At least 40% of MLB professionals wear hitting thumb guard.
It’s a small thumb ring which professionals wear while they’re batting on the field.
But, why do they wear these thumb guards?
Do these thumb guards improve their hitting performance or do they protect their thumbs from getting injured?
Today, you’ll why MLB professionals wear baseball batting thumb guards, and after reading this article, you’ll also want to wear them.
So, let’s get started.
My Personal Recommendation
I highly recommend the ProHitter Batters Training Aid as the best thumb guard for any aspiring baseball batters. This is the real deal for improving your batting skill and is also used by many pro baseball batters.
This thumb guard is made of strong, durable rubber-like resin to withstand repeated use and for both durability and protection.
It helps hitters prepare for all pitches and prevents the common injuries that result from getting jammed with an inside pitch. Plus, it also prevents stinging and bone bruises, so it’s all-around a great tool for those who play hard.
Using this training aid will also improve your batting by creating a correct grip technique so you can say goodbye to hitting off-center.
What is a Baseball Thumb Guard?
A baseball thumb guard is usually made of soft plastic with a hole for the thumb. It covers the extra space between the thumb, especially the oval-shaped palm and the handlebar of the bat, which is a perfect cylinder. Due to its small size, it goes unnoticed.
Along with a better grip, it also helps to increase the bat speed and power. So, that’s why many professional players wear a thumb ring.
Even though it does not magically improve your hitting skills, it helps you to hold the bat correctly with minimum effort.
And, the most popular thumb ring is Pro Hitter Batting Aid. Let’s watch this short video.
What Do Batters Wear on their Thumb?
The short answer would be a thumb guard or a thumb ring. This small tool goes unnoticed in most games.
However, they do a miraculous task of protecting a batter’s thumb/palm bone from getting bruised. Along with the protection, it also helps to correct the batter’s grip which results in improved batting.
Reasons to Use Baseball Hitting Thumb Guard
Reduces the Recoil Force
The average speed of a pitch in a baseball is around 50 to 70 Mph. When a ball traveling at such force hits the bat, it creates a recoil, and shock is produced. A batting thumb ring or a thumb protector absorbs the shock and keeps your hand safe for the whole season.
Bridges Gap Between the Palm and the Handle of the bat
A thumb pad helps in bridging this gap created due to the oval-shaped palm and the cylinder-shaped handle-bar of the bat. This supplements a better grip for an MLB batter.
Even though the size of the ball in a softball game is bigger than Baseball, the cylinder-shaped handle-bar remains the same, which makes a thumb guard useful for softball hitters as well.
Improves Technique
The above two features, in turn, help an MLB batter, amateurs, and beginners by helping them to properly hold a baseball bat, and improves their batting technique, bat swing, and speed. That’s why those who want to significantly improve their hitting ability use hitting thumb guards.
Best Baseball Thumb Guards in 2024
Prohitter Batters Training Aid
Prohitter Batters Training Aid is the market leader in manufacturing a thumb guard and preferred by most professionals playing in the MLB. They offer a perfect fit for both, right and left-handed batters.
When a pitcher throws the ball closer to the batter, making it difficult to generate a good bat swing, it is called an inside pitch. In this case, this thumb pad keeps your palm safe, and bone from getting bruised.
Made of soft rubber-like adhesive, they provide durability and comfort in the long run. This thumb pad also corrects a batter’s grip, improving their technique, which in turn establishes a solid contact of ball and bat for a home run.
Franklin Sports Baseball Bat Swing Trainer – Gator Grip Trainer
Available at the same price range as Prohitters, these thumb guard for hitters are a safe bet. In addition to providing adequate protection against the inside pitches, these trainers also improve your bat swing and increase the bat speed.
A product, which is a hit among the MLB hitters is made for amateurs as well as beginners. This thumb pad is constructed out of silicon for extra durability, comfort, and grip; so that you can wear it season after season.
When the ball hits the bat, sometimes massive shock can be transferred to a batter’s hand, Franklin’s Gator Grip Trainer absorbs the excess shock and acts as a thumb protector.
In 2024, whether you go with Pro Hitter Batting Aid or the Franklin Sports Hitting Aid, you will not regret it. These two are the best performing and works well.
Final Words
There are not many thumb guards present in the market in 2021. The best ones, which are preferred by most professionals are manufactured by Pro Hitters and Franklin Sports.
The advantage that this small piece of equipment provides for their price range is staggering. The number of professionals using this small tool these days is huge! And it is rightly so.
