Portable Pitching Mounds in Your Batting Cage:  4 Things to Consider When Purchasing a Mound

Published July 5, 2024

“Make no mistake about it.   Nobody wants to see a mound or softball pitching mat that moves around.”

You’ve got the turf.  You’ve got the nets. You have the batting mats.  Maybe the L Screens.   Do you need a pitching mound?

If your kid is a pitcher, probably.  If you have a facility for team practice, probably.   Is your kid just a hitter?  Maybe not.  In any case, the ATXTurf team owns, runs and has outfitted countless baseball facilities and fields over the years, and here are our thoughts: 

We get it. The internet will throw a lot at you. But let’s get down to brass tax and think about THE 4 main things that matter for batting cage and facility owners when it comes to buying portable pitching mounds.

1. Surface Contact –  The immediate concern from day 1, when you unbox the mound and place it on the turf or dirt in front of your coaches and parents WILL BE:  is it STABLE or will it slide around.  Make no mistake about it.   Nobody wants to see a mound or softball pitching mat that moves around. Many lighter mounds and mats WILL move around.  Some mounds may not slide around gym floors, but they will move around on dirt or turf.  Some are simply foam blocks coated in truck-bed lining material, not designed for friction against dirt or turf.  In the case of softball pitching mats, 5mm foam backed turf is made for impact attenuation but not originally designed to consider the contact with dirt and turf. Mounds with an additional layer of rubber and spikes on the bottom safeguard against volatility and movement. The ATXTurf team believes this to be the main consideration in choosing the right pitching mound as it is a safety concern from day one until the end.

2. Structural Integrity –   Is the material strong enough to withstand wear over time?  Manufacturers of portable pitching mounds have to make a decision between “weight” and “durability”.   Most of them have the same texturized nylon turf on the surface. But what’s going on under that?   Some are lighter, simple foam blocks and break down, or chip over time.  Simple foam coated mounds will often have dents in the edges, corners and landing areas after months of wear and transport.   The black coating cracks and exposes the white, inside foam. Mounds made of more robust materials such as fiberglass, have more structural integrity and don’t crumble after continuous contact with the ground or feet.  Ideally, the inner foam core is coated in a fiberglass shielding to get the best of both worlds. 

3. Size – Portable Pitching Mounds come in a variety of shapes and sizes.   Generally, you will see them in 4 and 5 ft widths and around 10 feet long.   For taller pitchers, you want the 5 ft width and 10 ft 6 inch long mounds.   Youth, and smaller pitchers can get away with the 4 ft wide and Junior mounds may be as little as 2.5 ft wide.  Two-Piece Mounds are also popular, as they are easier to store and the freight costs are less.

4. Terms –  We understand, more than anyone, the investment in Batting Cages and Baseball Facilities.   To make it work, Booster Clubs need to raise funds. Athletic directors appropriate funds away from other sports,  private facility owners use their own money, borrow from investors or get small business loans.  The startup costs for turf and netting aren’t cheap.   Should you add another $1800 for a portable pitching mound and the freight. Or two for $3,600, or 3 for $5,400?  We can’t decide this for you, but if you do invest in them, make sure it has a warranty.   If the turf has a 10 year warranty(which ATX Turf does) the mound should have at least a 10 year warranty, which ours do.

We hope this helps your decision-making process for mounds.  If you have further questions, as always, reach out to your ATXTurf rep. 866-428-2809