#1 retailer for Baseballs in Canada

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The Crucial Element of the Game - Baseballs

Here at baseball 360, we've got you covered whether you're looking for a single ball as a gift, a few to keep around the house for the occasional game of catch, or you need a whole load for your team or kids. Choose from a variety of baseballs and softballs in our collection from single balls or dozen packs of baseballs to last you the whole season.

If you coach a team we have a variety of sizes in a dozen packs so you can have a ball for every ballplayer in your ball team, letting them all improve their game at the same time.

 

Top Baseballs Canada Brands

Shop baseballs from the sport's biggest brands such as:

Louisville baseballs

Rawlings baseballs

Worth baseballs

American baseball balls are of the highest quality in the sport and will serve you well, lasting hours on the field no matter how much they are played allowing you to put in hours of practice or game time without worrying about constantly buying new baseballs.

 

Choosing a Baseball Ball in Canada

While it is easy to think that all Baseballs are made the same, the fact of the matter is that there can be a great deal of variety between different baseballs, usually involving attributes like weight, hardness, and size. 

Knowing which ball to choose means knowing what kind of baseball game you or your child will be engaging in. If they are young (less than 9-12), a softer training baseball. Above that age, most minor league teams will use balls that follow major league standards, but even then differences in the build and construction of the ball can have a major impact on its performance on the field. 

 

Six Types of Baseballs

Baseballs might look fairly uniform in design but there can be subtle differences in how they are made that allow them to specialize for specific settings and age groups. Whether you are playing in minor league baseball or looking to make it in the professional leagues, there is a ball specialized for your skill level. 

Browse our selection of baseballs and find the one that is right for you!

Safety Balls

Safety baseballs are designed specifically for young children (ages 3-5) that are playing in starter leagues like tee ball. 

These are much softer than baseballs, and even softballs, to ensure that young children aren't hurt when batting or throwing pitches for the first time. 

Reduced Injury Factor Baseballs (SEV INDEX Levels)

Reduced Injury Factor (RIF) baseballs are one step up from safety balls. They are a little sturdier and higher performance, but due to the poly mixture core of the ball, they are still softer than a normal youth baseball, great for early batting practice. 

Youth Tournament Baseballs

Youth baseballs have a cushioned core and are wound less tightly than balls designed for official league baseball, but they are not soft. These are the sorts of balls one find being used by a Junior National Team

These balls are typically designed for experienced youth athletes between ages 9-14. 

High-School and College Baseballs

Baseballs used in high school and college settings might share a lot of similarities with those used in major league games, but there are some key differences. These balls are lighter in density and usually designed around metal bats being used, which are not allowed in professional leagues. 

Professional-Grade Baseballs

Finally is the territory of the pros. At the National League level, players use the standard size and ball build approved by the International Baseball Federation.

In actuality, even this category can be split in two, as there is a slight difference in build-quality between the types of baseballs used in major leagues, and the types of baseballs used in minor leagues (usually this means cheaper leather and lower quality materials).

Practice Baseballs

Practice balls can be used at all age groups as a cheap alternative, so one doesn't have to worry about losing or damaging their nicer game-ready balls. 

Usually these training baseball balls are composed entirely of synthetic materials, drastically reducing production costs.

As a result of this lower quality, the baseball will lose its shape sooner than one made from natural materials. 

It is not recommended you put these baseballs in a pitch machine, as the synthetic material can damage it. 

Find the perfect baseballs for you at Baseball360

 

Anatomy of a Baseball

Official major league baseball balls all follow the same guidelines for construction. They begin with a small cork center, known as the "pill", that is then wrapped continuously in either a wool or cotton/polyester padding, and covered, finally, by stitched cowhide.

General Requirements for a Baseball 

Each Canadian and American League baseball must follow strict guidelines for manufacturing.

Balls must weigh between 141 - 149 grams, and measure between 23 and 25 cm in circumference to conform to standards found in most variations of baseball.

The Core of the Baseball

All baseball cores can be placed into one of two categories:

Cork and Rubber

Cork and rubber cores look like small black golf balls and sit in the very middle of the baseball's construction.

You can tell a baseball is made with a cork and rubber core by checking the stamp on the cover of the ball.

Cushioned Cork

Cushioned corks possess a distinctive red or orange coating. This is a special rubber that totally encases the core, making it a little larger and giving it more cushioning.

Cork and Rubber Pill vs Cushioned Cork Pill

Many studies have been conducted to determine which type of core is more effective. It has been found that cushioned cores are superior to cork and rubber cores in terms of ball behaviour and travel velocity.

Cushioned corks baseballs also maintain their shape more consistently and for much longer.

All these attributes help to improve pitching accuracy and your batting average, as well as reducing the occurrence of foul balls.

The only major negative of a cushioned cork is that it is more expensive than regular cork and rubber. 

Windings

Windings are thick layers of wool that are repeatedly wrapped around the core. Every baseball has four distinct layers of winding, beginning with four-ply wool down to a poly-cotton finishing yarn. These heavy duty materials ensure that the forces which impact baseballs on a regular basis will not ultimately damage or warp them. 

Materials used as Baseball Covers

There are typically only two kinds of materials used as covers for baseballs. 

Genuine Leather Cover

The traditional choice for baseball covers since the sport started, genuine leather boasts a great deal of advantages as a baseball cover. Most notably are the grip and durability, which are readily observed when one holds a genuine leather baseball. 

Synthetic Leather Cover

Synthetic balls are usually made from some vinyl material and as a result are far less durable than leather baseballs. 

Typically, the only baseballs using this material for their covers are cheap practice balls, which suits their intended purpose well. 

Stitching

All baseballs are held together by 108 stitches. While usually the color is red, others can be used. 

Baseball stitches come in three varieties - flat, rolled, or raised.

Raised seams are usually intended for beginners as they make it easier to grip the ball and prevent accidental slips. 

Rawlings Major League balls and other pro-level baseballs use a rolled seam, which allows for quicker handling of the ball. Pitchers playing at the highest level have to contend with a pitch timer, so every saved millisecond counts.