Does anyone have a recommendation for a comfortable middle infield glove for a HS player with extra large hands?
My son (shoe size 13), who plays SS, 2nd and 3rd, has a 12” glove, and his coaches have said a few times that he should get a smaller one (maybe 11.5-11.75”?). He says he hasn’t tried one on smaller than 12” that was comfortable.
Thanks for the help.
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Can't go wrong with the Rawlings Heart of the Hide line of gloves. They do have 12 " and really do customization if need be.
This thread seemed to have gotten buried with everything going on. Sounds like he needs to just pick a good quality glove and practice with it. It takes time for any new glove to start to "feel comfortable".
However, if you are implying that he has bear claws and can't actually fit his hands inside the glove then i say forget playing SS. and start working on crushing the ball💪
I would be curious to hear how tall the player is and how tall he is projected to be. Some things to consider...
Glove length is measured from heel to far pocket edge, including the curve/depth of pocket. So, as a result, not all gloves of a certain measurement are equal. As example, those with deeper pockets will be, in effect, shorter.
Generally, a player who is asked to play all three of those positions is typically afforded a little leeway in glove length ( a 3b can use a slightly longer glove with deeper pocket because quick transfer is not as frequently necessary. There is often more use of the pocket when fielding as opposed to more used of the hands because 3b is closer to the hitter and more subject to hard pull hits and thus more reactionary than read and attack). So, as long as 3b is still in the mix, he may not really need to change at all.
So, why, specifically, are they suggesting a shorter glove? Is he not using his hands enough when playing MIF? does he play more MIF than 3B? Is the pocket too deep on his current glove? If those are the reasons, he should try to find a good 11 3/4" glove with a more shallow pocket. There are many very good brands with high end series that will be sufficient. He just needs to try them on until he finds the one that is comfortable to him. Depending on the problem, it may also require that he alter his fielding technique to more use of the hands.
Also, depending on the reason, the solution might be as simple as having laces tightened or loosened to acheive the desired affect.
Comfort is in eye of the glove holder.... Go somewhere with a big selection and try on as many as you can. 11.25 to 11.5 is typical range for MIF and 11.5 to 11.75 is typical range for 3B. 11.5 would be a good place to start for someone who plays both but there are some larger MIF players who use an 11.75, Correa is one example. Maybe have him try a Correa model A2000.
https://www.whatproswear.com/b...correa-wilson-glove/
https://www.wilson.com/en-us/e...seball/carlos-correa
Thanks for the responses as well as the DMs. He’s 6’1” and may eek out another half inch. His dad and I both have large hands compared to our average height. (We both had tall fathers. I assume that’s where his height comes from.)
No idea what he means by comfort but basically he said he didn’t feel like smaller gloves fit. He’s been a SS for most of his playing years but is being called on to play 2nd and 3rd - partly because he’s versatile. Before school was suspended, he was starting at 2nd but backing up 3rd and SS. My guess is next year he’ll play 3rd.
As a batter he’s moved from batting 1st and 2nd to 4th and 5th so he is working (fairly successfully) on crushing the ball. 😀
He was injured much of last HS season so it’s disappointing he may lose this one too. At least he’s healthy now and continuing to build his strength.
Thanks again.
One notable choice is the Mizuno, and it is made from durable synthetic leather. Besides, the Rawlings is a good choice. 
You may consider the SSK Javier Baez infield glove. It is "custom" made for Javier. He has played 2b, SS and 3B. If interested send a PM.
Bob
I'm confused by the question. Gloves come in many lengths, as noted above. But when you're talking about the inside (hand) size, usually there's the youth size and the adult size. The inner size doesn't get smaller when you get a shorter glove, nor larger with a longer glove.
I've never known anyone to have hands are so massive that a standard adult glove feels uncomfortably tight, but if your son is the first, I'm thinking there must be precedents at the pro level. So maybe check out web sites for Rawlings, Wilson, Mizuno, etc., or use their "contact" page, to ask about gloves for mountain men.
Beyond that, I've always thought the Rawlings models were more narrow, Mizuno in the middle, and Wilsons were larger in the palm. My own hands are pretty average, and I always felt uncomfortable with a Wilson (e.g., the A2000) because it felt like my pinky was getting spread too far away from my thumb. So if maybe your son has been using Rawlings, he may do better with a Wilson.
