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Contents
- Best Batting Gloves for Baseball by Need
- Best Everyday Leather Batting Gloves
- Most Durable (Heavy Duty) Batting Gloves With Wrist Support
- Best Batting Gloves to Absorb Shock and Reduce Sting
- Best Padded and Protective Batting Gloves
- Best Batting Gloves With a Wrist Strap
- Best Youth Batting Gloves
- Best Lightweight (Thin) Batting Gloves
- Baseball Batting Gloves Buying Guide
- Do You Need Batting Gloves?
- Leather vs Synthetic Batting Gloves
- How to Pick the Right Size
- Short Cuff vs Long Cuff and Wrist Straps
- Padding and Shock Absorbing Gloves
- Batting Gloves to Prevent Blisters
- Batting Glove Brands: Franklin vs EvoShield
- How Many Pairs Do You Need?
- When to Replace Batting Gloves
- Batting Glove Care and Maintenance
- After Every Use
- Cleaning
- What Not to Do
- Dealing With Odor
- Batting Gloves FAQ
- You May Also Like
Batting gloves help with grip, sting and blisters. The right pair depends on how old your hitter is, how often they swing, and whether they want more padding, more durability or a lighter feel. This guide covers the best baseball batting gloves, mostly from the brands Franklin and EvoShield, with a buying guide for parents and players. Last updated October 2026.
How we picked: most of the gloves here come from Franklin and EvoShield. We compared leather and synthetic palms, padding, wrist support, sizing, grip and durability, and the details each brand publishes about its gloves. We do not list prices because they change often, so check the store page and customer reviews when you click through.
Quick picks
Best everyday leather glove
Franklin CFX Pro Batting Gloves
Most durable, with wrist support
Franklin Powerstrap Infinite Adult Batting Gloves
Best for reducing sting
Franklin Shok-Sorb X Batting Gloves
Best padded protection
Franklin CFX Pro PRT Heavy Duty Protective Batting Gloves
Best leather glove with a strap
Evoshield Adult Carbyne With Strap Batting Gloves
Best youth leather glove with a strap
Evoshield Youth Carbyne With Strap Batting Gloves
Best lightweight synthetic palm glove
EvoShield SRZ-1 Batting Gloves
Best for the youngest hitters
Franklin MLB Grow To Pro Teeball Batting Gloves
- Best everyday leather glove: Franklin CFX Pro. A one piece Digital Cabretta leather palm with etched grooves that Franklin says reduce palm bunching and improve grip.
- Most durable, with wrist support: Franklin Powerstrap Infinite. Thick leather that Franklin built to last longer than standard gloves, with a wide wrist strap.
- Best for reducing sting: Franklin Shok-Sorb X. Palm padding meant to absorb impact on mishits.
- Best padded protection: Franklin CFX Pro PRT. A padded outer shell to protect the hand, with a longer cuff for wrist stability.
- Best leather glove with a strap: EvoShield Carbyne with Strap. A Cabretta leather palm, leather reinforcements and a wrist strap.
- Best youth leather glove with a strap: EvoShield Youth Carbyne with Strap. The same idea in youth sizes.
- Best lightweight synthetic palm glove: EvoShield SRZ-1. A synthetic palm and a breathable mesh backhand, with no leather to break in.
- Best for the youngest hitters: Franklin Grow to Pro Teeball. A flexible grow zone at the base of the palm so the glove can fit for more than one season.
Gearing up a hitter? See our guides to hand guards, elbow guards and baseball bags, or shop all batting gloves.
Best Batting Gloves for Baseball by Need
Best Everyday Leather Batting Gloves
Franklin calls the CFX Pro its most popular on field model and lists it as the official batting glove of MLB. The palm is one piece of Digital Cabretta leather with etched grooves meant to reduce bunching and improve grip. Our take: it is a good leather glove for most high school, travel ball and adult hitters. Durability is the tradeoff to know about, so plan to replace a pair when the palm gets slick or the leather starts to crack.
The Franklin Sports CFX Pro Series is Franklin's most popular on-field model. These batting gloves offer a superior feel that is complemented by unique, tectonic-fit insert flexibility. The world-class quality, one-piece premium Digital Cabretta leather palm maintains softness and superior grip in all conditions while the digital leather provides strategically etched grooves to reduce palm bunching and improve grip.
Most Durable (Heavy Duty) Batting Gloves With Wrist Support
If your hitter wears out gloves, start with the Powerstrap Infinite. Franklin describes thick leather that lasts longer than standard gloves and holds its shape, small perforations in the palm for airflow, and a wide wrist strap for added wrist support. Franklin lists sizes from youth small through adult XXL, so older youth players can wear it too.
These batting gloves are made from thick leather for long-term use. They are built to last longer than standard batting gloves and hold their shape. The palms include small perforations to allow airflow and reduce moisture buildup. A wide wrist strap provides added wrist support to help reduce strain during repeated swings. The design was developed with input from professional baseball players.
Pros
- High quality Cabretta leather
- Improved stability with strap
- Many color options
Best Batting Gloves to Absorb Shock and Reduce Sting
Sting is worst on cold days and on mishits. Franklin's Shok-Sorb X has palm padding meant to absorb impact. The palm is genuine leather for grip and bat control, Tri-Curve shaping follows the shape of the hand to reduce bunching, and the mesh vented back helps airflow. Franklin lists sizes from small through extra large.
Franklin's Shok-Sorb X Batting Gloves feature unique palm padding that absorbs impact and eliminates sting. Made from high-performance genuine leather, these gloves offer superior grip and bat control in all weather conditions. Tri-Curve technology follows the natural anatomy of the hand, reducing bunching and improving fit. Mesh vented handbacks ensure improved airflow, keeping hands cool and dry.
Pros
- Very good batting gloves for the price
Best Padded and Protective Batting Gloves
The CFX Pro PRT has a padded outer shell layer to protect the hand. The shell is light enough to keep the glove flexible, and the longer ergonomic cuff adds wrist stability. It feels like a CFX Pro, and it needs some time to break in. Pick it over the standard CFX Pro if your hitter wants more protection on the hand. Sizes run from small through extra large.
Franklin's CFX Pro PRT Heavy Duty Protective Batting Gloves are built with a padded outer-shell layer to protect hitters' hands. The lightweight shell provides flexibility without bulk, and the premium leather construction ensures long-lasting durability. An extended ergonomic cuff offers additional wrist stability and support, making these gloves ideal for confidence in every at-bat.
Pros
- Padded, but still lightweight
- Feels just like the CFX Pro
Cons
- Take some time to break in
Best Batting Gloves With a Wrist Strap
EvoShield's Carbyne with Strap has a Cabretta leather palm, leather reinforcements for durability and Lycra gusset inserts that flex as the hitter swings. The strap lets the hitter tighten the wrist. EvoShield positions it for high school and college players, and it comes in adult sizes from small through XXL.
The Carbyne Batting Gloves with Straps empower elite high school and college baseball and softball players to elevate their swing with premium materials. A buttery smooth Cabretta Leather Palm offers superior feel with a soft finish to match its insane grip. Strategic leather reinforcements improve batting glove durability through countless hacks, and Lycra gusset inserts flex so players can swing freely.
Best Youth Batting Gloves
EvoShield's Youth Carbyne with Strap is the same build in youth sizes, from youth extra small through youth large. A leather palm with a strap suits youth hitters who swing a lot. For the youngest players, Franklin's Grow to Pro Teeball gloves have a flexible grow zone at the base of the palm, so the glove can fit for more than one season, from teeball to little league.
The Youth Carbyne Batting Glove empowers young baseball and softball players to elevate their swing. Fashioned with a premium, buttery smooth Cabretta Leather palm, the Carbyne Batting Glove offers superior feel with a soft finish and insane grip. Strategic leather reinforcements improve durability through countless hacks, and Lycra gusset inserts flex so players can swing freely.
The Franklin Sports Grow to Pro Kids Teeball + Baseball Batting Gloves are for youth baseball and softball players who are just learning how to play the game. These youth teeball batting gloves are specially designed to grow with young players, so they can keep their batting gloves for multiple seasons as they grow from teeball to little league. Constructed with a flexible grow zone at the base of the palm, these batting gloves give players hands room to grow so you don't have to buy a new pair of batting gloves for every new season.
Best Lightweight (Thin) Batting Gloves
The EvoShield SRZ-1 pairs a synthetic palm with a breathable four way stretch mesh backhand, Lycra gussets and a neoprene cuff. It is a light glove with no leather to break in. The tradeoff is durability, because thinner gloves wear out faster than leather.
Large Breathable four-way stretch mesh backhand with synthetic palm for more comfort at the plate. Lycra gussets for flexibility and a neoprene cuff.
Pros
- Good value for the cost
Cons
- Thinner gloves can make for durability concerns
Baseball Batting Gloves Buying Guide
Do You Need Batting Gloves?
No. Some MLB players hit bare handed. But gloves do a few useful things:
- Better grip: sweat, humidity and cold make bare hands slippery. Gloves keep the handle feeling the same.
- Less sting: gloves take a little of the vibration out of mishits.
- Fewer blisters: repeated swings create friction, and gloves protect the hands.
- Consistent feel: the bat handle feels the same on a hot day and a wet one.
Who should wear them: almost everyone who takes more than a few swings. Who might skip them: players who prefer the direct feel of the bat in their hands. That is fine, but they usually have the calluses to match.
Leather vs Synthetic Batting Gloves
Leather gloves grip better and last longer with care. Synthetic gloves need no break in period and are easier to clean. Many gloves combine a leather palm with a synthetic back for airflow.
Leather: Cabretta is a thin leather from hair sheep and shows up on many of the gloves above.
- Better grip, especially when it is humid or wet
- Molds to the hand over time
- Needs a break in period and a little care so it does not dry out and crack
Synthetic: made from man made materials such as polyurethane or microfiber.
- Ready to use right away
- Lighter and easier to clean
- Usually wears out faster, and the grip fades sooner in wet weather
Synthetic gloves are fine for young players, recreational leagues and anyone who does not want to deal with a break in period. Serious hitters usually prefer leather.
How to Pick the Right Size
A batting glove should feel like a second skin, snug from the start, with no extra material bunching up. Too loose and it slips. Too tight and it restricts the hand.
- Place your hand palm up on a flat surface with the fingers straight and together.
- Measure from the base of the palm, where it meets the wrist, to the tip of the middle finger.
- Match that to the size chart on the product page, since sizing differs by brand.
- The fingers should fill the finger stalls with little extra space at the tips.
- The palm should feel secure without squeezing.
- Swing a bat: there should be no bunching, pinching or restriction.
- Leather loosens a little as it breaks in, so start snug. Synthetic does not stretch.
- If your hitter is between sizes, try both.
- For growing players, do not jump more than one size. A loose glove slips and causes blisters.
Short Cuff vs Long Cuff and Wrist Straps
Most batting gloves have a short cuff that ends at the wrist, which gives full range of motion. Long cuff gloves extend a couple of inches down the wrist and can add support. Some players like the locked in feel, and some tape their wrists. Straps, like the ones on the Powerstrap Infinite and the Carbyne with Strap, let the hitter tighten the wrist. Which to choose is mostly preference. If you want batting gloves with wrist support, look at a strap first.
Padding and Shock Absorbing Gloves
Extra palm padding helps with sting on mishits and cold days. The tradeoff is a little less feel on the bat. The Shok-Sorb X is the padded palm pick here, and the CFX Pro PRT adds padding on the outside of the hand. Hitters who want the most bat feel can skip the padding.
Batting Gloves to Prevent Blisters
Blisters come from friction when the glove or the hand moves on the bat handle. Fit comes first: pick a snug glove with no bunching in the palm. Keep gloves dry, rotate two pairs if your hitter swings every day, and replace a pair once the palm is worn slick. The CFX Pro's etched palm is built to reduce bunching, and a strap keeps the glove from drifting during the swing.
Batting Glove Brands: Franklin vs EvoShield
Franklin and EvoShield both make leather gloves with Cabretta palms and both offer youth and adult sizes. On this page, Franklin covers the CFX Pro for feel, the Powerstrap Infinite for durability, the Shok-Sorb X for padding and the CFX Pro PRT for protection. EvoShield covers the Carbyne with Strap for a leather glove with a strap, and the SRZ-1 for a lighter synthetic palm. Fit is personal, so try them on if you can.
Bruce Bolt makes long cuff leather gloves, including the Chrome Series with a 0.9mm Cabretta leather palm. We focused this page on Franklin and EvoShield, so Bruce Bolt is not one of our picks, but the fit and care advice here applies to any leather glove.
How Many Pairs Do You Need?
- Minimum: one pair for games.
- Recommended: two pairs, one for games and one for practice and batting practice.
- Serious players: rotate two or three pairs so there is always a dry pair. Sweat breaks down materials, and letting gloves dry between uses helps them last.
When to Replace Batting Gloves
- The grip is gone: the palm feels slick even when dry.
- The material is cracked or peeling: especially leather.
- The stitching is coming apart: especially in high wear areas.
- There are holes or tears: some players push this one too long.
- They do not fit: kids outgrow gloves quickly.
How long a pair lasts depends on the glove and how much your hitter swings. Thinner and synthetic gloves wear out sooner, and thicker leather gloves with care last longer.
Batting Glove Care and Maintenance
After Every Use
- Take them out of the bag so they do not sit crumpled and damp.
- Lay them flat or hang them in a ventilated space to air out.
- Wipe off visible dirt with a dry cloth.
Cleaning
- Leather: wipe with a damp cloth, use mild soap sparingly, and apply leather conditioner when the leather feels dry. Air dry only.
- Synthetic: wipe with a damp cloth and mild soap, then air dry completely.
What Not to Do
- Do not machine wash them. It damages the materials and the shape.
- Do not use a dryer or direct heat. Heat ruins leather and can melt synthetics.
- Do not leave them in a closed bag. Moisture builds up and causes odor.
- Do not use bleach or harsh detergents.
Dealing With Odor
- Sprinkle baking soda inside, let it sit overnight, then shake it out.
- Air them out in a ventilated spot, and keep leather out of long direct sun.
Batting Gloves FAQ
What are the best batting gloves for baseball? For most hitters, start with the Franklin CFX Pro. Choose the Powerstrap Infinite for durability and wrist support, the Shok-Sorb X to reduce sting, the CFX Pro PRT for padded protection, and the EvoShield Carbyne with Strap for a leather glove with a strap.
What are the best batting gloves to prevent blisters? A snug glove with no bunching in the palm, kept dry and replaced when the palm gets slick. The Franklin CFX Pro has an etched palm meant to reduce bunching.
What are the most durable batting gloves? Of the gloves here, Franklin's Powerstrap Infinite is built around durability, with thick leather. The EvoShield Carbyne has leather reinforcements. Thin and synthetic gloves, like the SRZ-1, usually wear out faster.
What are the best youth batting gloves? The EvoShield Youth Carbyne with Strap is our pick for youth leather gloves. For teeball and the youngest hitters, try the Franklin Grow to Pro Teeball gloves.
CFX Pro or Powerstrap Infinite? The CFX Pro is Franklin's most popular on field model and is built around feel and grip. The Powerstrap Infinite is built around durability and wrist support, with thicker leather and a wide strap. If your hitter loses or wears out gloves quickly, choose the Powerstrap Infinite.
Are Bruce Bolt batting gloves worth it? Bruce Bolt makes long cuff leather gloves, but we did not test them for this page and they are not among our picks. If your hitter wants a long cuff or a strap, the Franklin Powerstrap Infinite and the EvoShield Carbyne with Strap are the closest options here.
Should my hitter wear batting gloves? Most do. Gloves help with grip, sting and blisters, and the right size matters more than the brand.
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Zach Kerr
Zach is a former college pitcher & Founder of Baseball Near You.
