Backyard Batting Cage Size Guide: How Much Space Do You Need?

A backyard batting cage needs a level strip about 20 feet wide and 40 to 75 feet long, depending on the cage. The cage itself is usually 12 to 14 feet wide, 10 to 12 feet tall and 35, 55 or 70 feet long. A 70 foot cage fits a full-distance pitch for high school hitters, a 55 foot cage suits most youth players, and a 35 foot cage works for tee work, soft toss and a pitching machine set in close.

Choosing a length

35 feet

The smallest common size, and the one that fits the most yards. There is room for a hitter, a tee or a soft toss screen, and a pitching machine at short range. Because a machine set closer plays faster, you can still practice at game-equivalent speed by turning the dial down. Our guide to pitching machine speed by age explains the math.

55 feet

The middle size, and a practical fit for many families. It fits Little League pitching distances of 46 to 50 feet with space behind the hitter and room for the machine or a live pitcher behind a screen.

70 feet

The full-size option. High school and college baseball is pitched from 60 feet 6 inches, and a 70 foot cage leaves room for the batter's box at one end and a machine or pitcher at the other. If you have a player in or headed to high school and the yard allows it, this is the length to buy.

Width and height

Most backyard cages are 12 to 14 feet wide and 10 to 12 feet high. Width matters more than people expect. A hitter needs room to take a full swing on either side of the plate without the bat reaching the net.

Some freestanding cages use a trapezoid shape that is wider at the ground than at the top. One common design measures 10 feet across the top and 14.5 feet across the bottom at 10 feet high. The wider base gives the hitter swing room and makes the frame more stable without extra supports.

How to measure your yard

1. Mark the footprint. Use stakes and string to lay out the cage length and width where you want it.
2. Add clearance. Keep the net at least 24 inches from walls, fences and anything solid. A net stretches when a ball hits it, and a ball can strike whatever is right behind it. Leave a walking path on at least one side.
3. Look up. Check for tree limbs and overhead lines along the full length.
4. Check the slope. A cage wants level ground. A few inches of fall over the length is manageable. More than that and you will be leveling or picking a different spot.
5. Think about the sun. If you can, place the cage so neither the hitter nor the pitcher stares into a low morning or evening sun.

Freestanding or permanent?

A freestanding cage has its own frame of steel poles and connectors. It sits on the ground and can be moved or taken down. This is the right choice for most backyards and for anyone who rents or may move.

A permanent cage hangs the net from poles set in concrete, usually with cables. It handles weather better and looks cleaner, but it is a construction project. Many towns and neighborhoods have rules about permanent structures.

Netting basics

• Twine size: netting is rated by a number such as #24, #32 or #42. A higher number means thicker twine and a longer life. Light family use can get by with #24. Regular use by older, harder-hitting players calls for #32 or heavier.
• Material: HDPE, often called poly, resists moisture and sun and is the usual pick for an outdoor cage. Nylon is stronger for its weight and is common indoors.
• Hang it loose. Leave the bottom of the net untied with some slack on the ground. A tight net wears out faster and bounces balls back at the hitter.

Before you order

• Check the rules. Look at homeowners association covenants and city setback rules. A quick call now beats taking a cage down later.
• Call 811 before you stake. If you are driving stakes or digging for poles, have underground utilities marked first. It is free.
• Plan for weather. Take the net down ahead of high winds, snow or ice. Frames are not built to carry that load, and weather damage is generally not covered by warranty.
• Budget for a screen. Anyone feeding a machine or throwing live needs a protective L-screen. Do not skip it.
• Decide on the floor. Grass works. Turf or a hitting mat at the plate saves the lawn and gives better footing.

Which size for which player?

If you are between two sizes and the space allows, go with the longer one. You can always move a pitching machine closer inside a long cage. You cannot make a short cage longer. For help choosing the machine that goes inside it, start with one wheel vs two wheel vs three wheel pitching machines.