for pitchers and corner infielders at this age; our fastpitch fielding mask guide covers the options.

12U is also where many teams start calling pitches from the dugout. If your team is looking at that, our free pitch-calling app guide explains how it works: the coach taps the call on a phone and the catcher hears it in a helmet headset, with no signs for the other dugout to steal.