Valle Eagle 975S Infield Training Glove

The Valle Eagle 975S is a 9.75 inch training glove built from Japanese steerhide with an I-web, double web lacing and an adjustable strap wrist back. It is the most versatile glove in the Valle training line: small enough that every ground ball has to be fielded cleanly, yet built enough like a real glove that infielders, outfielders and pitchers can play catch with it, take fly balls with it and use it for every drill in a defensive session. Baseball and softball players from about age 12 through the professional level use the 975S as their everyday trainer.

A Trainer You Can Actually Play Catch With

Flat trainers and very small pocket trainers do one job well and then go back in the baseball bag. The 975S stays out. Its pocket is deep enough to catch a thrown ball, so a round of catch becomes 75 to 100 repetitions of receiving the ball in the center of the glove and transferring it cleanly. A player does not have to change his fielding motion to use it; the glove simply has less room for error than a 11.5 or 11.75 inch gamer, so the same motion gets sharper. That is why so many serious players keep a 975S in the bag year-round and why it has been the best-selling glove in the Eagle series for the serious player.

Japanese Steerhide with Pro-Style Details

The shell is Japanese steerhide with leather welting and USA-tanned leather lacing, and the web is an I-web laced double for durability. Palm padding is heavier than on the smaller Valle trainers, and the thumb carries added cushion support, so the 975S takes live fungos and machine-fed ground balls without stinging. Two index finger pads are stitched to the shell, one over the index finger and one over the middle finger, so the pad is in the right place whether the player wears one finger in each stall or two fingers in the pinky stall. The pinky stall itself is cut with extra room for exactly that grip.

Strap Wrist Back and a Game-Glove Feel

The adjustable strap back lets the 975S fit a 12 year old or an adult and keeps the glove locked on the hand through backhand plays. The fit and feel are close enough to a game glove that many players forget it is a trainer, which is a compliment to the construction but also a reminder: the point of the glove is the smaller pocket, so keep using it for the reps where a clean catch matters.

Who This Baseball Training Glove Is For

The 975S is for the infielder, outfielder or pitcher who wants one training glove for everything. Middle infielders use it for double-play feeds and short hops, third basemen for backhands, outfielders for drop-step and crow-hop work, and pitchers for PFP. It fits players from about age 12 up and is a common choice for travel ball, high school, college and professional infielders. If you want the same pattern in Kip leather with an open wrist back, that is the Eagle Pro 975. If you want a smaller pocket and a softer, more flexible trainer for pure ground-ball work, look at the Eagle 8S or the Eagle K47. Fastpitch softball middle infielders use the 975S as well; the pocket handles a 12 inch ball.

How to Use the Eagle 975S

Because the 975S catches a thrown baseball, the easiest place to start is a round of catch: receive every throw in the center of the pocket, transfer, and throw. Move to rolled and then fungoed ground balls, working forehand, backhand and short hops, and finish with double-play feeds or, for outfielders, fly balls and line drives with a crow-hop transfer. Pitchers can take comebackers with it at full speed. Coaches running pre-game infield often keep every infielder in a 975S until the last round, then switch to gamers. Ten focused minutes a day with the 975S builds the clean-catch habit that a gamer's big pocket hides.

Valle Eagle 975S Infield Training Glove Specifications

• Type: undersized utility training glove for baseball and softball
• Series: Valle Eagle S-Series
• Size: 9.75 inch
• Leather: Japanese steerhide shell with leather welting; USA-tanned leather lacing
• Web: I-web with double lacing
• Padding: added palm padding, cushioned thumb support, double index finger pads
• Wrist back: adjustable strap
• Positions: second base, shortstop, third base, pitcher and outfield
• Throwing hand: available for right-hand throwers (glove worn on the left hand) and left-hand throwers (glove worn on the right hand)
• Color: Valle white with red "Train Like A Pro" embroidery
• Age range: 12 and up

What's Included

One Valle Eagle 975S training glove in the throwing hand you select. Balls are sold separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the 975S in the outfield or on the mound?

Yes. It has a real pocket and an I-web, so it catches fly balls and thrown balls. Outfielders and pitchers use it for that reason; it is the one Valle trainer that is not infield-only.

What is the difference between the 975S and the Pro 975?

Same size and pattern. The 975S is Japanese steerhide with a strap wrist back. The Pro 975 is Kip leather with an open wrist back, which makes it lighter and closer to a pro-level gamer in feel.

Can I wear two fingers in the pinky stall?

Yes. The pinky stall has extra room for it, and the second index pad over the middle finger means the padding is still where your index finger sits.

Is 9.75 inches really small enough to be a trainer?

Yes. A youth game glove starts around 10.5 inches and an adult infield glove runs 11.25 to 11.75. At 9.75 inches with a shallower pocket, the 975S leaves far less room for a late or off-center catch.

Does it need a break-in?

The 975S arrives game-ready but a little firmer than the four-finger trainers. A few rounds of catch loosen it up; there is no need for steaming or oiling.