Infielders select gloves based on their specific position. First basemen, who are involved in many plays, use a specialized mitt designed to handle hard throws and assist in scooping balls. Unlike gloves with individual finger slots, a first baseman's mitt is fingerless, larger, heavier, and more padded to absorb the impact of incoming balls. Using an outfielder's glove, with its deep pocket, could delay transfers to the base, potentially turning outs into safe calls.
Outfielders, tasked with catching fly balls and quickly relaying them to the infield or cutoff man, require gloves with deeper pockets to secure the ball and prevent it from popping out. Their gloves are also longer, providing extra reach to make crucial plays. While outfield gloves are not tailored to specific positions, they differ from infield gloves in length, pocket depth, and webbing style, ultimately coming down to the outfielder's personal preference.
