Not to break up the lace debate or the MLB debate but I can tell you your DD will love this mitt. I bought DD her CMW3000 (as well as putting several other of my catchers into it) second year !6U and it has lasted through that full year, first year 18u TB (didn't play 2nd year), first year of college ball and still going strong through second year of college ball. Of course, she takes extremely good care of it also. That said, if she ever needed a new one, I'm sure that one would be in her very near future. That mitt is SHARP!