Is it required for a baseball player to use a glove?

No, you can catch a ball bare-handed, in fact some of the most dramatic plays have been balls fielded bare handed with the throwing hand and immediately thrown to another player to make an out.

Some guys can REALLY put some heat on a ball. You don’t have to wear a glove, but some people can hurt you with a fast throw….

All of the above.

It’s REALLY hard to not use a glove. Like playing hand-ball without a paddle. Or Soccer without a head.

It’s not a requirement, but it’d be foolish not to.

I think the coach and the rest of the team would want a player to use a glove to help make sure the ball gets caught.

Yeah, I can’t imagine any coach letting a player take the field without a glove, but as far as I know it’s not specifically required by MLB.

I agree.

Yes @RedDeerGuy1 , it is not a requirement, but why would you want to? It’s a lot easier to catch a ball traveling 80 to 100 mph with a mitt than without one. Plus it keeps the bones in your hand from being broken.

Most kids can learn to catch with a mitt by the time they are eight or nine.

@zenvelo I’m left handed and I need my left hand to throw and not taken up with a left handed glove.

@RedDeerGuy1 there are a lot of major league ball players that are left handed and many models of glove to be worn on the right hand. That isn’t a good excuse.

@zenvelo It is ok. The opportunity passed 30 years ago
I was an outfielder for two months. I had a lefty glove. I just took it off to pass. Just wondering for giggles.

@RedDeerGuy1

You don’t wear the glove on your throwing hand. That would be counter productive. There have, however, been some ball players who have taught themselves to throw with either hand. For example: Randy Poffo (later known as “Macho Man” Randy Savage), who played a few years in minor league ball in the St. Louis Cardinals’ farm system, spent an off-season teaching himself to throw left-handed because of an injury to his right shoulder.

@Darth_Algar Its been too long since I played baseball. I don’t remember the details. Thanks for the story about Randy Savage.

Baseball player, football, basketball, I don’t care; if he is going to play with me, he has to wear a glove!
my house…

I have caught soft balls bare handed. It kinda stings. I can’t imagine catching a baseball running 80 mph bare handed tho!