All-Star The Pocket Review: 27″ Catcher’s Training Mitt

You want faster transfers and cleaner catches, but your mitt lets the ball slip or bounce out. All-Star The Pocket is a 27-inch catcher’s training mitt (model CM100TM) designed with an ultra-small pocket that forces clean, consistent catches.

As some context, my oldest son is a catcher, and I’m always looking to help him improve his skills and abilities behind the plate. While he really didn’t have issues catching the ball or framing, I saw the All-Star The Pocket catcher’s training mitt and figured it would be something new he could use in his at-home training.

While I didn’t think it would make that much of a difference, I was absolutely blown away after the first time we used it. After picking up this catcher’s training mitt, I went outside with my son and worked with it for around 30 minutes.

We then swapped it for his gamer glove, and that’s where my eyes got big. It was like the ball instantly found the pocket of his catcher’s mitt with every throw, and his transfers were much faster.

We then spent the next few weeks working with the All-Star The Pocket training mitt and saw a massive improvement in my son’s ability to steal strikes from batters.

But there’s more to this catcher’s training mitt that we need to discuss.

This review breaks down how the training mitt helps your receiving, framing, and drill work, with coach-friendly tips and simple practice tools.

Key Features of the All-Star The Pocket 27″ Catcher’s Training Mitt

The All-Star The Pocket 27″ Catcher’s Training Mitt has a unique design. Its shallow pocket helps you catch balls with better precision.

What are the design highlights of the 27-inch mitt?

You get a 27″ catcher’s training mitt that leaves little extra space. The tiny 27 forces correct catching location. It uses an ultra-small pocket to push you to refine technique and increase transfer speeds.

I’m a fan of the leather construction, with a synthetic leather lining, providing you with durability and comfort for long practice sessions. An adjustable wrist strap locks the fit for right-handed throwers, so your hand stays secure.

This All-Star The Pocket 27″ Catchers Training Mitt (All-Star model CM100TM training mitt – 27 inch) comes in black and brown. The lightweight build helps your movement, and the shallow pocket aids framing and blocking drills.

How does minimal padding improve catching precision?

The All-Star The Pocket Catchers Training Mitt has minimal padding and gives a clear feel and instant feedback when you catch the ball. You notice less bulk, so your hand sits firmly in the catcher’s mitt.

This catcher’s training mitt helps build hand strength and control with each drill. It also helps with faster transfers and quicker throws, which help increase your ability to throw out runners trying to steal bases.

I want to be completely transparent with you: if you think you’re getting a mitt that compares to an actual catcher’s mitt. You’re not. And that’s the point. This mitt offers very little other than a pocket, so you focus on mechanics and true ball feel.

What Benefits Does the All-Star The Pocket Training Mitt Offer?

The All-Star The Pocket Training Mitt helps you catch better. There’s no other way around it. I truly don’t believe you can work with this mitt and not get better. It improves your receiving accuracy and makes hand transfers quicker for game-ready skills.

If you or your son catch, this is a fantastic investment in building and honing skills.

How does it enhance receiving accuracy and framing?

You train with an ultra-small pocket that forces clean receptions. It makes you focus on pocket awareness and glove discipline. It helps you master the zone. Regular use of the All-Star The Pocket builds soft hands and precise glove control for game time.

The smaller target area improves your receiving accuracy and framing with full-size catcher’s mitts. An adjustable hook-and-loop wristband keeps the fit secure so you practice with the same feel every rep.

This catcher’s training mitt is used in drills and practice sessions and forces concentration, speeds hand transfers, and sharpens defensive technique for the player using the baseball training mitt.

In what ways does it develop quicker hand transfers?

The All-Star The Pocket Training Mitt helps you improve hand transfers quickly. Its compact design makes it easier to transfer the ball from glove to hand faster. With practice, you get used to the mitt’s pocket, and this increases your glove speed.

Every catch sharpens your skills, making your movements quicker.

Consistent use of the mitt leads to faster glove actions during games. You’ll gain trust in its feedback as you practice more. This trust can boost your confidence when transferring balls.

A tool like the MOVE Catching Sensor can help refine these techniques, too. And honestly, the sensor is really cool if you really want more data on how you’re catching.

But overall, focusing on hand speed during drills will make a real difference in your game performance as a catcher!

Why is it suitable for blocking and pop-up drills?

This mitt is great for blocking and pop-up drills. Its ultra-small pocket helps you catch the ball cleanly. You will learn to control your glove better with less padding. This design pushes you to focus on the basics, improving your hand-eye coordination.

RELATED: Top Catcher Drills

The smaller target makes it easier to master blocking techniques during practice. It also trains you to react quickly to unexpected ball movement. With this mitt, you can develop the proper glove positioning needed for pop-up drills.

You will definitely see improvement in your skills as you practice with it regularly.

Who Should Use the All-Star The Pocket Training Mitt?

The All-Star The Pocket Training Mitt is great for catchers at all levels. New players looking to improve skills will find this mitt very useful, as well as experienced catchers wanting to sharpen their technique.

Which catchers will benefit most from this mitt?

This mitt suits catchers who want to improve their skills. Youth and advanced players alike can gain from it. Right-handed throwers will find it especially useful. It helps you focus on catching location and blocking techniques.

If you want to speed up your ball transfers, this mitt is a great choice. Coaches recommend it for those who want to work on fundamentals and advance in the game. You’ll benefit most if you are ready to put in the effort for better performance on the field.

Why do coaches recommend the All-Star The Pocket for skill-specific training?

Coaches recommend the All-Star The Pocket Training Mitt because it builds pocket awareness. This mitt helps you focus on accurate receiving and fast transfers. Coaches want catchers to master their skills.

They find this mitt effective for drills that require precision.

RELATED: How to Improve Baseball Arm Recovery and Care

Using this mitt can improve your blocking, framing, and transfer techniques, as it targets specific skills needed during games. Many professional catching academies use it for training purposes.

With consistent practice, you’ll notice results in your game. Coaches value its role in shaping disciplined catching mechanics too.

I’ve even seen MLB catchers working with the All-Star The Pocket Catcher’s Training Mitt in practices and before games. It’s a great tool to have available.

How Does The All-Star The Pocket Compare to Other Training Mitts?

The All-Star The Pocket Training Mitt distinguishes itself from other training mitts. Its shallow pocket design facilitates quick ball catches. This feature aids you in developing better skills more rapidly than with thicker mitts.

Your hand movement will improve, making you a more proficient catcher.

But one of the things I questioned was: Is the All-Star The Pocket better than the All-Star Keyhole Mitt? And honestly, unless your sole focus is receiving, The Pocket is the way to go. Sure, you’ll see MLB catchers warming up with the Keyhole, but for most youth catchers out there, The Pocket is the way to go.

What makes the shallow pocket design unique?

The shallow pocket design helps you catch and throw quicker. It makes retrieving the ball easier for transfers. You can see the ball better while catching too. This feature improves how you use the whole mitt surface, making your catches more effective.

The shallow pocket also lets you adapt to different angles while playing. It focuses on skill rather than padding, which is key for developing good techniques. Compared to other training mitts, this unique design is only $99 compared to some that are $160 or even higher.

What Did My Son Say About the All-Star The Pocket Mitt?

My son praises the All-Star The Pocket mitt for its fit and feel. He has said that it helped improve his catching skills, making training more effective.

What feedback do I have as a coach?

I really love the All-Star The Pocket Training Mitt. I like how it boosts skills and builds confidence in my son.

1. I like its design for skill-specific training. The shallow pocket helps catchers focus on ball control.
2. I’ve noticed better hand speed with my son. He finds that using this mitt improves his catching accuracy.
3. I appreciate the mitt’s minimal padding. Less padding allows for precise catches and better feedback. You can feel the ball better, making your catches more accurate.
4. I also find it effective in drills. It supports blocking and pop-up exercises extremely well.
5. It builds pocket awareness, which is something all catchers should be working on. Catchers feel more aware of their glove’s position during plays.
6. I’ve seen Jason Giambi call it a “great practice maker.”
7. Personally, I would recommend this mitt for young and developing catchers. They can see quick improvements in overall performance.
8. I appreciate its lightweight design, which boosts speed and agility during practice. This helps you move faster behind the plate.
9. The mitt’s effective fit comes from an adjustable hook-and-loop wristband. This feature keeps the mitt secure while you work on your game.
10. The All-Star The Pocket mitt is great for mastering receiving accuracy and framing pitches. It teaches you how to catch balls right where they need to be.
11. My son finds it useful for developing quicker hand transfers. You’ll get better at switching from glove to throwing hand during plays.
12. The durability of the leather and synthetic lining is top-notch. You can rely on it for many seasons without wear and tear.
13. My son has mentioned clear performance improvements during practice sessions thanks to this mitt’s design. You’ll notice the difference in your catching technique quickly.

Don’t Think About It… Just Grab the All-Star The Pocket Catcher’s Training Mitt

The All-Star The Pocket 27-inch Catcher’s Training Mitt is a great choice for serious catchers. It helps you improve your technique and skills. With its small pocket, you’ll catch with more precision and speed.

I love the fact that this mitt helps build strong habits during practice. If this all sounds like something you need or something the catcher in your life needs, get ready to enhance your game with the All-Star The Pocket training tool!

FAQs