Why Every Player Needs a Pancake Glove (and No, Not the Kind with Syrup)
Let’s Be Real About Fielding
Every time I hear a travelball kid say, “Coach, it was a bad hop,” I have to stop myself from laughing. Sure, sometimes the ball hits a rock, skips sideways, and makes you look like you’ve never played baseball in your life. But nine times out of ten? That “bad hop” excuse really means:
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🦶 Your feet were cemented in place.
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✋ Your hands were stiff as a two-by-four.
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⏱️ And your transfer was slower than a Little League concession stand on dollar hot dog night.
Want to fix it? Stop waiting for a miracle and start training your hands. Quick, soft, reliable hands are the difference between being an infielder your coach trusts with the game on the line… and being the one who “rotates positions” every other inning. That’s where the pancake glove comes in.
What Exactly Is a Pancake Glove?
Nope, you can’t eat it — but it might help you butter up college scouts one day.
The pancake glove is flat. No pocket. No help. No excuses. It’s literally designed to force you to do two things every fielder claims they’re already good at:
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Use two hands.
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Stay soft and quick.
The one I use (and trust) is the Valle Eagle Switch Pancake — the first-ever ambidextrous training glove. Got lefties and righties on the same team? Doesn’t matter. One glove fits all. And in classic Valle fashion, it’s bright white — the most recognizable training glove from Little League to the pros.
Coach’s Tip 📝
If you don’t own a pancake yet, no excuses. Close up your gamer glove and use the palm or back side. It’s not as sharp, but it works in a pinch.
The 3 Drills That Build Softer, Faster Hands
Here’s where the magic happens. These three drills are simple, brutal, and effective. Run them consistently and your hands will stop looking like bricks and start looking like tools.
🥶 Shuffle Drill – Footwork Meets Hand-Eye Coordination
Glove down, feet moving. Shuffle side to side as the ball comes in. Stay low, stay balanced, and let the pancake glove force you to use two hands.
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Why it works: most fielding mistakes come from being flat-footed. This drill teaches you to always be moving.
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Coach Tip: Parents, roll those grounders quickly. Make them move, don’t baby them with perfect hops.
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See it in action here: SHUFFLE
🧎 Kneel Down Drill – No Legs Allowed
Drop to your knees. No legs, no cheating. Field out front, bring the ball to your body, and secure it for the throw.
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Why it works: isolates the upper body and forces you to rely on your hands.
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Coach Tip: Keep reps short and clean. ✅ Ten good ones > ❌ fifty sloppy ones.
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See it in action here: KNEE DOWN DRILL
⚡ Tap Drill – Quick Hands, Faster Reactions
Set up cones about four feet apart. Partner rolls or bounces balls as you move east to west. Don’t field — just tap it.
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Why it works: builds glove speed and faster ball-to-glove time.
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Coach Tip: Turn it into a competition. Time it, count clean taps, challenge teammates.
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See it in action here: TAP DRILL
Coach’s Tip 📝
These drills take up almost no space. Perfect for a backyard, garage, or — you guessed it — cramped tournament warmup areas.
Why Coaches Love the Pancake
Here’s the deal: the pancake glove doesn’t lie. If you’re stiff, lazy, or trying to play one-handed, the pancake exposes it instantly. And that’s why coaches love it.
It locks in the fundamentals:
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✅ Using two hands
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✅ Bringing the ball to your body
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✅ Securing a clean transfer
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✅ Reacting fast to any hop
If you’ve ever heard a coach yell “Soft hands!” — this is how you finally get them.
Perfect for Travel Ball and Pre-Game Warmups
Here’s another sneaky use for the pancake: pre-game rituals.
At tournaments, warmup space is usually tighter than the parking lot. You don’t always have room for full infield drills — but you can always pull out your pancake. A few rounds of shuffles, kneel-downs, or taps before the first pitch gets your body loose, hands sharp, and brain locked in without needing much space.
It’s one of the simplest, most effective ways to wake up your glove work before a game. Travel ball players especially love it — it’s like carrying your own portable infield session in your bag.
Coach’s Tip 📝
Make the pancake glove part of your pre-game ritual. Ten minutes of drills gets you warm, sharp, and game-ready without hogging space on a crowded field.
Baseball and Softball
This isn’t just a baseball tool. Softball players (especially infielders) benefit even more. The game moves quicker, which means fast hands and smooth transfers are non-negotiable. The pancake glove doesn’t care what size ball you’re rolling — it trains both.
Final Thoughts (aka Coach Dan’s Rant)
Look, you can keep blaming “bad hops” if you want. You can keep showing up with stiff hands, clunky footwork, and transfers so slow I could check my phone before the throw leaves your glove.
Or… you can get serious about training. Do the drills. Use a pancake glove if you’ve got one, or close your gamer and improvise. The tools are simple. The results are obvious.
Want softer hands, quicker transfers, and fewer “oops” moments in the field? Then stop talking and start tapping. Because the next time you hear “ball up!” you’ll be glad you spent time with a pancake instead of making excuses.
👉 Ready to train like the pros? Grab the Valle Eagle Switch Pancake and make it part of your pre-game warmup.
