Baseball players know that one of the essentials of baseball practice equipment is the batting tee. These are great for batters who practice by themselves without a pitcher, but they’re also an excellent learning tool for newbies. Whether for a varsity athlete or a youngster in a little league, we’ve rounded up some batting tees for anyone that wants to play ball.
Buying a Baseball Batting Tee
Here’s what you’ll want to look for:
- Durability: A batting tee should last you through all your practice sessions. Look for durable materials that can take a beating, like metal and rubber.
- Height: Height-adjustment is a must-have for batting tees. It allows you to tailor the ball to your height and to practice batting with the baseball appearing in different positions in your strike zone.
- Feel: The tee is designed to hold the ball in place as if it had been pitched to you. However, the artificial feel of hitting the ball at a fixed position may not be the most effective when you’re trying to simulate game day. Some tees are designed with rubber tops which allow for a better feel of the ball on contact, rather than hitting the tee’s hard post.
- Level of Play: Although all tees serve the same purpose, some are designed better for younger or older players.
Best All-Around: TANNER TEE Original Baseball/Softball Batting Tee
If you’re looking for the best overall tee, then you should certainly consider the Tanner tee. It features a hand-rolled, signature FlexTop: a rubber top that allows batters to get a better feel of the ball, rather than hitting the tee itself. Designed with a rubber ball rest, the tee is extremely durable, so you can expect it to last you quite a while. It’s adjustable from 26 inches to 43 inches, which is suitable for players of all heights and ages.
TANNER TEE the Original Batting Tee Premium Pro-Style Baseball/Softball Tee, Adjustable Height: 26 to 43 inches, Patented Hand-Rolled Flextop, Adjustable Height: 26 to 43 inches
This batting tee features a rolled rubber top that offers excellent durability and feedback on contact.
Best Budget: Champion Sports 90 Deluxe Batting Tee
When taking the expenses of the rest of your baseball gear into account, the costs of a pricey tee can seem daunting. If price is one of your biggest considerations, this budget tee is the best option for you. It’s easily adjustable from 22 inches to 47 inches and is made with steel for durability. You don’t have to sacrifice on quality to get an affordable and efficient tee.
Champion Sports 90 Deluxe Batting Tee, Black
This is an economical and durable batting tee for practice or use in T-ball.
Most Stable: Jugs T Pro Style Batting Tee
A powerful swing can knock over the tee that you had just set up. If constant tipping is a problem for you, then check out this batting tee from Jugs. It’s designed with a rubber-encased weighted base that will help prevent the tee from falling over. On top of that, it’s also designed with a flexible top, allowing you to truly feel the ball on contact while further lessening the chance that it’ll fall. It has a height adjustment range of 24 inches to 46 inches and is designed for easy transport.
Jugs T - Pro Style Batting Tee, Will Not Tip Over, 24” - 46” Adjustment Range for High and Low Tee Drills, Patented Grip-N-Go Handle, Always-Feel-The-Ball Flexible Top, 1-Year Guarantee
This batting tee is designed with a large, weighted base and a flexible top.
Best for Youngsters: Franklin Sports Kids Teeball and Baseball Grow-with-Me Tee
This tee is an excellent teaching tool for your young one who’s learning the mechanics of the game. You get a two-in-one batting tee, four self-stick baseballs, and a 21-inch plastic bat. The tee allows for the ball to be suspended in the air, so your child can improve their hand-eye coordination. When they’re ready to move to the next level, you can convert this tee into a traditional tee where the ball rests on its top.
Franklin Sports Kids Batting Tee - MLB 2-in-1 Grow-with-Me - Adjustable Youth Hitting Tee - Perfect for Teeball and Baseball
This is a great tool to help young players learn how to bat. The tee converts from a suspended tee to a traditional one.
Best Practice Set: ZELUS Portable Baseball Net with Tee
A practice net is great to have when you’re batting alone and is essential for pitchers. This set from ZELUS comes with a batting tee and net. The batting tee has an adjustable height range between 27.8 inches and 47.5 inches and is collapsible for convenient storage and transport. The 7-by-7-foot net is also collapsible and made with durable steel and fiberglass posts and flexible polyester netting. On top of that, this set includes a 16-ounce training ball, which is weighted to improve your batting and pitching power.
ZELUS 7x7ft Baseball Softball Practice Net | Portable Baseball Net with Tee, 2.8" 16oz Weighted Baseball and Carry Bag for Batting Hitting and Pitching
This set is complete with everything a baseball player needs to practice: a batting tee, net, and weighted training ball.