Back when I was a rookie, I just bought whatever affordable glove I could find and used it for everything. Infield, outfield, it didn’t matter. One glove did it all.
But as I started playing with more serious players, that one glove wasn’t cutting it anymore.
I noticed it most at infield. My glove was holding me back. It took me a beat too long to scoop the ball and get it out of my glove to make the throw. And at a higher level, that one extra second is the difference between an out and a runner on base.
So I started digging into why. Turned out I was using a rolled glove when infielders usually do better with a flared one. Once I flared out my glove, my transfer time got noticeably faster.
So let’s break down flare vs roll baseball gloves and what actually separates the two, so you can figure out which one fits your position and playing style.
Is Flaring a Baseball Glove Good?
Before I get into the details, let’s cover the basics. What does it actually mean to flare a baseball glove, and why should you care?
You’ve probably noticed most baseball gloves come with a deep pocket right out of the box. That’s not just for looks. A deeper pocket helps you cradle and secure the ball once it lands in the glove, which makes catching easier, especially on fly balls.
Flaring a glove means bending the thumb and pinky sections outward so the pocket goes from deep and rounded to flatter and shallower. It basically turns the glove opening into a funnel that channels the ball into your hand instead of trapping it deep in the pocket.
A deep, rolled pocket gives you more ball security, but it also means you have to dig a little more to get the ball out and make your throw. A rolled glove also tends to hold its shape better over a long season of practices and games.
That’s exactly the problem flaring solves. With a flared glove, the shallower pocket makes it a lot faster to scoop up a grounder and get the ball into your throwing hand. You lose a bit of the funnel effect on high balls, but you gain speed on the transfer.
You can flare a glove yourself at home with a mallet and some patience, or you can buy a pre-flared glove if you’d rather skip the work.
Whether flaring is “good” really comes down to your position. Infielders tend to prefer a flared glove since they deal with ground balls and quick transfers constantly. Outfielders lean toward rolled gloves because tracking down fly balls is easier with that deeper pocket.
In my experience, most softball players, regardless of position, stick with rolled gloves. But in baseball, the choice usually comes down to position and personal feel.
So whether flaring your glove is a good move for you depends almost entirely on where you play and what feels right in your hand.
Why do Baseball Players Flare Their Gloves?
The main reason players flare their gloves is to flatten the pocket so it’s easier to scoop the ball and get it to the base. Since a flatter pocket also opens up more surface area, it’s easier to funnel ground balls into the glove in the first place.
Infielders get the most benefit here. Because they need to get the ball out of the glove and into their throwing hand fast, a flatter pocket shortens that transfer. You’ll see this a lot at the MLB level too. Players like Nolan Arenado and Matt Chapman, both known for elite infield defense, flare their gloves (sometimes combined with loosened laces) specifically to open up that catching surface and speed up their release.
Should I Flare My Baseball Glove?
Like I said, flaring comes down to your position and preference, so I can’t give you a one-size-fits-all answer. But here’s my general rule of thumb.
If you play outfield, I’d stick with a rolled glove. These come with a deeper pocket, and since outfielders mostly deal with high, well-hit balls, that deeper pocket comes in handy. If you want to see how outfield gloves stack up against infield patterns in more detail, my infield vs outfield baseball gloves breakdown covers it, and my picks for the best outfield gloves are a good place to start shopping.
If you’re an infielder, flaring might be worth trying, depending on how the ball feels coming out of your glove right now. If you’ve got a spare glove sitting around, flare that one first and give it a few reps in practice. If you like how it feels and performs, then flare your main glove or pick up one that’s already flared. My best infield gloves guide has a few models that flare well if you’re shopping for a new one.
Can You Flare an Outfield Glove?
Whether it’s an outfield glove or an infield baseball glove, it really doesn’t matter. You can flare either one. But outfielders typically stick with a rolled, non-flared glove since the deeper pocket makes tracking down fly balls easier.
Do Pros Flare Their Baseball Gloves?
Yes, plenty of pros flare their gloves. Most MLB infielders actually go with a pre-flared glove built specifically for their hand and position. At the college and university level, players usually flare their own gloves by hand, mainly because pre-flared gloves cost more and aren’t always the most budget-friendly option for that stage of play.
With That Said
There’s a real difference between a flare and a roll baseball glove, and hopefully that’s clear now. But which one is right for you comes down to your position and how you like the ball to feel coming out of your glove.
If I had to make the call for you, I’d say go flared if you play infield, and stick with a rolled glove if you’re in the outfield. Either way, start with a solid glove in the first place. Check out my full roundup of the best baseball gloves if you’re still shopping for your next one.
Hopefully this comparison between flare and roll baseball gloves gave you what you needed. Cheers!
With 4 years of Division II experience, a .272 career batting average, .410 on-base percentage, and 7 home runs, I’m now in my fifth season. I’ve played baseball since age 3, alongside future MLB Draft picks, and I aim to pursue a career in baseball professionally, be it playing, coaching, or scouting.