Baseball Gear: Bats, Gloves, Helmets and Catcher’s Equipment

This article contains affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

The night before opening day: a new glove soaking up oil, a bat leaning by the door, cleats that still squeak. Baseball asks for more gear than most team sports, and some of it is about safety, not style. Here’s a simple baseball gear list: baseball bats by standard (USABat, USSSA and BBCOR), gloves by position, NOCSAE helmets, catcher’s gear, cleats, the small stuff, and the recovery kit for doubleheaders and tournament weekends.

Prices change often. The prices below are what we saw at the maker or a major retailer in October 2026; check the current price before you buy.

The quick checklist: a bat that’s legal in your league, a glove that fits, a NOCSAE batting helmet, a cup for boys, cleats, a labeled water bottle, sunscreen and a snack. Catchers add a full set of gear. Add batting gloves and a bat bag if you like.

Our top picks

Bats: buy the standard your league uses

Standard	Who uses it	What to look for
USABat	Little League (Majors and below), Cal Ripken, PONY and other youth leagues	USA Baseball mark on the bat; any drop weight; barrel up to 2⅝ in. Tee ball bats only with tee balls.
USSSA (1.15 BPF)	Many travel tournaments	USSSA 1.15 BPF stamp. Not allowed in Little League.
BBCOR (-3)	High school (since 2012) and college; allowed in Little League’s teenage divisions	“BBCOR .50” mark; barrel up to 2⅝ in; weight no more than 3 oz under length.
Wood	Pros and wood-bat summer leagues such as the Northwoods League	One-piece wood is legal at almost every level; check barrel and length limits.

The Easton Speed BBCOR is a one-piece ALX50 aluminum bat with a -3 drop for high school and college play, about $94. For youth leagues, the Easton Speed USA carries the USA Baseball mark with a -10 drop and 2⅝-inch barrel, about $68. For travel ball, the Marucci CATX2 Connect is USSSA 1.15 BPF certified with a 2¾-inch barrel and an end-loaded feel, about $155. A lighter bat (a bigger drop) is easier for young hitters to swing, which is why USABat has no drop limit.

Bats are changing. USA Baseball took over the BBCOR standard from the NCAA in 2026 as “USA BBCOR.” The performance limit doesn’t change; bats with the new mark are expected from July 2027. Today’s BBCOR bats stay legal in high school indefinitely and in the NCAA through the 2028 season; from January 1, 2029, the NCAA requires the USA BBCOR mark. From 2028, high school players may also use USABat -4, -5 and -6 bats. Don’t alter a bat in any way: altered bats are illegal in high school and Little League.

Check the Easton Speed BBCOR price on Amazon

Check the Easton Speed USA price on Amazon

Gloves by position

• Catcher: a heavily padded mitt, sized by circumference (the youth mitt below is 32 inches). NFHS rules let the catcher’s mitt be any size.
• First base: a long, mitt-style glove for scooping throws.
• Infield: smaller gloves with shallower pockets for a quick transfer to the throwing hand.
• Outfield: the longest gloves, with deep pockets for fly balls.
• Pitcher: many pitchers like a closed web. In high school, a pitcher’s glove can’t include white or gray.

For every fielder except the catcher, NFHS rules cap the glove at 14 inches tall, an 8-inch palm and a 5¾-inch web. Kids do best with a glove they can close: the Rawlings Select Pro Lite youth gloves come about 90% broken in, with a smaller “Youth Pro Taper” hand opening, in many pro-player models (the 11.5-inch model suits third base and the outfield), about $65. Young catchers can step up to the Rawlings Select Pro Lite 32-inch catcher’s mitt, made for youth players, about $70.

Check the Rawlings Select Pro Lite price on Amazon

Batting helmets: NOCSAE, ear flaps and face guards

High school rules require batters, on-deck batters, runners and young base coaches to wear a batting helmet that meets the NOCSAE standard, with ear flaps covering both ears and temples, the NOCSAE stamp and the warning label. Little League also requires the NOCSAE stamp, and warns that adding an aftermarket face guard or C-flap can void the certification unless the helmet maker confirms it doesn’t. AAOS notes that face shields attached to batting helmets can reduce facial injuries, and researchers who studied US high school baseball found that almost half of injuries from batted balls were to the head and face.

The Rawlings MACH Adjust meets the NOCSAE standard and has a built-in jaw guard with nine settings, in junior and senior sizes, about $75. For younger players, the Rawlings Coolflo youth helmet is NOCSAE certified, vented, fits hat sizes 6½ to 7½ and is pre-drilled for Rawlings face guards, about $47.

Check the Rawlings MACH Adjust price on Amazon

Catcher’s gear

High school catchers must wear a helmet and mask combination that meets the NOCSAE standard with full ear protection, a throat protector, a chest protector that meets the NOCSAE standard and carries its mark, baseball shin guards and, for boys, a protective cup. NOCSAE’s chest-protector standard (ND200) was written to protect against commotio cordis, a rare cardiac arrest from a blow to the chest, so look for that mark wherever your league plays. AAOS adds that the chest protector should be a long model.

The Easton Black Magic 3.0 youth set includes a steel-mask helmet, chest protector and articulated leg guards in Youth Medium (ages 6–9) and Youth Large (9–12), about $170; Easton lists the helmet as NOCSAE certified. Check the chest protector’s label for the NOCSAE mark if your league requires it.

Check the Easton Black Magic 3.0 price on Amazon

Cleats, cups and the small stuff

• Cleats: AAOS suggests a snug heel, a roomy toe box, good traction, a flexible sole and ankle support, and breaking new cleats in before a game. NFHS rules require shoes and ban track spikes; youth leagues set their own cleat rules, so ask before buying metal. Kids often outgrow cleats before they wear them out.
• Cup: AAOS recommends athletic supporters with cups for boys and men, and high school rules require them for catchers. Shock Doctor compression shorts with a Bio-Flex cup come in adult and youth sizes, about $20 to $35.
• Batting gloves: optional, for grip and fewer blisters. The Franklin CFX Pro (cabretta leather, youth and adult sizes, about $40) is, Franklin says, the official batting glove of MLB.
• Elbow and shin guards: AAOS says batters may consider guards on the arm and leg facing the pitcher.
• Balls: high school balls must carry the NOCSAE mark, like the Rawlings NFHS baseballs (about $75 a dozen). For young kids, AAOS notes that softer balls lower the risk of injury from pitched balls.

Recovery gear for the bat bag

Many pitchers carry Jaeger J-Bands (about $43) for band exercises before and after throwing; ask your coach, athletic trainer or physical therapist which routine fits your arm, and remember that bands don’t replace pitch counts and rest. After a doubleheader, a TriggerPoint GRID 1.0 foam roller (13 × 5 inches, multi-density surface) or a small massage gun like the Hypervolt Go 3 (about $149, 1.6 lb, up to 4 hours of battery) helps with tight legs and hips, and recovery slides like the OOFOS OOahh (about $60, washable, with the APMA Seal of Acceptance) feel great once the cleats come off. Keep a big bottle like the Nalgene 32 oz in the dugout. These are comfort tools, not treatment: arm pain that doesn’t settle needs a sports medicine doctor, physical therapist or athletic trainer. Our resistance bands, foam rollers, massage guns and recovery shoes guides compare more.

Check the Jaeger J-Bands price on Amazon

Check the OOFOS OOahh Slide price on Amazon

Back to the baseball hub, or see youth baseball, baseball rules, baseball injuries and the best wearables for baseball. Also play soccer? See our soccer gear list.

Baseball gear questions

What kind of bat do I need for high school baseball?

A non-wood bat must meet the BBCOR standard (-3 drop, 2⅝-inch barrel at most) and carry the BBCOR mark; one-piece wood bats are also legal. From 2028, USABat -4, -5 and -6 bats will be allowed too.

Can my child use a USSSA bat in Little League?

No. Little League prohibits all 1.15 BPF bats and requires the USA Baseball (USABat) mark in the Majors and below. Many families keep a USA bat for league play and a USSSA bat for travel tournaments that allow them.

Does a batting helmet need a face guard?

Rules vary by league, but AAOS notes that face shields can reduce facial injuries. Buy a helmet with a guard made or approved by the helmet maker, because add-ons can void the NOCSAE certification.

What gear does a catcher need?

A catcher’s mitt, a NOCSAE helmet and mask with a throat guard, a NOCSAE chest protector, shin guards and, for boys, a cup. That’s the high school requirement and the AAOS recommendation.

Are metal cleats allowed?

High school rules require shoes and ban only track spikes. Youth leagues set their own cleat rules, so check with your league before buying metal cleats for a young player.