Building a Gamer with Tyler Stephenson

Watch as Cincinnati catcher Tyler Stephenson unboxes his new custom catcher’s mitts for 2021.

 

Cincinnati catcher Tyler Stephenson introduced himself to southwest Ohio with a strong rookie campaign in 2020, impressing with both his bat and his glove during the shortened season. In his first taste of big league action, Stephenson created some highlight-reel moments, like throwing out the speedy Billy Hamilton at second on a stolen base attempt and hitting a home run in his first career at-bat. To help him prepare for his first full season, Stephenson designed a pair of custom 2021 A2K® M1 catcher’s mitts on the Wilson Custom Glove Builder, and he unboxed his two new customs on a Zoom call with the Wilson Ball Glove team.

 

 

Stephenson said he likes to experiment with different colorways and materials on the Wilson Custom Glove Builder, mixing in SuperSkin™ and working in Red, Grey and Black leather.

“I can get carried away, especially customizing them on the website,” Stephenson said of his glove design process.

Stephenson’s A2K M1 catcher’s mitts check in at 33.5,” the size that he prefers behind the plate. On one of his two customs, Stephenson incorporated Black SuperSkin, a lightweight and water-resistant material designed to reduce glove weight while increasing durability.

“I do have the SuperSkin,” Stephenson said while showing off the back of his mitt. “For most of my mitts, I do use it. It’s kind of crazy how much lighter the glove actually is. I love that, just with it being light, and I love the texture of it.”

 

close-up of Stephenson's catcher's mitt

 

Stephenson’s mitt with SuperSkin also features Black Pro Stock Select Leather with Red laces, Red stitching and Red logos. For his second custom, Stephenson opted for a full leather look with Black Pro Stock Select leather, Grey laces, Red logos and Red stitching.

The A2K M1, a popular catcher’s mitt pattern beloved by the top backstops in the game, features an extended palm and a deeper pocket to help reduce rebound. Stephenson’s custom A2K M1 mitts boast flawless Pro Stock® Select leather, crafted from hides that Wilson Glove Craftsmen sort three times to ensure they are the best of the best.

Stephenson personalized both of his custom Wilson catcher’s mitts by writing “Enjoy” on the thumb. Stephenson said his family inspired that personalization.

“All my gloves, they actually have the word ‘Enjoy’ on it because it’s something big with my family,” Stephenson said. “My grandpa, he always preaches ‘Enjoy each day.’ So, on all my gloves, I’ve got that.”

 

a close-up of stephenson's glove personalization that reads "enjoy"

 

To keep up with Stephenson all season long, follow him on Instagram @tylerstep22 and on Twitter @Tyler_Step22.