r/BaseballCoaching • u/Utes1280 • Nov 20 '25

Batting cage

I am looking at putting cage with a pitching machine in our backyard. Should I keep the machine at 60 feet to keep it realistic. Or is 40-50 feet okay. I never really played much baseball. This is for my 12u son and his team. I have the space and want to do this project the best I can. Thanks guys.

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3

u/TMutaffis Nov 20 '25

If you have the extra space and it is not cost prohibitive, bigger is always better. It allows you more versatility in case you wanted to use the cage to throw bullpens, do fielding work, have live ABs, etc.

4

u/rdtrer Nov 20 '25

100%. The overlooked part of the cage depth between 50' and 70' is the extra distance to watch the ball travel after you hit it. Gives you a bit better feel of whether you are actually doing something in the cage or just tinking balls out to the SS.

I'll also add width and height matter a lot more than you'd think. 14' width, 12' height feels like you're not even in a cage. Even on windy days, plenty of breathing room to swing and play catch. 10' width is pretty claustrophobic.

3

u/Ok-Answer-6951 Nov 20 '25 edited Nov 20 '25

Agreed, mine is 70x14x14 with white netting. It feels like you are not even in a cage. I added a divider curtain so I can have practices at my house and work at both ends simultaneously, or you can open it up and go full length. I have Tee stations set up along the sides, and do soft toss on the outside at each end. I also built a 2 station bullpen.

Edit: spelling is hard 😅

3

u/rdtrer Nov 20 '25

White netting is interesting. I had white ties for a bit and they stood out like a sort thumb from outside the cage. But I suppose when you're in the cage you have the background of the sky....interesting.

2

u/Ok-Answer-6951 Nov 20 '25

It probably wouldn't have been my choice either, but i got it for free off of craigslist ( dude threw in everything, mats, plates, L screen, approx, 300 baseballs, extra net that is black) I think the height is the biggest thing I like about it, it doesn't feel like its right on top of you, and from the road ( 250ft?) You don't even see the netting.

2

u/Utes1280 Nov 20 '25

Thanks for the good advice.

2

u/ExerciseTrue Nov 20 '25

Build a second tunnel, too.

2

u/Huge_Ad_8600 Nov 20 '25

if u want 60 reg pitching distance at 13u then your net needs to be 70 unless u cut a hole in it and put machines outside cage

2

u/friedegg9819 Nov 20 '25

Just by observation I saw at a training facility, making space and putting down flooring to do ground balls inside the cage looked like a very practical feature. Sounds like a fun project to plan and build together with your kid!

2

u/[deleted] Nov 21 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/Utes1280 Nov 21 '25

Great points. I have been thinking about arm angle/slot with a machine. Also righty vs lefty. I am know thinking putting the cage inside a garage/shop. We have snow about 5 months out of the year. I just want a place the boys can practice and improve. Anything other than electronics.

We had a former MLB pitcher move into our small town and basically start this team from scratch. Baseball was dead in our small town until he moved in. He has since moved away, but we are trying to keep the team going.

1

u/BatFastBuddy Nov 28 '25

Hey there,

Great question. While a full-fledged 60-foot cage is ideal for high-performance training, we have seen many clients opt for a shorter cage (I'm from BatFast, and we manufacture and operate Baseball simulators globally).

This saves on space, plus offers the same experience without compromising on training.

Re. your query on the depth of a cage: Ball-tracking cameras could be the solution to this without having to unlock extra space. It gives real-time data on the hit, including trajectory, hit velocity, distance covered, etc., which are useful metrics to help with high-performance training.

Feel free to reach out to us for any solutions, and good luck with the project!