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Youth Baseball Equipment: Bats, Gloves and Catcher's Gear

Youth baseball equipment comes down to five things: the right bat length and league stamp, a glove sized by age and position, a batting helmet with the NOCSAE mark, catcher's gear if your child catches, and a bag to carry it. This hub sizes each one from the makers' own charts and the league rule pages.

Updated November 3, 2026 · By Editorial Team

Quick answer: sizing youth baseball gear

Bats are sized by length (about 24 to 26 inches for ages 5 to 7, rising to 30 to 31 at 11 to 12 by Easton's chart) and must carry the stamp your league requires. Gloves run about 9 to 10.5 inches for tee ball and about 10.25 to 12.5 inches for youth, depending on position. Batting helmets need the NOCSAE mark for Little League. Catchers need a helmet with mask and throat guard, chest protector and shin guards.

Original illustration of a youth baseball glove, bat, ball and batting tee on a grassy field

What a young baseball or softball player needs

Baseball and softball ask parents to buy more separate pieces than most sports: a bat, a glove, a batting helmet, and for catchers a set of protective gear. Most of the cost is avoidable if you size each piece from the makers' charts and check your league's rule page before you shop, because the rule decides which bats are legal and which gear is required.

This hub does that work in one place. It uses the published guidance of Easton (Rawlings), Louisville Slugger, DeMarini, Wilson and All-Star, plus Little League's own rule pages. Where two makers disagree, we show both. Where a maker does not publish a number, we say so rather than fill the gap. For measured, step-by-step answers use our three size tools: baseball bat size, baseball glove size and softball bat size.

Baseball and softball first-season checklist
ItemHow to size itCheck first
BatLength by age or height and weight; drop is a separate choiceThe stamp your league requires
GloveSize in inches by age and positionRight- or left-hand throw
Batting helmetHead measurement and the maker's chartNOCSAE mark (Little League requires it)
Catcher's gearTorso and lower-leg length, head sizeWho supplies it; the league's required list
Cleats and bagFoot length, with socks onWhether metal cleats are allowed in your league

Bat length by age

Bat length is the first decision. Easton and Louisville Slugger publish age tables that agree on every age band below 15 and differ by one inch at the top. Within a band, the tools above refine the number by height and weight, since children of one age vary a lot.

Bat length by age, from two makers
AgeEastonLouisville Slugger
5 to 724 to 26 in24 to 26 in
8 to 926 to 28 in26 to 28 in
1028 to 29 in28 to 29 in
11 to 1230 to 31 in30 to 31 in
13 to 1431 to 32 in31 to 32 in
15 to 1632 to 33 in32 to 33 in
17 and up34 in33 to 34 in

Sources: Easton (Rawlings) sizing charts: bats and gloves; Louisville Slugger: How to choose a baseball bat. Checked .

Rawlings adds that tee ball players commonly start with 24 to 26 inch bats, and Little League's rules say bats used in tee ball must be 26 inches or shorter and marked for use with approved tee balls. Softball bats follow the same age bands in DeMarini's fastpitch table. Length is only half of the choice: drop (length in inches minus weight in ounces) changes how light the bat feels, and our bat tool explains it by stamp.

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League stamps and the rules that come first

A bat that is the right length can still be illegal in your league. Little League's bat rules require the USABat mark for Minors and Majors, with a barrel of 2 5/8 inches or less and a length of no more than 33 inches, and a bat marked only USSSA is not accepted up to Majors. Intermediate and Junior divisions accept USABat or BBCOR with a 34 inch length cap, and Senior requires BBCOR. Travel and other leagues set their own rules, so the league page you read is the only one that counts.

League rules beat our charts

Stamps, barrel sizes and required protective gear vary by league and age group. Read your league's rule page and ask the coach before you buy. Our bat tool shows each maker's guidance beside the Little League rule, with the date we checked.

Sources: Little League: Bat rules (Rule 1.10, baseball). Checked .

We explain the stamps in plain language, with a comparison table and links to the official pages, in the baseball bat size chart and the stamp notes on that page.

Glove size by age and position

Gloves are sized in inches, measured by the maker's own method, and the right size depends on position as much as age. Easton and Wilson publish different splits, so the table shows each maker's range and where they overlap you can use either. A first baseman's mitt and a catcher's mitt are cut differently from an infield glove. Neither maker lists a catcher's mitt size, so we do not give one.

Youth glove size in inches, from two makers
Level or positionEastonWilson
Tee ball8.5 to 10 in (ages 3 to 6)9 to 10 in (to age 5); 10 to 10.5 in (6 to 7)
Youth infield10.25 to 11.5 in (ages 7 to 12)10.75 to 11.5 in (8 to 10); 11 to 11.75 in (11 to 12)
Youth outfield11.5 to 12.25 in (ages 7 to 12)10.75 to 11.5 in (8 to 10); 11.75 to 12.5 in (11 to 12)
Youth pitcherNo range listed10.75 to 11.5 in (8 to 10); 11.5 to 12.5 in (11 to 12)
Youth first base11.5 to 12 in (ages 7 to 12)No range listed

Sources: Easton (Rawlings) sizing charts: bats and gloves; Wilson: How to choose a glove. Checked .

A new glove is stiff, and how you break it in matters. Both Rawlings and Wilson publish methods, and the Rawlings page warns against heating a glove. We summarise both, with step cards, in how to break in a baseball glove. Use our glove size tool to look up an age and position.

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Catcher's gear: what is required and how to size it

Little League's safety appendix says catchers must wear a catcher's helmet with face mask and throat guard, a chest protector and shin guards, and male catchers must wear a protective supporter and cup at all times. It also says catchers wear the helmet, mask and throat guard when warming up pitchers, and that skull caps are not permitted. Other leagues vary.

Sizing is by body measurement, not just age. Nike says to measure the lower leg from the middle of the knee cap to the ankle bone and the torso from the collar bone to the top of the waist. All-Star's baseball chart gives a feel for youth sizes:

Youth catcher's gear sizes (All-Star)
AgeChest guardLeg guards
5 to 7 (tee ball)10 in10 in
7 to 913 to 13.5 in12.5 in
9 to 1214 to 14.5 in13.5 in
12 to 1615.5 in14.5 to 15 in

All-Star lists one youth catcher's helmet range of hat sizes 6 1/4 to 7. Models differ, so read the size on the model you are buying. Our youth catcher's gear guide has the measuring steps and fit checks.

Sources: Little League: Playing rules, appendix B (safety and equipment); All-Star baseball catcher gear size chart (hosted by Scheels); Nike: Catcher's gear size chart. Checked .

Batting helmets

Little League's rules require batters to wear protective NOCSAE helmets in practice as well as games, and say batting and catcher's helmets should not be painted unless the maker approves. That gives you two simple checks: look for the NOCSAE mark, and leave the helmet as it came. Measure the head with a soft tape, compare the maker's chart, and check the fit in person. Our batting helmet fit checklist walks through it.

Sources: Little League: Playing rules, appendix B (safety and equipment). Checked .

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Practice and storage

A batting tee and a few soft balls cover most backyard hitting. A pitching target helps a young pitcher aim; see our guide to target nets, frame, mesh and size. Gloves keep their shape best stored with a ball in the pocket, in a cool dry place, as Rawlings says. Use an equipment bag with a bat sleeve and a vented pocket for cleats.

  1. Read the league page

    Bat stamp, barrel size, length cap and required protective gear.

  2. Size the bat and glove

    Use the tools, then compare with the league's rules.

  3. Check the helmet

    NOCSAE mark, measured head, fit in person.

  4. Catchers last

    Measure torso, lower leg and head, then check what the league supplies.

Sizes and ranges here are makers' and leagues' published guidance, not a measurement of your child. Kids grow at different rates: check fit in person and follow your league's equipment rules.

Baseball & Softball guides and size tools

Every guide and size chart we have for this sport.

Baseball bat size chart

Length by height, weight and age, with league stamp notes. Open the tool

Baseball glove size chart

Glove inches by age and position. Open the tool

Softball bat size chart

Fastpitch length and drop by age. Open the tool

Youth catcher's gear

What is in a set and how to size it. Read more

How to break in a baseball glove

Methods from Rawlings and Wilson, and what to avoid. Read more

Batting helmet fit checklist

Measure, fit and check the label. Read more

Target nets for baseball and softball

Frame, mesh and size for backyard pitching. Read more

Protective equipment

Protective gear across sports. See the hub

Frequently asked questions

What equipment is needed for youth baseball?

A bat that meets your league's stamp, a glove sized by age and position, and a batting helmet with the NOCSAE mark. Catchers also need a helmet with face mask and throat guard, a chest protector and shin guards. Check your league's list first.

Is a 30 inch bat too big for a 10 year old?

By both the Easton and Louisville Slugger age tables, a 10 year old is in the 28 to 29 inch band, so 30 inches is longer than the chart suggests. Height and weight matter, so use our bat size tool and try the bat.

How do you know what size catcher's gear to buy?

Measure the torso from the collar bone to the top of the waist and the lower leg from the middle of the knee cap to the ankle bone, then compare the maker's chart. Check the helmet's hat size too. See the catcher's gear guide.

What size baseball glove for a 10 year old?

Easton lists 10.25 to 11.5 inches for youth infield and 11.5 to 12.25 for outfield. Wilson lists 10.75 to 11.5 inches for ages 8 to 10. Use the glove tool for the position.

How should a baseball helmet fit?

Measure the head with a soft tape and compare the maker's chart, then check the fit in person. Look for the NOCSAE mark, which Little League requires for batters. Do not paint the helmet unless the maker approves. See the fit checklist.

How long do baseball gloves take to break in?

It varies by glove and how often it is used. Rawlings says regular play continues the break-in, and recommends a light coat of conditioner, not heat. Read our break-in guide.

Links on this page are Amazon Associates affiliate links to Amazon search results; we may earn from qualifying purchases. See our affiliate disclosure. Sizes and rules come from the sources named on this page; follow your league's equipment rules.