By Carlos Castillo, Co-Founder, Kachi Gloves.
I built my first custom glove for an academy kid in 2012. He was a twelve-year-old shortstop with a small hand and a big throwing arm, and nothing on the retail shelf was going to serve him. By 2015 I was building custom gloves for almost every serious player at Kachi Baseball. In 2020 we turned it into a business.
What I've learned across a decade and a half of custom builds is that 90% of people shopping for a custom glove skip the questions that actually matter and get stuck on the ones that don't. So here's the order I walk my players through — ten decisions, in the right sequence, with the reasoning behind each.
1. Position Comes First. Everything Else Follows From It.
Before you pick leather, size, web, or pocket depth — pick your position. Every other decision is downstream.
- Pitcher: closed web, medium pocket, 11.75″–12.25″. The job is grip concealment first, defensive play second.
- Catcher: mitt, not glove. 32″ youth / 33″ adult / 34″ hard-thrower. Closed web standard.
- First base: dedicated mitt, 12.5″–13″. Pocket for scoops, extended length for reach.
- Middle infield (2B / SS): 11.25″–11.75″. Shallow pocket for quick transfers. I-Web or H-Web.
- Third base: 11.75″–12″. Deeper pocket for line drives. H-Web preferred.
- Outfield: 12.5″–13″. Deep pocket, open web for sight lines, extended length.
If you're a "multi-position" youth player still figuring out where you're going to end up, I'd argue you don't need a custom glove yet. Save the money. Build custom when your position stabilizes.
2. Size the Glove to the Hand, Then to the Position.
Every sizing range above is a starting point. If you're a shortstop with a smaller hand, lean toward the 11.25″. If you're a 6'3″ third baseman, the 12″ is going to feel right. The hand wins ties.
How to measure: put your throwing hand flat against a wall, measure from the tip of your middle finger to the base of your palm in inches. That number — roughly — is your glove's minimum comfortable size. For youth players, add a half-inch over the hand measurement to give growth room without going floppy.
3. Choose Your Leather Tier Honestly.
Custom glove leather splits into three real tiers. Don't let marketing convince you there are seven.
- US Steerhide: Durable, affordable, long break-in. The entry tier in every serious brand's lineup. Great for youth, league play, and anyone who wants a custom feel without the premium price.
- US-Kip (Premium Kip): Lighter than steerhide, faster break-in, better grain integrity. Mid-tier. Excellent for high school and college players.
- Japanese Kip: The professional standard in Japan, Taiwan, and increasingly at the MLB level. ~30% lighter than steerhide, about 2× stronger due to tighter grain structure. This is what I used when I pitched in NPB and CPBL. It's also the default at Kachi's custom tier.
The honest truth: most committed players — high school varsity and above — should be on Japanese Kip. The weight difference matters across a season. The break-in is forgiving. The longevity pays back the price.
4. Pick Your Web.
The web does two jobs: structural integrity (how well it holds the pocket shape) and either concealment (pitchers, catchers) or visibility (outfielders). Match to position:
- Closed web: Pitchers, catchers. Hides grip.
- I-Web: Middle infielders. Minimal material, maximum transfer speed.
- H-Web / Two-Piece: Third basemen, outfielders. Rigid but visible.
- Trapeze: Outfielders only. Deepest pocket, most forgiving on fly-ball catches.
- Modified Trap: Multi-position utility. A compromise, not a specialty.
5. Pocket Depth Is a Position Decision, Not a Preference.
Middle infielders want shallow. Third basemen and corner outfielders want deep. Pitchers want medium (deep enough to cradle the ball before delivery, shallow enough to release it on comebackers). Catchers — in a mitt — want deeper-than-a-glove because framing stability is the job.
Don't pick pocket depth based on comfort. Pick it based on the job your glove has to do in the field.
6. Lacing Pattern Matters (a Little). Lacing Color Doesn't (a Lot).
Pattern affects structural integrity. Most serious custom brands offer traditional, contrast, and double-laced heel options. Double-laced heel is worth the small upcharge — it extends glove life by 1–2 seasons under heavy use.
Color, though, is all yours. Go neon, go black-on-black, go contrast-stitched. This is the one decision that's pure self-expression. The only rule: if you're playing in a league with uniform codes, check before you build a neon-pink glove.
7. Embroidery Is the Cheapest Personalization You'll Ever Buy.
Name, number, verse, team logo, flag. Kachi includes Caribbean flag embroidery on every custom glove at no upcharge. Most brands charge $15–$30 per embroidered element. Over the life of a glove you'll use for 5+ seasons, this is the best dollar you'll spend.
One suggestion from a decade of academy builds: put your phone number on the pinky lace. I've watched parents recover lost gloves because of that one detail.
8. Professional Break-In — Check Whether It's Included.
Break-in matters because a stiff glove takes 6–8 weeks of usage to be game-competitive. A steam-broken-in glove is game-ready on day one. That's the difference between picking up your glove the day before your season opener and having it be usable vs. not.
9. Warranty: Get It in Writing.
Lifetime craftsmanship guarantee is the category standard at the premium tier. Check that it covers manufacturing defects, laces, and leather integrity — not "wear and tear" only. Kachi's lifetime guarantee covers all three.
10. Lead Time: Plan For It Honestly.
Typical custom glove lead times:
- Kachi: 6 weeks typical on Japanese Kip custom.
- 44 Pro: 4–5 weeks stated, 5–8 weeks observed in reviews.
- Rawlings HOH Custom: 7–8 weeks stated, frequently longer.
- Wilson A2000/A2K Custom: 6–10 weeks.
- Marucci Capitol Custom: 6–8 weeks.
If you need a glove fast, most brands offer an expedited or "ready-to-ship" tier. Kachi's Ready-to-Ship options are here. The tradeoff is you pick from pre-configured designs instead of fully custom — but the glove is the same leather, same construction.
The Order to Execute In
- Position decided.
- Hand measured, size selected.
- Leather tier chosen honestly.
- Web picked for the position.
- Pocket depth chosen for the job.
- Lacing pattern selected (color is fun, but pattern is structural).
- Embroidery decisions made.
- Break-in confirmed as included.
- Warranty read.
- Lead time matched to your season calendar.