ThumbPRO® | Baseball & Softball Thumb Guard

We started with a simple belief: hitters deserve better

Our mission at ThumbPRO® is simple: give every baseball and softball player the protection they deserve, so nothing stands between them and their best swing.

For more than twenty years, baseball and softball hitters had only one option for thumb protection. One design. One shape. One choice. Craig First, a lifelong baseball fan, laser engineer, and the inventor of ThumbPRO®, saw something most players had overlooked. Players were still feeling pain, still getting jammed up, and still using gear that had not changed in decades. Craig knew hitters deserved something better.

He believed players deserved innovation. Real innovation.

So he, along with his wife, Nina, got to work.

How ThumbPRO® Began

Craig grew up around the game and later built a career in engineering, where precision and problem-solving are second nature. When he watched hitters adjust their grip or shake out their hands after a bad sting, he knew there had to be a better way.

He put his engineering skills to use with 3-D CAD design, rapid prototyping, multi-iteration, and continuous product refinement. He researched a polymer that would be both shock absorbing and maintain consistent performance across all temperatures that a player might encounter. After dozens of early models, something clicked: a guard that finally fit the way the hand actually works.

Engineered. Contoured. Comfortable. And different from anything that had ever been on the market.

That design became ThumbPRO®.

From a Small Family Business to the Pros

January 2020 ThumbPRO® launched at the American Baseball Association National Conference and won "Best of Show." Within three months, ThumbPRO® was being used by multiple MLB players at Spring Training. 

One of the most common responses was that players kept commenting about how comfortable ThumbPRO® is, while still eliminating bat sting. 

Players responded. They liked the feel. They liked the support. They kept wearing it.

Word spread. ThumbPRO® began showing up on hands across the league. Soon, it reached postseason lineups. And today, you can find ThumbPRO® on players competing at every level — baseball and softball — including those stepping into the box during the biggest stage in the game.

In 2025, Major League Baseball made an eight-figure investment in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League — the first professional women's softball league backed by MLB. ThumbPRO® is proud to be part of that world. Learn more on our Softball page →

Why Players Choose ThumbPRO

Every ThumbPRO® is designed, sourced, and manufactured in the USA using high-quality materials and a patented contoured form that supports the thumb while letting hitters stay relaxed and comfortable. It is trusted because it was built for real hitters, tested by real hitters, and refined based on what players actually needed.

We believe good gear should allow a player to perform at their best. 

What Players Say

"The ThumbPRO® guard keeps my confidence up when I'm in the batters box. I know I'm not going to feel any sting when I swing my bat." — Taj B.

"Absolute game changer. Keeps us practicing through the cold and no more sting. Helps align the bat correctly with our younger players." — Chris C.

"My daughter had a bruised hand due to early practices hitting softballs. I ordered ThumbPRO® and it solved the sting and bruising — her swing is back to full speed." — Aaron O.

"My son has been able to increase his confidence. If that's what he gets then it's absolutely worth the investment." — Dean G.

Read more from our players. See All Reviews →

A Note From Our Inventor: 

"As an engineer, I look to find solutions for problems. Innovation often relies on the concept of “building a better mousetrap.” I realized that the state of the art in baseball thumb protection had not been updated in many years. I applied the concepts of ergonomic design, anatomical protection, and the biomechanics of swinging a baseball bat. Applying all those design elements allowed me to come up with the unique, patented design of ThumbPRO®-–the first advancement in thumb guard technology for the 21st century. Baseball players work hard at their game. My goal was to design something that allows those players to be at their absolute best every swing. I’m proud that so many players at every level choose to step into the box with ThumbPRO®"

 — Craig First, Inventor

FROM DREAM TO MLB

The Patented Thumb Guard Trusted by the Pros

Only 5% of patents become real products. This patented baseball thumb guard is one of them. Hear the story from inventor Craig First.

Our Commitment To You

We remain a small, family-owned, company, and we still focus on the same things that mattered from day one:

• Bring fresh innovation to an essential piece of protective equipment for batters in the modern age. 
  

• Treat every customer like part of our community.

• Offer personal, friendly, customer service.

Not sure what size is right for you? Our Sizing Guide → makes it easy.

Our name says it all: ThumbPRO stands for Thumb PROtection™, allowing you to stay in the game with confidence and be your best. 

Reach out anytime, we love to hear from you. 

Want to go deeper? Visit The ThumbPRO® Blog → for hitting tips, product insights, and the latest from the diamond."

Best, 
Craig and Nina

ThumbPRO® 's unique innovative design is protected by patents in the United States and aboard, ensuring players receive the authentic design.