From Heart of the Hide to entry-level youth gloves — every major Rawlings glove line ranked by level, position, and value.
| # | Glove | Best For | Leather | Price | Rating | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heart of the Hide | OF, 3B, C — competitive adult | Top-5% steer hide | ~$280 | ★★★★★ 4.9 | Amazon |
| 2 | Pro Preferred | 2B, SS, P — light/fast fielders | Kip leather | ~$260 | ★★★★★ 4.8 | Amazon |
| 3 | Select Pro Lite (Youth) | Youth 8–13 — travel ball | Top-grain cowhide | ~$80 | ★★★★☆ 4.6 | Amazon |
| 4 | R9 Series | HS / college — budget pro-style | R9 tanned leather | ~$120 | ★★★★☆ 4.5 | Amazon |
| 5 | Playmaker Youth | Rec / beginner 6–11 | Synthetic leather | ~$30 | ★★★★☆ 4.4 | Amazon |
The Heart of the Hide is Rawlings' flagship glove line and has been since 1953. It is made from the top 5% of steer hides selected from Rawlings' annual hide lot — the same raw stock used for MLB game gloves. Each hide is individually inspected for grain tightness, fiber density, and fat content before being tanned using Rawlings' proprietary process that produces leather with a 15–20 year functional life when properly cared for.
The HOH is stiff out of the box — that is the correct expectation. Premium full-grain leather requires 15–25 hours of break-in before it reaches game-ready flexibility. Players who invest that time end up with a glove that forms to their exact hand shape and maintains that pocket geometry for years. Players who want a glove that's soft immediately should look at the Pro Preferred (Kip leather) instead.
Best positions: Outfield (12.75" and 13" models), Third Base (11.75"), Catcher (optional; dedicated HOH CM series). The deeper, stiffer pocket is an asset for outfielders catching fly balls at full extension. Third basemen benefit from the larger palm pad area that buffers hard-hit line drives.
Who should not buy it: Middle infielders (2B, SS) who need a shallower, quicker-release pocket — see the Pro Preferred. Beginners or casual rec players who won't invest in break-in — the HOH will disappoint if not broken in properly.
Check HOH Price on Amazon →Full review: Heart of the Hide detailed review
Why We Love It
Trade-offs
The Pro Preferred uses Kip leather — derived from young cattle (kips), it is lighter, tighter-grained, and faster to break in than full steer hide. The HOH weighs approximately 10–12% more than an equivalent Pro Preferred in the same size. For a middle infielder who makes 4–6 throws per at-bat across a 9-inning game, that weight difference is material. The shallower pocket allows faster ball transfer for double-play pivots.
Kip leather is not a downgrade from steer hide — it is a different material with different properties. Where HOH steer hide is more durable and develops a deeper pocket over time, Kip leather reaches game-ready softness in 5–8 hours of break-in and is the preferred choice of MLB shortstops and second basemen for exactly this reason.
Best positions: Second base (11.25"–11.5"), Shortstop (11.5"–11.75"), Pitcher (11.5"–12"). Not recommended for outfield or catcher positions where HOH is superior.
Check Pro Preferred Price on Amazon →Full review: Pro Preferred detailed review
The Select Pro Lite is Rawlings' best youth glove for competitive players aged 8–13. It uses top-grain cowhide leather — not the premium Kip or HOH hides, but a significant step above the bonded/synthetic leathers used on beginner gloves. The cowhide is softer and more pliable than adult full-grain steer hide, which is intentional: youth players lack the hand strength to break in professional-grade leather, and forcing them to use a stiff adult-construction glove leads to bad fielding habits (closing the glove with the palm rather than the fingers).
The Select Pro Lite is built on the same pattern geometry as the adult Heart of the Hide, scaled for youth hand dimensions. This is a meaningful advantage: a 10-year-old learning proper fielding mechanics with a HOH-pattern glove will have an easier transition to adult HOH gloves in high school than a player who spent 5 years with an off-brand pattern.
Available sizes: 10.5"–12" depending on position. Position-specific models are available (infield, outfield, pitcher).
See Select Pro Lite on Amazon →The R9 fills the gap between recreational gloves ($30–60) and professional-grade models ($200+). It uses R9 tanned leather — full-grain cowhide that is tanned with a proprietary softening process that makes it noticeably more game-ready out of the box than HOH or Pro Preferred leather, while still offering durability over multiple seasons. Think of it as a 70% leather / 30% synthetic blend in terms of feel and longevity.
For a high school player who will use the glove for 2–3 seasons and transition to an HOH when budget allows, the R9 is the obvious choice at ~$120. It plays at or above its price point in all conditions and handles the transition to more premium leather without forcing bad habits.
Available sizes: 11"–12.75" across all positions. Widely available in team-color options.
See R9 Series on Amazon →The Playmaker is Rawlings' entry-level youth line — synthetic leather construction, game-ready out of the box, and priced at ~$30. It is not a durable competition glove; it is a starter glove for beginners trying the sport, casual rec players, and parents who don't want to invest premium dollars in a glove their child may outgrow in a season.
The synthetic leather does not develop a natural pocket or form to the hand the way real leather does, but it softens quickly and is easy for small hands to close. For a 6–8-year-old playing tee-ball or beginner coach-pitch, the Playmaker is entirely appropriate and offers Rawlings' proven pattern geometry at a recreational price.
See Playmaker on Amazon →| Model | Leather | Break-In Time | Durability | Best Age/Level | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heart of the Hide | Top-5% steer hide | 15–25 hrs | 15–20 yrs | Adult competitive | ~$280 |
| Pro Preferred | Kip (young cattle) | 5–8 hrs | 10–12 yrs | Adult competitive (IF) | ~$260 |
| Select Pro Lite | Top-grain cowhide | 3–5 hrs | 4–6 yrs | Youth 8–13, travel ball | ~$80 |
| R9 Series | R9 tanned leather | 2–4 hrs | 3–5 yrs | HS/College budget | ~$120 |
| Playmaker Youth | Synthetic leather | Minimal | 1–2 yrs | Beginner, rec | ~$30 |
HOH Catcher's Mitt (CM33) — reinforced lacing, closed webbing. Not the Pro Preferred; HOH's stiffness is an asset behind the plate.
View on Amazon →HOH First Base Mitt (12.5"–13") — single-post web, deep scoop. Longer than IF gloves; durability matters at 1B.
View on Amazon →Pro Preferred (11.25"–11.5") — lightweight Kip, shallow pocket, fast transfer. Ideal double-play weapon.
View on Amazon →Pro Preferred (11.5"–11.75") — same logic as 2B. Light Kip, H-web for visibility on pop-ups. HOH works too but adds weight.
View on Amazon →HOH (11.75") — stiff palm, deeper pocket absorbs hard-hit balls. Zero-shock palm pad is essential at the hot corner.
View on Amazon →HOH (12.75"–13") — longer, deeper pocket for fly balls. Stiffness is a non-issue; break-in time well spent.
View on Amazon →Rawlings leather gloves in the HOH and Pro Preferred tier are lifetime investments when maintained properly. Three essential care rules:
For a complete breakdown, see our Rawlings Glove Sizing Guide.
Neither is objectively better — they use different leathers optimized for different positions. HOH steer hide is more durable and forms a deeper pocket, ideal for OF/3B. Pro Preferred Kip leather is lighter and breaks in faster, ideal for 2B/SS. If you play corner outfield or third base, get the HOH. If you play middle infield, get the Pro Preferred.
Outfield: 12.5"–13". Third base: 11.5"–11.75". Shortstop: 11.5"–11.75". Second base: 11.25"–11.5". First base: 12.5" mitt. Pitcher: 11.5"–12". Catcher: 32"–34" mitt. For youth players, subtract about 0.5"–1" from each range. See our full sizing guide.
With proper conditioning and storage, a Rawlings Heart of the Hide glove can last 15–20 years of active use. Many players use a single HOH throughout their high school and college career and well into adult amateur leagues. The leather actually improves with age as it conforms to the hand.
MLB players primarily use the Heart of the Hide and Pro Preferred lines, often with custom modifications through Rawlings' pro department. Rawlings is the official glove of Major League Baseball and supplies the majority of gloves used in MLB games. Players' endorsement gloves are typically production models with minor variations.