Practice Gear & Training Aids

This is the gear that turns your backyard into a training facility. Listed from essential to nice-to-have.

Dad’s home training setup

Item	What It Does	Price Range
Batting tee	Foundation of hitting practice	$20–80
Balls (bucket of 12–24)	Volume for efficient practice	$20–60
Net or pop-up backstop	Catches balls behind the tee	$30–80
Flat disc cones (20-pack)	Agility drills, fielding stations	$8–12
L-screen	Safety screen for front toss	$50–120
Pitching machine	Consistent pitches for BP	$80–500+
Radar gun or app	Track pitch speed and velocity	$30–100+
Resistance bands	Arm care, warmup, strength	$10–20
Stopwatch	Time agility drills and sprints	$8–15
Wiffle balls + bat	Low-stakes hitting practice anywhere	$10–15

Start with a tee, a bucket of balls, and a net. That's a complete home hitting station for under $100. Everything else can wait.

Dad’s Top Picks — Practice Gear

Essential Franklin Sports Batting Tee Adjustable height, stable base. The tee most backyards run on. Stacks with a bucket of balls and a net for a full hitting station. Check Price on Amazon

Essential Pop-Up Backstop / Hitting Net Catches balls behind the tee so you're not chasing into the bushes. Folds flat for storage. Get one that fits your space; 7' is enough for most yards. Check Price on Amazon

Essential Practice Balls (Bucket of 12–24) More reps without constant fetching. Dimpled or smooth; avoid hard balls until they're ready. Stays in the bucket next to the tee. Check Price on Amazon

Next Level L-Screen for Front Toss Safety screen so you can throw front toss without eating a line drive. Folds for transport. Worth it once they're hitting with intent. Check Price on Amazon