Valle Eagle KK 4-Finger Infield Training Glove
The Valle Eagle KK is a four-finger flat training glove for baseball and softball players that teaches two-hand fielding without forcing the hand into an unnatural position. Where a pancake trainer holds the fingers stiff and straight, the KK gives each finger its own stall and lets the hand stay relaxed and slightly bent, the way it sits in a broken-in game glove. The palm is essentially flat with only a hint of a pocket, so a ground ball has to be met out front and secured with the throwing hand. It is the trainer coaches reach for first, from tee ball through college and pro player development.
Flat Where It Counts, Flexible Everywhere Else
The purpose of a flat baseball trainer is simple: with no pocket to trap the ball, the fielder must use two hands. The problem with most flat trainers is what they do to the hand. A rigid pancake locks the fingers straight, which makes players tense and teaches a stiff, stabbing approach to the ball. The KK solves that by keeping the flat palm and giving up the rigidity. Its four finger stalls flex individually, the leather is soft enough to squeeze, and the overall feel is closer to catching the ball with a bare hand that happens to be padded. Players stay loose, field with soft hands, and still cannot cheat with one hand.
All-Leather Construction Built to Last
The KK is all leather, with a soft palm and enough padding to take a firmly hit ground ball without sting. Like the rest of the Eagle line it is white, with "Train Like A Pro" embroidered on the shell, and it is stocked for both right-hand and left-hand throwers. The wrist back uses an adjustable strap so the same glove fits a small hand or an adult one; players who prefer an open wrist back should look at the Eagle KK-P, which is the same glove with that change.
Who This Baseball Training Glove Is For
The KK is the entry point to the Valle training system and the glove most players should own first. It is used from tee ball up, and it is the trainer of choice for young infielders learning to field with two hands, for middle infielders working on quick transfers and double-play feeds, and for coaches who want a drill glove that feels natural enough that players will actually use it. Because the fingers move freely, it also suits older players who found a rigid pancake uncomfortable. Once two-hand fielding is automatic, the natural next step is a trainer with a small pocket: the Eagle K47 keeps the KK's four-finger feel and adds one. Players who want a true pocketless pancake, or one glove for a mixed group of righties and lefties, should look at the Eagle Switch or the ambidextrous Eagle KKS, which combines the KK's finger design with the Switch's flat palm.
How to Use the Eagle KK
Start with rolled baseballs from close range and one rule: the ball is fielded out front, in the middle of the body, with the throwing hand covering it on every rep. Add forehand and backhand angles, then shuffle-and-throw drills, then short hops. Double-play feeds are where the KK shines, since the flat palm makes the glove-to-hand exchange as fast as it can be. Slow-roller and barehand drills fit naturally because the KK already feels close to a bare hand. Use the KK for the first part of every defensive session, then finish with the game glove; the difference in how big the gamer feels afterward is the sign the drill worked. Softball infielders use the KK the same way.
Caring for a Leather Training Glove
The KK asks very little. Because it is meant to stay flexible, do not oil it heavily or try to shape a pocket into it; a light conditioner once or twice a season keeps the leather from drying out, and that is all it needs. Let it air dry if it gets wet, never in a hot car or a dryer, and store it flat rather than folded. Wipe the white leather with a damp cloth to keep it recognizable in the bag. Treated this way a KK lasts for seasons of daily use, which is one reason academies and teams buy them by the dozen. If the palm ever feels too soft for a player who has grown into hard fungoes, that is the sign to move up to the Eagle K47 or the Eagle 8S, not to stiffen the KK.
Valle Eagle KK 4-Finger Infield Training Glove Specifications
- Type: four-finger flat training glove for baseball and softball
- Series: Valle Eagle S-Series
- Pocket: flat palm with a minimal pocket; no web
- Design: four individual finger stalls, flexible leather shell, soft padded palm
- Leather: all-leather construction
- Wrist back: adjustable strap
- Positions: first base, 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: 4 and up
What's Included
One Valle Eagle KK training glove in the throwing hand you select. Training balls are sold separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the KK and a pancake glove?
A pancake is one flat pad that holds the fingers stiff and straight. The KK has four separate finger stalls and a flexible leather shell, so the hand stays relaxed and bent the way it does in a game glove while the palm stays flat enough to force two hands. Valle's true pancake is the Eagle Switch.
Can you make a one-handed play with the KK?
Not reliably, and that is by design. With almost no pocket, the ball needs the throwing hand to stay put. If you want a trainer that can catch one-handed on a fly ball, choose the K47 or the 975S.
Is it padded enough for hard-hit balls?
The palm is padded for rolled, tossed and normal fungo ground balls. It is not meant for full-speed line drives; use it for drill work, not live batting practice.
Will it fit an adult hand?
Yes. The strap wrist back adjusts across the full range from a young child to an adult, and pro and college players use the KK.
KK or KK-P?
Same glove, different wrist back. The KK has an adjustable strap; the KK-P has an open wrist back for players who want more freedom of movement at the wrist.