“A dededication to quality and an understanding of player’s needs.”

These two ideas are the cornerstone of all Marucci product designs. Along with input and testing by our Player Advisory Board, we’re able to take the highest quality materials and produce exactly what players want and need to be successful. The engineering of the new Pro Lite batting gloves truly reflects that crucial collaboration between product designer and Big Leaguer.

For the Pro Lites, our designers consulted Marucci Board of Directors member and six-time All-Star Jose Bautista, whose been wearing Marucci batting gloves on-field for the last few seasons. His precise specifications and thorough feedback inspired nearly every part of this design. After several creative sessions, the glove began to come to life. The idea was to create a light, yet durable glove and that allowed for a restriction-free, natural hand movement while still keeping the same reliable grip.

We started with a breathable performance mesh on the back of the glove. This material is versatile in terms of addressing a few of the design goals at once. First, the mesh is extremely light and fits more naturally to the back of your hand, allowing the fabric to move with you instead of against you. The fit of some heavier materials restricts hand movement and doesn’t allow for a fluid, natural flex that’s achieved with a lighter, form-fitting mesh. Secondly, the mesh is one-piece and the Marucci logo is sublimated into the fabric rather than sewn onto it. This design leaves out any sewing lines or extra material that normally interferes with (and works against) your natural hand movement. The result is a lighter, smoother swing.

With the restriction-free back, Bautista wanted to still maintain the same reliable grip he had with earlier Marucci gloves. On the Pro Lites, we kept the same embossed Cabretta sheepskin material at Jose’s request. Cabretta refers to the long-haired sheep that provides a soft texture that remains tacky and durable over time. Many Big Leaguers, including Bautista, prefer this palm material. As with the back, our designers sought to eliminate any unnecessary elements that restrict movement, pinch, bunch, or otherwise create any discomfort for the hitter. For this reason, the palms on the Pro Lite are also one-piece and perforated, so there is no discomfort from seam lines that sometimes pinch the skin upon grip.

Another area where bunching is prevalent is on the palm side of the fingers. Upon constriction, fabric often bunches in the breaks of your fingers, creating a barrier between your finger and the bat itself. To prevent this grip-altering annoyance, our designers contoured the finger break areas to minimize the material at those points. Also, the glove fingers are pre-curved to fit more accurately to the curve of your fingers, so finger movement is more natural.

In addition to the durable Cabretta on the palm, we reinforced the thumb wrapping with the same sheepskin, delivering maximum durability to an area prone to wear and tear.

The final touch was the Bautista-prefered Neoprene cuff. The Neoprene is breathable, durable, and fits secure around the wrist.

After designing the Pro Lites to meet his exact specifications, Jose tested the gloves during the offseason and in spring training. He was so satisfied with the construction, feel, and grip that he made the Pro Lites his on-field batting gloves in 2015. We were so confident in his approval that we made the entire line available to you. Swing Free!