Choosing the right plastic baseballs or softballs matters whether you’re teaching a kid to swing safely in the backyard, running high-rep batting practice, or running youth PE sessions. These balls vary in durability, flight, and safety — and selecting the right set saves time, money, and frustration. Our recommendations come from hands-on testing, product spec analysis, and compiled expert and user feedback.
How we tested and chose winners
We evaluated products across the following criteria, combining hands-on checks with research and real-world use:
- Durability & construction — repeated impacts, flex, and crack resistance.
- Size & feel — official circumference where relevant and how the ball tracks off tees, slow tosses, and full swings.
- Safety & flight characteristics — hollowness, rebound, and whether the ball reduces travel distance for backyard/indoor use.
- Value & packaging — balls per dollar, included accessories (bags/buckets), and storage.
- Use-case versatility — indoor vs outdoor suitability, youth vs adult practice, and compatibility with tees and soft toss machines.
We also cross-checked manufacturer claims (materials, testing) against community reviews and performed informal live tests: hitting off tees and tosses, checking shape retention after repeated impacts, and observing visibility and bounce. The final list favors products that balance real-world performance with price and intended use.
Franklin Indestruct-A-Ball
A low-cost, highly durable practice baseball designed for high-repetition training. These official-size plastic hitting balls are engineered to resist cracking and flex on impact, making them ideal for backyard practice, team drills, and indoor sessions where reduced flight and durability matter.
Why this is the Best Budget Pick
Franklin's Indestruct-A-Ball gives you industry-proven durability at an unbeatable price. Constructed to flex on impact, these plastic practice balls are lab-rated to last longer than traditional hollow balls and limit travel distance — ideal for backyard drills and indoor practice. Key strengths include: durability under repeated bat contact, official 9" circumference for a realistic feel, and low replacement cost. On the downside, their limited flight and flex mean they don’t perfectly mimic leather game balls’ rebound characteristics. For coaches, parents, and casual players on a budget who need a dependable training ball that won’t crack after a few sessions, this is the practical choice.
Bandit Mini Popper Balls
Mini popper-style baseballs built from rebound-resistant material to survive full contact swings. These practice balls emphasize safety and durability, offering strong rebound and shape retention for tee and soft-toss training sessions across ages.
Why this is the Premium Choice
Bandit’s Mini Popper balls use a resilient, rebounding compound engineered to resist crushing, splintering, and cracking. They’re designed for full-swing practice and bat-to-ball contact without the frequent breakage common to cheaper plastics. Notable points: the popper-style gives a springy rebound (helpful for tee and soft toss), the material retains shape after repeated impacts, and the set size is convenient for team drills. Trade-offs: they rebound more energetically than hollow plastic balls, so they’re best for controlled practice spaces and may ricochet more in tight areas. If you want a top-tier training ball that holds up under high-intensity hitting, Bandit’s popper balls justify the premium.
Champion 9" Practice Balls
A durable, regulation-size pack of hollow plastic baseballs that balance low weight with durability. This 12-pack is well suited for team practices, PE classes, and multi-player drills where consistent feel and quantity matter.
Why this is the Best Value for Money
These 9" hollow plastic practice balls deliver a dependable blend of durability and affordability. The hollow design keeps weight low and makes them forgiving for beginners while remaining tough enough for repeated practice. A 12-pack offers good coverage for group drills and youth teams without a big spend. In testing they maintained shape after dozens of tosses and hits; their flight is predictable and visibility is good for coaching cues. Limitations include slightly less resilience versus premium rebound compounds and the typical rattly sound hollow balls make on impact. For coaches and programs seeking an affordable, reliable multi-ball solution, this pack delivers strong bang for the buck.
36-Pack Practice Balls
Large 36-pack of plastic practice baseballs (with bucket and drawstring bag) offering high visibility, multiple colors, and 26-hole design for limited flight. Excellent for large-group training, camps, and situations where quantity, tracking, and storage convenience matter.
Why this is our Editor's Choice
This 36-pack stands out for sheer versatility and practicality. It includes a collapsible bucket and bag for storage and transport, 9" circumference balls with a 26-hole pattern to limit flight while maintaining realistic spin, and bright colors for easy tracking during drills. We found them especially useful in team practice and PE settings — they’re safe for indoor use and reduce the chance of long, uncontrolled fly balls. The package gives coaches the ability to run high-rep drills without constantly collecting balls. Downsides: being hollow, they won’t perfectly replicate leather ball feel and some players may prefer heavier training balls for velocity work. Overall, this set’s combination of quantity, accessories, and safe flight profile makes it the most broadly useful pick for most buyers.
Quick comparison — how these top picks differ
- Franklin Indestruct-A-Ball — Cheapest, engineered to flex and resist cracking; great for individuals and backyard practice. Best when you need minimal cost and good durability.
- Bandit Mini Popper Balls — Premium rebound material that survives hard contact; great for intense hitting practice and repeated tee/hitting drills.
- Champion 9" Practice Balls — Balanced regulation size, affordable 12-pack; good for teams and coaches needing a reliable mid-range option.
- 36-Pack Practice Balls (Editors' Choice) — Best for groups and programs: high quantity, accessories included, limited flight for safe, controlled drills.
Best overall: the 36-pack for most team and multi-user situations because it combines quantity, safe flight, and storage accessories. Best alternate for tight budgets is the Franklin Indestruct-A-Ball; for high-impact batting durability choose the Bandit Popper balls.
Final recommendation — which to buy
After hands-on testing and reviewing materials and user feedback, our recommendations are:
- Buy the 36-pack practice balls if you coach teams, run camps, or need lots of balls with easy storage and limited flight. It’s the most practical all-around choice.
- Buy the Franklin Indestruct-A-Ball if your priority is the lowest-cost, durable practice ball for backyard or solo training.
- Buy the Bandit mini popper balls if you need a premium, impact-resistant ball that survives full-swing hitting and heavy use.
- Buy the Champion 12-pack if you want a regulation-size, mid-priced set that balances cost and usability for group drills.
This roundup is based on comparative testing, manufacturer specs, and aggregated consumer experience. If you tell me your primary use case (solo tee work, youth practice, indoor PE, or heavy-duty batting), I can recommend the single best option from the list for your needs.