Valle Eagle 8S Infield Training Glove
The Valle Eagle 8S is an 8 inch infield training glove for baseball and softball players who want a real pocket in a glove small enough to punish bad habits. It has the softer, easier feel younger and older players prefer, an adjustable strap wrist back that fits any hand, and a pocket sized so a ground ball fielded off-center does not stay in the glove. Major League players used and recommended this model before it joined the Eagle training series, and it works just as well for youth, travel, high school and college infielders.
An Undersized Pocket That Tells the Truth
At 8 inches the Eagle 8S is several inches shorter than the smallest baseball game glove, and the pocket is shallow enough that a ball has to be received in the center of the glove and secured with the throwing hand to stay put. That is the training effect. A game glove hides a stab or a one-handed snag; the 8S exposes it immediately, so every rep either confirms good mechanics or shows the fielder exactly what went wrong. Players who spend their pre-practice minutes with the 8S get to the ball with their feet, field it out front with two hands, and transfer faster, because the glove has made every other approach fail.
Soft Feel, Real Glove Construction
The 8S is built like a gamer, only smaller. Finger pads sit over the index and middle fingers, the thumb loop is cushioned, and the heel uses Valle's custom design for better feel on the ball. The leather is soft from day one, which is why players who like a broken-in feel choose the 8S over a stiffer trainer. Each finger has its own stall, so the hand stays relaxed and slightly bent as it would in a game glove rather than locked flat. The glove is white with "Train Like A Pro" embroidered on the shell, the signature look of the Valle training line.
Adjustable Strap Wrist Back
The strap wrist back is what lets one 8S work for a 10 year old and a college shortstop. Tighten it and the glove locks onto a small hand; open it and an adult hand slides in comfortably. It also keeps the glove from twisting on backhand plays, where a loose trainer would slide and turn a clean rep into a fumbled one.
Who This Baseball Training Glove Is For
The 8S is the classic undersized infield trainer in the Valle line, and it suits second basemen, shortstops, third basemen and pitchers from about age 10 through adult. Choose it over the Eagle K47 if you want a slightly larger pocket and more room in the hand, and over the Eagle KK if the player already fields with two hands and needs a pocket to work on catching the ball cleanly. Players who want a trainer they can also play catch with should look at the Eagle 975S, which is a 9.75 inch utility trainer. Softball infielders use the 8S too; the pocket handles a 12 inch ball, it is simply a harder catch.
How to Use the Eagle 8S
Use the 8S for the first 10 to 15 minutes of every baseball or softball defensive session. Begin with rolled ground balls at short range, fielding each one in the middle of the glove and finishing with a full transfer to the throwing hand. Add forehand and backhand angles, then short hops, then live fungos. Double-play feeds are where the 8S earns its keep: the small pocket forces the fielder to receive and release in one motion instead of cradling the ball. Pitchers use it for comebacker drills and PFP work. When the session moves to live reps or a game, switch back to the gamer; the 8S is a teaching glove, not a game glove.
How the 8S Fits in the Eagle Training Series
Valle builds its infield trainers as a progression, and the 8S sits in the middle of it. The flat trainers, the Eagle KK, KK-P and Switch, teach two hands with no pocket at all. The Eagle K47 adds the smallest pocket in the line inside a soft four-finger glove. The 8S adds a bit more pocket and a firmer, more conventional glove structure, so a clean catch is rewarded with a ball that stays put and an off-center catch is not. Above it, the Eagle 975S is the utility trainer with a real web that players use for catch and fly balls. Most infielders end up owning two: a flat trainer for hands and either the K47 or the 8S for pocket accuracy. For a middle infielder who already fields with two hands, the 8S is the one to buy.
Valle Eagle 8S Infield Training Glove Specifications
- Type: undersized-pocket infield training glove for baseball and softball
- Series: Valle Eagle S-Series
- Size: 8 inch
- Leather: Japanese steerhide shell with a custom heel design
- Padding: finger pads over the index and middle fingers, cushioned thumb loop
- Wrist back: adjustable strap
- Positions: second base, shortstop, third base and pitcher
- 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 "Train Like A Pro" embroidery
- Age range: 10 and up
What's Included
One Valle Eagle 8S training glove in the throwing hand you select. Training balls are sold separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 8S big enough for a high school or adult hand?
Yes. The strap back opens to fit an adult hand, and the glove is meant to feel small on everyone. That small feel is what makes it a trainer.
Is the strap back an open back?
No. The 8S has a strap wrist back that closes over the wrist and adjusts with a hook-and-loop strap. The Eagle KK-P is the Valle trainer built with an open wrist back.
8S or K47 for a younger player?
Both work from about age 10. The K47 has an even smaller pocket and a softer four-finger feel; the 8S has a slightly larger pocket and a firmer, more glove-like structure. If the player is under 10, the K47 or the KK is the easier starting point.
Does it need a break-in?
No. The 8S is built soft so it can be used the day it arrives.
Can I use the 8S for softball?
Yes. The pocket takes a softball, and the smaller glove makes the catch more demanding, which is the point of the drill.