A Buyer’s Guide to Baseballs

Anyone who’s shopped for baseballs knows there is no such thing as “just” a baseball.  With so many options, from leagues and age ranges, to types of covers, seams and centers, how do you know which type of baseball is right for you?  In this basic guide to baseballs we will show you both the different types of baseballs and features of baseballs to help you make an informed decision.

6 Types of Baseballs

1.  Official Major League and Minor League Baseballs
Official major league and minor league baseballs are professional baseballs designed to be used in Major and Minor league games  Other leagues sometimes require them as well.  These baseballs are also made with wood bats in mind.

2.  NFHS & NCAA College Baseballs
Designed for highschool and college play, NFHS and NCAA baseballs are not wound as tightly as MLB baseballs and are a bit less dense.  These baseballs are designed for use with aluminum bats.

3.  Youth League Tournament Grade Baseballs
Tournament grade youth baseballs usually have the same quality leather cover as high school and college baseballs, but for added safety, they come with softer wool blend windings and a cushioned cork center.  These balls are less dense than their high school and college counterparts, but are considered high performance for youth league baseball.  These baseballs are also made for aluminum bats.

4.  Youth League Competition or Game Grade Baseballs
Youth league competition or game grade baseballs are the standard type of baseballs used in most youth leagues.  They are very similar to youth tournament baseballs, but the main difference is they have less “pop”.  These baseballs are built with aluminum bats in mind.

5.  Practice Baseballs
Practice baseballs come in both leather and synthetic covers with a variety of windings and cores.  Because they usually are not made with as high of quality materials  and don’t have as much “pop”, practice baseballs are usually less expensive than game grade baseballs.

6.  Safety Baseballs
Safety baseballs come in a wide variety of covers and performance levels.  Developed to help protect young players who are still developing their fielding skills, safety baseballs are typically used for youth players from tee ball up through age 8.

3 Features of Baseballs

Diagram of a Baseball

1. The Cover
Baseballs come with either leather or synthetic covers that are glued to the windings and stitched together.

Leather – Leather covers are the traditional choice because they offer the best grip, performance, and shape maintenance.  Usually, more expensive baseballs have higher grade leather covers that are bonded more securely to the windings underneath.

Synthetic – Synthetic covers are usually made from vinyl and are less expensive than leather covers.  Synthetic covers resist dirt, maintain color well, and do not absorb water.  High quality synthetic covers have a grip and feel that is close to leather.

2.  Seams and Stitching
Baseballs seams and stitches come in a few forms, each with a unique function.

Raised Seams – Raised seams grip the air well and offer the most control for developing pitchers.  Fielders can also benefit from the added grip raised seams offer.

Standard or Rolled Seams – These types of seams are not as pronounced as raised seams.  These are the types of seams used on Major League baseballs and are often referred to as major league seams.  Standard or rolled seam baseballs are used for all age levels and can be used in many pitching machines.

Flat Seam – Baseballs with flat seams are ideal for use with pitching machines, but are rarely used in game play unless mandated by a specific league.

3.  Windings and Cores
Have you ever wondered what’s inside a baseball?  Under the cover, you’ll find the windings and core of the baseball.  Windings and cores are traditionally constructed with wool and cotton thread wound tightly around a center core; although, some low end baseballs do not have windings but only have a solid composite cork and rubber center.  The windings and core are the key to the performance and durability of a baseball.

Cross Section of a Baseball

Cores – Tournament grade and higher baseballs have cushioned cork cores.  Cushioned cork cores consist of a cork ball wrapped in a thin layer of premium rubber.  They are the densest type of core and have the highest performance.  Lower quality baseballs have cores made of either solid rubber or a composite of ground cork and rubber.

Windings – Baseballs are wound with a layer of yarn and thread.  Wool windings have the highest compression and shape retention characteristics; however, wool blend windings are the most common.  Generally, the higher quality the baseball, the higher the percentage of wool used in its windings and the tighter the thread will be wound around its core.