Best Baseballs

Best Little League Baseballs – Review & Buyer’s Guide

Baseballs come in various sizes and materials, and it is important to choose the right one for those who will be using it during play. From little league to what the pros are playing with, this article is written to help you choose the right baseball.

Why is it important to choose the right baseball instead of the first one you see? So, first off, the wrong baseball can be spoiled if the wrong person hits it. Foam being is the perfect example. Foam balls being hit by adults won’t last long. That’s why this article is here to help you find the right baseball for your needs.

Our Personal Best Choice

Best Value

Wilson A1010s

Blem Baseballs Pack

Best Overall 

Rawlings Official League

Recreational Grade Baseballs Pack

Comparison Table

In the following table, we have compared the best baseball balls of this year for you.

Product Best Features Q-ty of Balls Rating (Number of Reviews) View on Amazon

Franklin Sports MLB Oversized Foam Baseball Bat and Ball Set

Franklin Sports MLB

  • oversized foam material
  • brightly colored
  • includes baseball bat
  • can be used indoors

3 or 4

4.9 out of 5
(23)

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Rawlings Official 2019 MLB Baseball and Display Cube

Rawlings Official MLB Baseball

  • official MLB regulation ball
  • commissioner’s signature
  • display case

1

4.6 out of 5
(403)

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Rawlings Baseball Synth REC Play MfrPartNo OLB3BT24

Rawlings OLB3 Baseball

  • cheapest on list
  • identical to regulation balls

1 or 4

4.5 out of 5
(164)

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SKLZ Soft Cushioned Safety Baseballs

SKLZ Soft Cushioned Safety Baseballs

  • soft material reduces impact
  • ideal for kids
  • designed exactly like a regulation baseball

2

4.3 out of 5
(539)

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Best Baseball Packs

Wilson A1010s Blem Baseballs

Wilson A1010s Blem Baseballs

  • high quality baseballs
  • discount price

12

4.6 out of 5
(228)

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Tebery Standard Size T-Ball Training Baseballs Pack

Tebery Standard Size T-Ball

  • impact reducing
  • durable materials
  • mesh drawstring bag
  • completely blank

12

4.2 out of 5
(33)

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Diamond 6-Gallon Ball Bucket with 30 DOB Baseballs

Diamond 6-Gallon Ball Bucket

  • durable enough for little league
  • genuine leather and solid cork
  • padded seat top for bucket

30

4.2 out of 5
(71)

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Rawlings Little League Competition Grade Youth Baseballs

Rawlings Little League Baseballs

  • high quality materials
  • official Little League competition quality baseballs
  • perfect game baseballs for under 12u leagues

12

4.1 out of 5
(199)

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KEVENZ Competition Grade Baseballs Training Baseball Pack

KEVENZ Competition Grade Baseballs

  • perfect for T-Ball
  • durable materials withstand heavy use

6

4.1 out of 5
(59)

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Rawlings Official League Recreational Grade Baseballs, Bucket of 24, OLB3BUCK24

Rawlings OLB3 Baseball

  • durable enough for practice or casual games

24

4.1 out of 5
(465)

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Product Reviews – Best Baseballs of the Year

Franklin Sports MLB Oversized Foam Baseball Bat and Ball Set

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We are starting the list off with the perfect baseball for younger players with the Franklin Sports Oversized Foam Baseball Bat and Ball Set. Younger players won’t have any trouble while hitting the soft, oversized, and brightly colored foam baseballs. The completed lightweight foam baseball bat is ideal for children to learn the sport, but anyone other than children will break the bat easily. Keep that in mind when teaching.

Although they are of soft foam, they still do carry some weight. Expect these baseballs to go further than you might think when your child makes contact. These baseballs are the only ones on the list that can be used indoors.

Pros

Pros
  • Oversized foam material
  • Brightly colored
  • Completed with a foam baseball bat
  • Can be used indoors

Cons

Cons
  • Easy to break foam bat

Rawlings Official MLB Baseball and Display Cube

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Any serious baseball fan should own this baseball. This baseball is manufactured by Rawlings, the official MLB supplier, and features both brandings from the MLB and the MLB’s commissioner Robert D. Manfred. This is an official MLB baseball that includes a transparent crystal styrene cube-shaped case. Why should you own it? Besides being an MLB regulation ball, it is designed for your favorite player’s signatures to be preserved on your own ball.

Pros

Pros
  • Official MLB regulation ball
  • MLB commissioner’s signature
  • Display case

Cons

Cons
  • Commissioner’s signature takes up valuable player signature space

Rawlings Baseball Synth REC Play MfrPartNo OLB3BT24

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Rawlings Synth REC is similar to the other baseballs on this list except for one thing, its synthetic cover. Its 9” circumference, 5 oz weight, rubber, and cork inside, and major league seam makes it nearly identical to every other regulation ball listed. However, according to some reviewers, the ball falls apart after a couple of hits. So, what is the use of this ball if it is unable to be struck?

This baseball is best for throwing and catching, not for hitting practice. Infielders and pitchers will have the best use out of the baseballs. Another problem that you might come across is the point that they can’t stand the weather well enough. What would baseball get? On the plus side, they are the least expensive on the list, especially for the 4-pack, which makes each ball $5.

Pros

Pros
  • Cheapest on list
  • Identical to regulation balls

Cons

Cons
  • Not for hitting

SKLZ Soft Cushioned Safety Baseballs

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Next on the list is SKLZ Soft Cushioned Safety Baseballs. These are unique in the fact that they were designed to reduce impact, but maintain the look and feel of a real baseball. The idea of its design is to teach younger players how to play baseball, but remove the fear of impact or at least reduce it at the same time. They are constructed out of a soft, cushioned material with major league red stitching.

Pros

Pros
  • Soft material reduces the impact
  • Ideal for kids
  • Designed exactly like a regulation baseball

Cons

Cons
  • Wrong for anyone but kids
  • Can’t show accurately how far a player could hit a ball

Product Reviews – Best Baseball Packs

Wilson A1010s Blem Baseballs Pack – Best Value

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Now, we move on to the best baseball packs. Starting with Wilson A1010s Blem Baseballs. Wilson is a known reputable sporting goods company that manufactures equipment for various sports.

These baseballs are of professional quality that offers premium full-grain leather and premium wool windings at a lower price point when compared to other baseballs. The A1010s Blem Baseballs are highly recommended for buying quality baseballs at a lower price. You will not notice the cosmetic blemishes when you play, and till it doesn’t affect performance it doesn’t matter how they look.

Pros

Pros
  • High-quality baseballs
  • Discount price

Cons

Cons
  • Minor Cosmetic blushes

Tebery Standard Size T-Ball Training Baseballs Pack

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These baseballs are constructed similar to the SKLZ Soft baseballs and Rawlings Synth baseballs. Tebery T-Ball baseballs have a synthetic leather outer layer and full rubber core. Another feature is that they are completely blank, which makes them perfect for writing on. You also receive a convenient, reusable mesh drawstring bag that comes in handy when transporting a dozen baseballs.

According to reviews, Tebery appears to handle impacts much better than the other “soft” baseballs listed. Well, these are designed for younger players, like all soft baseballs are. Would I use them only for T-Ball? Yes. Any child playing T-Ball probably wouldn’t have the physical capability of wearing these baseballs down easily.

Pros

Pros
  • Impact reducing
  • Durable materials
  • Mesh drawstring bag
  • Completely blank

Cons

Cons
  • None other than the only ideal for children

Diamond 6-Gallon Ball Bucket with 30 DOB Baseballs

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Ever needed a bucket of baseballs? Diamond 6-gallon bucket is the most expensive on the list, but you do get the most baseballs, 30. These baseballs are made of genuine leather, solid cork center, and have major league stitching. All 30 baseballs come inside a 6-gallon bucket that features a padded top for sitting.

Little league players at max should be the only ones to practice with these baseballs. Diamond is a lesser quality brand when compared to Rawlings, but they are decent enough for not so strong heavy hitters. Kids that have just moved past T-Ball would benefit the most from these balls.

Pros

Pros
  • Durable enough for little league
  • Genuine leather and solid cork center
  • Padded seat top for bucket

Cons

Cons
  • Price is high

Rawlings Little League Competition Grade Youth Baseballs

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What pros are you going to have while playing? Well, few pros at least. Rawlings Little League Competition baseballs are the official baseballs used by Little League baseball leagues. It sounds redundant, but it’s because of the naming. These baseballs are designed for competition use ages 14 and under. They have a composite cork and rubber center with raised seams for optimal handling. The durable full-grain leather outer layer means it can withstand impact better than most of the baseballs on this list.

These baseballs are highly recommended for gameplay and not just practice. They will withstand hitting and provide a better grip. If you have a pitching machine, don’t be afraid to put these through it. I wouldn’t do the same with anything but full-grain leather baseballs.

Pros

Pros
  • High-quality, durable materials
  • Official Little League competition quality baseballs
  • Perfect game baseballs for under 12u leagues

Cons

Cons
  • A little softer than Tournament grade baseballs

KEVENZ Competition Grade Baseballs Training Baseball Pack

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Kevenz advertises these baseballs as competition-grade. They are made out of synthetic leather, composite cork and rubber, and hand-sewn red stitching. Although they are best for T-Ball, that doesn’t mean they are not durable. KEVENZ has designed a soft baseball that will withstand heavy use.

These are recommended for T-Ball games and practice. The little league would put more strain on the materials since they would be hitting the ball much harder.

Pros

Pros
  • Perfect for T-Ball
  • Durable materials withstand heavy use

Cons

Cons
  • Anything beyond would T-Ball will damage baseballs easily

Rawlings Official League Recreational Grade Baseballs Pack – Best Overall

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Rawlings Recreational Grade baseballs come in a bucket of 24 baseballs that are best for practice or a casual game in the park. These baseballs feature a solid cork and rubber center with a synthetic outer layer. The seams on these baseballs are flat. Flat seams are something to consider when using these baseballs for anything but a casual game.

Rawlings is known for its quality, and it shows even in their recreational grade. The two dozen baseballs come in a convenient white bucket with a handle that features the Official Major League logo along with the Rawlings Patch.

For little league practice, it’s highly recommended you buy Rawlings Recreational Grade baseballs.

Pros

Pros
  • Durable enough for practice or casual games
  • 24 baseballs in one convenient bucket

Cons

Cons
  • Flat seams

Buyer’s Guide

Now we move onto the buying guide for baseballs. Like all other equipment in any sport, it’s great to know as much as you can before making a purchase. Let’s go over the construction materials first.

Outer Layers

Outer Layers

Synthetic leather and full-grain leather are the two dominant types of materials outer baseball layers are constructed of. Synthetic leather doesn’t offer the same type of grip or durability as full-grain leather. But, the tradeoff is the price. Synthetic materials are less expensive. They also do not last so long.

Seams

Seams

Besides keeping the baseball outer layer attached to the baseball, the seams play an important role in the manner of throwing. After a ball is thrown, the seams catch the air and cause the ball to move slightly to the left or right to the catcher. Not only it is dependent on the pitcher to throw the baseball a certain way for different types of pitches, but the seams are a factor as well.

Flat seams do not provide as much control as raised seams. For example, Rawlings Recreational grade as compared to their Tournament grade.

Core

Core

The core of baseball determines how hard and how far it goes. As mentioned throughout the list, you saw how some baseballs were “soft.” A solid cork core is the hardest. Here is a list from hardest to softest cores:

  • cushioned cork;
  • composite cork and rubber;
  • rubber only;
  • foam.

Safety baseballs feature rubber only and up. Foam is ideal for kids under the age of T-Ball, but you still want them to learn the skills involved in baseball.

Game Style

Game Style

Before buying any baseball, you have to ask who will be primarily using it, and just as important, what is the gameplay style intended? Surely, you can use any ball for any style, but that doesn’t make it ideal. Consider the age of the player and skills. A softer ball will build confidence over time. As their age and skills develop, start switching over to harder baseballs. Work your way up to solid cork core baseballs.

Amount of Use

Amount of Use

Also, consider the amount of use. Will it be used heavily or occasionally? A recreational baseball is better for weekend practices, but wouldn’t be used for a game or competition. Will you put it through a pitching machine and hit it? Look more into competition or tournament grade baseballs.

Conclusion

I hope this review helps you choose the right baseball for your needs. Keep in mind, like all sports equipment, the right equipment makes a difference. Read over the buyer’s guide, determine your needs, then look back over the list to find the right baseball for your needs and budget.

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