Mizuno Pro Select Fastpitch Softball Glove 11.5″ Review

For many fastpitch softball players, the Mizuno Pro Select fastpitch softball glove 11.5″ is an unexpected godsend.

The Mizuno Pro Series started out as a premium line of gloves for professional baseball players, but now there’s a version for fastpitch softball.

This particular version’s size makes it ideal for middle infielders. But if you’re a 3rd baseman, then this may be to your liking as well.

Make no mistake about it, this is for elite players only—or at least for those who wish to reach that level.

Its features are excellent but then you have to pay for them.

To really get full value for your money, you have to make sure that you’re taking your game seriously. This isn’t a glove for occasional players who simply wish to have a bit of fun for a game or two each season.

Features of the Mizuno Pro Select fastpitch softball glove 11.5″

So what can you expect when you get the Mizuno Pro Select 11.5″ fastpitch softball glove? Here’s a preview of its most important features:

This is a variation of the Mizuno Pro series of baseball gloves.

It’s just that with the fastpitch softball version, Mizuno combines the characteristics of the Pro series and then tweaked it for the new game.

To achieve that, Mizuno actually produced hundreds of advanced glove scans of professionals, so that they could then come up with glove designs that fit specific fielding positions.

This particular Mizuno Pro Select 11.5″ Fastpitch Softball Glove (GPSF1150) is designed for infielders, and especially customized for middle infielders. The 11.5-inch length is ideal for 2nd basemen and shortstops.

Another feature that makes this ideal for middle infielders is its Deep III web. This is a shallow pocket, and it makes it much easier for you to transfer the ball to your throwing arm.

This makes the glove much more effective in making double plays, as you can quickly throw to 2nd base ahead of the runner so that there’s still time to get the hitter out at 1st base.



What The Mizuno Pro Select 11.5″ fastpitch softball glove Is Made Of

This uses premium American steerhide leather. This is a type of leather that well-known for its durability and toughness.

It’s strong enough to last for a minimum of a season, even if you play every day. Infielders tend to catch and field plenty of balls in play, but the leather of this glove can withstand the wear and tear.

Once you’ve broken it in, this should retain its shape for a long while.

Just because this uses firm leather doesn’t necessarily make it uncomfortable to wear. That’s because inside the glove you have a steer soft elite palm liner touching and caressing your hand.

Even the thumb slot is padded. In fact, the index finger slot has a pad as well.

The padding isn’t just for comfort, but for extra protection for your hand. In addition, it helps the glove to fit your hand more securely.

This has a conventional open back, which is traditional for infielders’ glove.

The open back allows for greater hand flexibility, which is needed when you have to react more quickly with your hands to deal with hard-hit grounders and line drives. (In contrast, outfielders need to react quickly with their legs, so they can catch fly balls.)

Another distinct of the Pro Select is that it comes with a special hand-based pattern structure. This includes putting the pocket of the glove right under web.

What this particular design does is to make sure that your glove is broken in properly by ending up in the right shape for your hand and for your position. It’s no longer a trial and error process to shape your glove correctly.

This designed structure helps ensure the desired results.

Video: 3 Things You Want To Know About This Mizuno Glove

Pros of the Mizuno Pro Select fastpitch softball glove 11.5″

You’ll find many good reasons to choose the Mizuno Pro Select fastpitch softball glove 11.5″. Here are some of the more important benefits:

• You now have a glove that’s specifically designed for your 2nd baseman or shortstop position.

  It has all the necessary features for these particular infield positions, and it’s a better choice than generic fastpitch softball gloves.

  Obviously, it’s much better than baseball gloves as well.

• It’s also versatile enough for the 3rd baseman position. Its shallow pocket allows the player to quickly throw to first base to get the hitter out.

  The shallow pocket may not be ideal for hard line drives, but then some players can compensate for that by taking advantage of the easier transference.

  If your coach tends to switch you to different infield positions, at least with this Mizuno Pro Select fastpitch softball glove 11.5″ you won’t have to buy a second glove.

Talking About The Leather Again on This GPSF1150

• This uses very tough and durable leather, and that’s a relief. It’s a commonly known that middle infielders (especially the shortstops) field more ground balls than any other position.

  This leather is tough enough to endure frequent contact with the softball, so that the glove can last for at least a season. It’s likely that this glove is tough enough to last for 2 seasons or more.

• The leather may be tough, but it’s designed to get into the right shape when you break it in. That’s due to the hand-based pattern structure built into the glove.

  It’s already preset to get into the right shape, so you don’t end up with a malformed glove that’s useless for your game.

  All you need to do to break in this glove properly is to play catch with this glove frequently. It will then end up with the right shape for you to field infield balls more effectively.

How Does The Mizuno GPSF1150 Fastpitch Softball Glove Fit?

• This can really fit your hand very securely and snugly. It’s embarrassing when you lose your glove from your hand during a game.

  It’s also not very good for you game when your glove doesn’t fit you very well. You won’t be able to close down to secure a ball. You won’t be able to open the glove properly to transfer the ball to your throwing arm.

  This secure fit is due to the use of liners and padding, as well as the hand-based pattern structure that ensure the right break-in results.

  They cradle your hand nicely so that you end up with a glove that seems to be a natural part of your arm.

• It’s also very comfortable. This is due to the liner inside the glove that touches your hand, so that your skin doesn’t chafe from direct contact with the durable steerhide leather.

  It also helps that you have extensive padding in the thumb slot and index finger.

  You have to realize comfort is essential to your game. Any sort of discomfort or odd feeling in your glove hand can distract you from fielding the infield balls properly.

Cons of the Mizuno Pro Select fastpitch softball glove 11.5″

While this glove does have a lot going for it, you may want to make sure that you take into account some of its less peasant aspects:

• The most notable aspect of this glove is its price, and it’s not exactly a very low price. It’s admittedly among the higher-priced gloves in the market.

  You have a premium price that goes with its premium features. It’s right up there with the expensive premium softball gloves, though.

• This isn’t really meant for playing the outfield. Its pocket isn’t that deep to help you deal more with fly balls.

  So if you’re a player who constantly switches from the infield to the outfield, then this glove may not be ideal for you. You’ll need something more generic.

• While its brown color is nice enough, there aren’t any other color options for those who want a bit more pizzazz for their gloves. It’s leather brown or nothing.

Final Word on This Mizuno Pro Select fastpitch softball glove 11.5″

It’s not a good idea to use any baseball glove just lying around the house when you want to play fastpitch softball.

You need a glove that’s designed specifically for the new game.

Take this bit of reasoning to its logical conclusion, and then you have to realize that you need a specific type of fastpitch softball glove for your particular position on the field.

That’s what the Mizuno GPSF1150 fastpitch softball glove is all about. But then you have to realize that it’s not just for fastpitch softball 2nd basemen and shortstops. It’s for middle infielders who want to excel.

This gives you all you need for a middle-infielder’s glove. It has a shallow pocket for easier ball transference.

It’s durable so it can last long, and it’s tough enough to protect your hand. Yet it’s also comfortable to wear, and you get a snug and secure fit.

That’s why it’s not cheap—the quality isn’t cheap either.

So ask yourself: do you want to be the best you can be when you play a middle infield position in fastpitch softball?

If that’s the case, then you may want to invest in the Mizuno Pro Select fastpitch softball glove 11.5″. You get a lot of return for your money.

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Last update on 2024-11-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API