The centerpiece
Bownet
Bownet Big Mouth X Portable Hitting Net
A second, wide-mouth net so you can move around and keep the reps fresh. Folds flat to store — the trade-off for that portability is it's for tee and soft-toss work, not hard live BP.
Start in the yard
Backyard Starter Kit
You don't need a full cage to start getting real reps. This is the cheapest honest way in — two nets, a tee, a mat to stand on, a screen for live BP, and a bucket of leather balls. Set it up in the driveway and swing every single day.
Best for: Parents and players getting a first setup going at home.
8-piece kit
What's in the Kit
8 pieces, hand-picked to work together. Buy the whole thing, or start with the anchor and add as you go.
- Full kit total
- Pieces
Add all 8 to Amazon cartOpens Amazon · sign-in required
Training Aids
PowerNet
PowerNet 7x7 Baseball & Softball Hitting Net
The workhorse net — tee work, soft toss, and front toss in a tight space. Pops up on a steel frame in minutes; it's a training net, not a cage, so don't run a machine into it.
on Amazon
Training Aids
Tanner
Tanner Tee The Original Batting Tee
The tee you'll take a thousand quality swings a week on. Weighted base and flexible top take real cuts without tipping — a buy-it-once, not the $20 tee you replace every spring.
on Amazon
Turf
ZivPlay
12x6 ft Hitting Mat with Batter's Box & Home Plate
A mat with a batter's box on it, so you stand in the same place every swing and stop killing the grass. Turf over foam saves your knees and your lawn.
on Amazon
Protective Gear
GoSports
GoSports 7x7 Baseball L-Screen
The moment anyone throws live BP, the feeder needs a screen — and this one's right for soft toss and younger hitters. Straight talk: a pop-up screen isn't built for a 13+ bat on machine-speed balls. Once you're there, step up to a steel L-screen.
on Amazon
Balls
Rawlings
Rawlings Leather Practice Baseballs (Dozen)
Real leather comes off the bat like a game ball — perfect for tee work, soft toss, and hand-fed BP. Just never feed leather through a wheeled machine; it shreds fast (that's what dimpled and foam balls are for).
on Amazon
Accessories
Champion Sports
Champion Sports 6-Gallon Bucket with Padded Seat Lid
Holds the balls and doubles as the seat you throw front toss from. Padded lid, cheap, does one job well.
on Amazon
BasesOut of stock
Franklin Sports
Franklin MLB Throw-Down Base Set (5-Piece)
Throw-down bases turn the same yard into baserunning and infield work. Flexible rubber that stores flat — set them out and the setup becomes a whole practice.
on Amazon
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Building your own?
The honest path to a real cage
Three ways to stand one up
- Poles in concrete — the pro standard; 8–12+ years and rentable.
- Freestanding / no-concrete kit — fast to set up; a realistic 5–8 years.
- Trees or existing anchors — cheapest, but an expert-only move.
The one part never to cheap out on: a #42 UV-treated knotted net. Thin netting is what holes out first — especially once a real hitter is on it.
Shop the parts
Prefer a complete kit? The Serious Backyard Cage bundles the tunnel, machine, screen, and turf.
Built it right? List it on CageList and let it pay for itself.
List your cageWhy This Kit Works
One afternoon of setup, and a hitter who can practice every day of the week.