The Wilson® A2K® and A2000® are premium baseball gloves used by elite professional players. Matt Chapman, Juan Soto and Michael Bush take the field with an A2K® baseball glove, while other pros like Gunnar Henderson, Bobby Witt Jr., and Dansby Swanson use an A2000® baseball glove.
Both the A2K® and A2000® are among the best baseball gloves in the game, but what’s the difference between A2K® and A2000® Ryan Smith, lead baseball glove designer and product line manager for Wilson Baseball and Softball, said players should know three main differences between the Wilson Pro Stock® glove models.
What is the difference between A2K and A2000?
“The three biggest differences are craftsmanship, leather quality and the double palm construction found in the A2K®,” Smith said.
Glove Craftsmanship: A2K vs. A2000
Both A2K® and A2000® ball gloves are made with extreme attention to detail, but only A2K® baseball gloves are made entirely in Japan, formed to the perfect shape by expert glove craftsmen.
“Being made in Japan, the A2K® is made by craftsmen who have been making ball gloves for decades,” Smith said.
From start to finish, Pro Stock® baseball gloves require about 18 hours of labor. Craftsmen select leather hides, cut the pieces, then assemble and form the glove. Once a glove is assembled, expert craftsmen inspect and shape each glove, resulting in a flawless mitt that meets the needs of all ball players.
Premium Leather: Pro Stock vs. Pro Stock Select
“Leather is so important,” said Wilson Master Glove Craftsman Shigeaki Aso. “A really important thing is a certain level of softness is needed. A certain level of stretchiness is needed. Our Pro Stock® leather is perfect for that.”
The leather used in A2K® and A2000® gloves is derived from the same material, but Pro Stock® Select leather is finely inspected for perfection.
“The leather used in A2K® ball gloves is triple sorted,” Smith said. “It’s the best of the best leather. It’s flawless with the tightest grains.” When sorting the leather hides, craftsmen inspect the hides each time to ensure only completely unblemished pieces are selected for use in premium A2K® ball gloves. Only the top 5% of leather hides are selected for use in A2K® gloves.
Innovative Design: Double Palm Construction
Available only with A2K® gloves, Double Palm Construction separates the A2K® from every other ball glove on the market. “Double Palm Construction is a thin piece of leather between the palm and the liner,” Smith said. “It’s there to help keep the shape of the palm and the pocket, and it helps in the forming and shaping process.”
Select Your A2K® or A2000® or A2000®
Both A2K and A2000 baseball gloves are engineered to meet the needs of elite baseball players, and both are available as infield and outfield gloves. To find the ideal glove for you, explore the full collection or create your own custom baseball gloves.
| A2K® | A2000® | |
|---|---|---|
| Premium Leather | Pro Stock® Select | Pro Stock® |
| Double Palm Construction | x | |
| Dual Welting | x | x |
| DriLex Wrist Lining | x | x |
| Comfort Pro™ Fit | x | x |
| Expert Japanese Craftmansip | x |
