Short answer: the right way to break in a glove is heat, then shape, then catch. Warm the leather (a glove steamer is best, a hot shower's steam or a warm damp cloth will do), work the hinge open and closed, shape the pocket with a mallet or a ball, and then play catch until it closes on its own. Two to three weeks of daily catch for a stiff pro-grade glove, a few days for a softer youth glove. Never use an oven, a microwave, or more than a little conditioner.
The method, step by step
- Steam it, or warm it. Heat softens the leather without damaging it. We steam gloves in the store on request; see which models are eligible for glove steaming. At home, hang the glove in the bathroom during a hot shower, or wrap it in a warm, wrung-out towel for 15 minutes. Warm, not hot.
- Work the hinge. While it's warm, open and close the glove 50 times, folding along the hinge where you want it to close: thumb to ring finger for infielders, thumb to pinky for outfielders and first basemen. This sets the fold for the life of the glove.
- Shape the pocket. Put a ball in the pocket and pound it with a glove mallet or the heel of your hand, 100 or so hits, concentrating where the ball should land. Then close the glove around the ball and wrap it with a glove wrap or two rubber bands overnight.
- Condition lightly. One thin coat of glove conditioner on the palm, pocket and hinge, worked in with a cloth, then wiped off. Once at break-in, then once or twice a season. That's it.
- Play catch. This is the step that actually breaks it in. Everything above just gets the glove ready for it. Two to three weeks of daily catch for a stiff pro-grade glove, a few days for a game-ready youth model.
Shape it for your position
| Position | Fold | Tip | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infield | Shallow | Thumb to ring finger, fingers slightly spread | Keep it open and wide. A deep pocket slows the transfer. |
| Outfield | Deep | Thumb to pinky | Wrap with a ball overnight for the first two weeks. |
| Catcher's mitt | Deep, firm edges | Thumb to the side, like a taco | Needs the most work. Steam twice. Pound the pocket, not the edges. |
| First base mitt | Deep | Thumb to the side | Same as outfield, with a wider opening. |
| Pitcher | Medium, closed web | Thumb to ring finger | Break in so it closes fully; you're hiding the ball. |
Five mistakes that ruin a glove
- The oven or microwave. Dry heat cooks the leather and the laces. The glove feels softer that day and starts cracking within a season. Nothing voids a manufacturer's warranty faster.
- Too much oil. Oil softens leather by breaking it down. A little helps; a lot turns a $300 glove into a heavy, floppy one in a year. Conditioner, not oil, and a thin coat.
- Soaking it. Dunking a glove in water, or the old trick of driving over it, weakens the laces and stretches the leather unevenly. Steam or a damp cloth, not a bucket.
- Breaking it in like the wrong position. An infield glove folded thumb-to-pinky becomes an outfield glove. See the table above.
- Shaving cream, petroleum jelly, leather spray from the hardware store. They either do nothing or do what oil does. Use something made for gloves.
Youth gloves: don't over-break them
Most youth gloves under about $100 (Rawlings Select Pro Lite and Shut Out, Wilson A200 and A360, Mizuno Prospect) come 80 to 90 percent game-ready and need a few days of catch, not a full break-in. Steaming one is fine; mallet work and oil usually aren't needed. If an 8-year-old's glove is still too stiff to close after a week of catch, it's too big a glove, not an under-broken one. See the baseball gloves and fastpitch gloves collections, which list fit by age.
Pro-grade gloves: be patient
A Rawlings Heart of the Hide, Wilson A2000 or A2K, or Mizuno Pro is built from stiff, dense leather on purpose: it holds its shape for years. That's why it takes two to three weeks to break in and why steaming is worth it on one. Two steamings a week apart, with catch in between, is the fastest honest path. Don't try to shortcut it with heat or oil; you're paying for leather that's meant to last, and the shortcuts undo that.
Keeping it broken in
- Store it with a ball in the pocket and the glove wrapped, not flat under a bag.
- Keep it out of a hot car trunk. Heat dries leather the same way an oven does, just slower.
- If it gets wet, let it dry at room temperature with a ball in the pocket. No hair dryer.
- Condition once or twice a season. Re-lace when a lace frays, before it breaks mid-game.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to break in a baseball glove?
A few days of catch for a youth glove, two to three weeks for a stiff pro-grade glove like a Heart of the Hide or A2000. Steaming cuts that roughly in half.
Can you put a baseball glove in the oven?
No. Dry heat from an oven or microwave dries out the leather and laces, causing cracking within a season, and it voids most manufacturer warranties. Use steam or a warm damp cloth instead.
Is glove steaming worth it?
Yes for a stiff pro-grade glove, where it can cut break-in time in half without damaging the leather. It's rarely necessary on a youth glove that's already soft out of the box.
Should I oil a new glove?
Use a thin coat of glove conditioner, not oil, once at break-in and once or twice a season after that. Too much oil breaks down the leather and makes the glove heavy and floppy.
How do you break in a catcher's mitt?
Steam it, fold it thumb-to-side so it closes like a taco, pound the pocket with a mallet, wrap it with a ball overnight, and catch bullpens. Catcher's mitts take the longest of any glove; steaming twice is reasonable.
Does breaking in a glove the wrong way void the warranty?
Oven, microwave and water damage usually do. Steaming, mallet work and conditioner don't.
Direct Sports has been fitting and steaming gloves in Pearisburg, Virginia since 1988. Buying new? Shop baseball gloves, fastpitch gloves, slowpitch gloves and glove accessories, or email us with the player's age and position.
