So your kid wants to play baseball. Or your kid signed up because their friend signed up. Either way, you are now staring at a sporting-goods aisle that has six glove sizes, fourteen bat lengths, and helmets in every color but the one your kid wants.
Here is what you actually need, by age. We have bought the wrong thing in almost every category at least once. Learn from us.
Ages 5–7 (Tee-ball)
This is the year of let’s see if they like it. Buy the basics. Don’t buy a $200 bat for a 5-year-old who may switch to soccer in three weeks.
A 9-inch glove
A 9-inch glove fits a 5-to-7-year-old hand. Anything bigger is for show. Look for one labeled “youth” or “tee-ball” with pre-broken-in webbing. A stiff glove that won’t close ends up sitting in the bag while the kid plays bare-handed.
How to choose: have your kid hold the glove out and squeeze it shut with one hand. If they can’t close it, it is too big. If it flops around their hand like a sock, it is too small.
Cost range: $20–40. Don’t go higher at this age.
A tee-ball bat (24–26 inch)
Tee-ball bats are aluminum, light, and short. Look for a 24-to-26 inch length and 13-to-15 ounce weight. Most leagues mark approved bats with a stamp.
How to choose: the one-arm test. Have your kid extend the bat horizontally from one arm at shoulder height. If they can hold it for 5 to 10 seconds without dropping, the weight is right. If their arm sags immediately, go lighter.
Cost range: $25–50.
A helmet
Most leagues provide team helmets. If yours doesn’t, get a basic youth helmet sized to fit snugly without pinching. The helmet should not move when your kid shakes their head.
Cost range: $25–40.
Cleats (optional at this age)
Tee-ball can be played in regular sneakers. Plastic cleats are nice if you have them, not necessary. If you buy cleats, buy a half-size up so they last through the season.
Cost range: $30–55.
Pants and a belt
Leagues usually require white or gray pants. The team provides the jersey. A simple elastic belt works. Don’t buy fancy pants for a 6-year-old who slides into bases without thinking.
Cost range: $20–30 for pants, $8–12 for a belt.
Ages 8–10 (Coach-pitch and machine-pitch)
This is when kids start to actually look like baseball players. The gear gets a little more serious. Most kids stay with the same glove for two years and outgrow their bat halfway through year two.
A 10-to-11 inch glove
Move up from the 9-inch tee-ball glove to a 10-or-11-inch infield glove. The webbing and pocket are deeper, which helps with actual catches.
How to choose: your kid should be able to fully open and close the glove with one hand. If you have to help them break it in, plan to play catch with them for a week of evenings before opening day.
Cost range: $35–80. The $80 gloves last longer and feel better.
A 27-to-28 inch bat
The one-arm test still works. At this age, bats run 27 to 29 inches and 17 to 22 ounces. Lighter is almost always better. A bat that’s too heavy turns into a slow, late swing and a frustrated kid.
Cost range: $50–120.
Batting gloves (optional)
Most coach-pitch kids don’t need them. By age 10, some kids want them because they see older kids wearing them. They do help with grip and they hide blisters.
Cost range: $15–30.
Cleats (now actually needed)
Plastic-stud cleats are the standard. Metal cleats are not legal in most leagues until age 13. Look for cleats with a high enough collar to stop ankle rolls.
Cost range: $40–80.
Ages 11–12 (Player-pitch and middle-school feeder)
This is when most kids decide if they’re staying in the sport. The gear list gets longer. The real cost is travel ball if you go that route.
An 11-to-12 inch glove
Infielders use 11-inch gloves. Outfielders use 12-inch. If your kid plays multiple positions (most do), get a 11.5-inch as the all-purpose option.
How to choose: position-specific gloves matter starting at this age. If your kid is a pitcher, the glove should have a closed web (the opponent shouldn’t see your kid’s grip on the ball).
Cost range: $80–180.
A 29-to-30 inch bat
Look for the USSSA stamp if your league requires it. Drop weight (the difference between length and weight) usually goes from -10 to -8 in this age band. The one-arm test still works. Don’t buy your kid a heavier bat to “make them stronger.”
Cost range: $80–250 for a decent name-brand bat. The $400 composite bats are not necessary.
A protective cup
This is a conversation no parent enjoys. Buy one before the season starts. Your kid will not like it. They will get over it.
Cost range: $15–25.
Catcher’s gear (only if your kid is the catcher)
Most leagues provide team catcher’s gear. If you go travel ball, you may need your own. Helmet, chest protector, leg guards, and a catcher’s mitt run $300 to $500 as a set.
Cost range: $300–500 for the full set if needed.
Ages 13–14 (Junior high / pony / travel)
The bat rules change here (BBCOR for high school, USSSA for travel). The glove gets full-size. Investments start to be worth making.
A 12-inch glove
Outfielders go to 12 to 12.75 inch. Infielders stay around 11.5 to 12 inch. Pitchers want a closed web. Buy quality leather; it lasts four years if you take care of it.
How to choose: your kid should help pick this one. They will be using it for at least three seasons.
Cost range: $150–300.
A BBCOR or USSSA bat
Check league rules before buying. BBCOR (high school) bats run -3 drop weight (heavier). USSSA (travel) bats run -8 to -10. They are not interchangeable.
How to choose: the one-arm test still works, but at this age the swing speed matters more than the bat tech. Don’t get talked into a $500 composite bat unless your kid is a serious hitter.
Cost range: $150–400.
Metal cleats (now legal in most leagues)
Metal cleats grip better but cost more. Plastic still works. If your kid plays travel ball on dirt infields, metal is worth the money.
Cost range: $70–150.
Ages 15+ (High school and club)
The economics change here. Most high-school programs supply jerseys, helmets, and field gear. You buy the personal gear: glove, bat, cleats, gloves, undershirts, and any specialty equipment for their position.
Buy the best glove you can afford. A $250 glove will outlast a $80 glove by three to five seasons. The bat economics are different — composites die after a year or two of heavy use.
Travel and showcase ball gets expensive fast: $1,500 to $4,000 per season for fees, travel, and equipment. We are not telling you that’s worth it. We are telling you what it costs.
A few honest notes
Don’t buy a kid’s gear in February for a season that starts in May. Kids grow. Buy as close to the season as you can.
Don’t buy used cleats. The mold of the previous kid’s foot is in there. Cleats are the one thing always worth buying new.
Don’t buy a glove online without trying it first. Glove fit is a hand thing, not a size-chart thing.
Don’t tell your kid the bat cost a lot. It will be in the dugout under a pile of helmets within three weeks. They are 11. Let them.
— Maren