Best Infield Training Gloves for Developing Soft Hands

Updated for 2026 — This article has been reviewed and updated with the latest recommendations.

Soft hands are what separate a good infielder from a great one. The ball does not just land in your glove; you receive it, cushion it, and transition it to your throwing hand in one smooth motion. Training gloves are designed to accelerate this skill by forcing you to field with proper technique. They are smaller, flatter, or paddle-shaped so that a lazy backhand or stiff wrist gets punished immediately.

Here are the best infield training gloves available and how to use them to build the hands every middle infielder wants.

Why Training Gloves Work

A standard 11.5-inch infield glove has a deep pocket, good webbing, and enough leather to bail you out on off-center catches.

That forgiveness is great in games but counterproductive in practice. Training gloves strip away that safety net. With a smaller pocket or no pocket at all, you have to center the ball, receive it with soft hands, and use proper technique on every single rep. After a few weeks of daily grounders with a training glove, your regular gamer feels like a luxury.

Types of Infield Training Gloves

Pancake Gloves

Pancake gloves have a flat, paddle-like design with no pocket and no webbing.

The ball hits the flat leather surface and will bounce away unless you cushion it with your hand and trap it with your bare hand on top. This forces the two-hand approach that coaches preach and develops the soft receiving motion that prevents bobbles during the transfer.

Undersized Gloves

These look like regular infield gloves but are 1 to 2 inches smaller. An 9.5 or 10-inch training glove has a functional pocket but almost no margin for error.

You have to get your body in front of the ball and field it in the center of the pocket. Balls caught on the edge will pop out.

Flat Gloves with Wrist Strap

Some training gloves combine the pancake concept with a wrist strap that keeps the glove secure during aggressive fielding drills. These are good for younger players who might lose their grip on a flat glove during rapid-fire grounders.

Top Picks

Rawlings Heart of the Hide Training Glove (9.5 inch)

This is a shrunken version of the beloved HOH infield glove, made from the same premium steerhide leather. It has a small but functional pocket, and the leather quality means it will break in beautifully and last for years of practice use. The 9.5-inch pattern forces precision without being as extreme as a pancake glove. It is the best option for players who want a realistic glove feel with reduced margin for error.

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SKLZ Tuff Training Glove

The SKLZ Tuff is a true pancake glove with a flat leather surface and no pocket.

It comes in a simple design with an adjustable wrist strap. The leather is not premium, but it holds up well for training purposes. At a fraction of the price of the Rawlings HOH trainer, it is a practical entry point for players or teams buying multiple gloves for infield drills.

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Akadema Professional Pancake Glove

Akadema makes a well-constructed pancake glove that sits in the middle of the price range.

The leather is thick and durable, and the flat surface is wide enough for adult hands. It includes a reinforced thumb slot that keeps your hand positioned correctly. This is a good choice for high school and college infielders who want a dedicated pancake glove that will last through multiple seasons of daily use.

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Wilson A200 Training Glove (10 inch)

Wilson's A200 is an undersized glove designed for youth players, but the 10-inch model also works as a training glove for older players.

It has a shallow pocket and lightweight construction that lets you take fast-paced reps without hand fatigue. It is not made from premium leather, so durability is limited compared to the Rawlings HOH trainer, but the price makes it easy to justify for a training-only role.

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Drills to Use with a Training Glove

Short-Hop Drill

Have a partner throw one-hoppers from 30 feet.

Field each ball with the training glove and immediately transfer to your throwing hand. The flat surface of a pancake glove makes short hops especially challenging and teaches you to give with your hands rather than stabbing at the ball.

Rapid-Fire Grounders

Set up at shortstop depth while a coach hits grounders at a quick pace. You do not throw the ball back; you field, transfer, and drop it. The emphasis is on clean receiving and quick hands, not throwing accuracy. Twenty balls in a row at a 3-second pace builds the repetition density that creates muscle memory.

Forehand and Backhand Isolation

Roll balls to your glove side and throwing side, alternating. With a training glove, the backhand play requires precise glove positioning because you cannot rely on a deep web to snag the ball. This drill highlights any mechanical flaws in your backhand approach.

Bare-Hand to Training Glove Progression

Start by fielding slow rollers bare-handed. Then switch to the training glove. Then finish with your game glove. This progression teaches your hands to work from hardest to easiest, which makes your game glove feel incredibly comfortable by the end of the session.

When to Use a Training Glove

Training gloves should be part of your practice routine, not a replacement for your game glove during live drills. Use them during pregame infield, solo practice sessions, and drill work. Most coaches recommend 10 to 15 minutes per practice with a training glove. That is enough to reinforce proper mechanics without fatiguing your hands or building frustration.

Bottom Line

An infield training glove is a small investment that pays off in noticeably softer hands and cleaner transfers. The Rawlings HOH 9.5-inch trainer is the premium pick for serious players. The SKLZ Tuff pancake glove is the best value. Either way, dedicating part of every practice to a training glove will make your game glove feel like an unfair advantage.