First off, I‘m 100% in for a baseball glove! At 86 lbs, I take it she has pretty small hands? You have a few dilemmas you’re gonna have to deal with her playing multiple positions.
I’m definitely more well versed at recommending an infield glove, it’s what I dealt with for over ten years. While coaching it was around age 14 or 15 that my girls who played multiple positions owned and played with more than one glove, it’s just the way it is.
There’s a brand new Vinci BV1929-L here at the house that’s going to a auction / raffle, it’s a 12.5” glove that plays like a 12.25” with a super small, really snug hand stall. It’s definitely worth a look although you’ll probably have to re-lace it day one as soon as you take it out of the box, the lace is horrible!
I’m not a huge fan of having a glove that large for infield, but that’s the compromise when you try and use one glove for both infield and outfield. If you’ve done any searching here, I still believe the Don Morton’s Rawlings Pro1000 is THE best infield glove for girls fastpitch infield.
Wow, I’ve been out of this for a while!
Hey AD, Haven’t talked in a long time! I’ll try to reach out some time this week.
I disagree with you about the laces on that Vinci BV1929-L. They just require a lot of conditioning and breaking in. In fact, the entire glove does. The colored leathers are particularly tough and not for the uninitiated.
Now, onto the topic at hand…..
Pro Health,
You don’t mention what your daughter is currently using. That would be a big help in determining a recommendation. I usually like to determine ability and dedication before I make a glove recommendation. Those are important factors to consider especially for a 13yo because that’s very often the tipping point where a glove becomes an investment. You want to possibly think about spending enough money to purchase something that’s going to get her through H.S. and beyond if you think her level of commitment warrants it.
If her hand is on the small size, think about getting a fastpitch specific glove. It’ll fit her better and that’s important! If you decide to go the baseball glove route, I’d suggest looking at pitcher’s gloves because they tend towards deeper pockets that make for great two-way gloves. They also have closed webs which help to maintain glove integrity and longevity. When it comes to size, I would suggest 12” to 12.5” since we’re talking 2-way although 12.5” might be on the big side. Glove weight should also be considered which is why going TOTL might not be the best option. Only you and your daughter can make that determination.
Here are a lot of deserving brands out there bot if I had to make a safe, blind recommendation, it’d be a Wilson A2000 Fastpitch glove. It’s sized properly, well made but not too difficult to break in and will last a long time if properly maintained. Good luck!