(Last Updated: January 11, 2024)
T-Ball is one of the main pathways for boys and girls beginning their journey into baseball or softball. It is a great game and it’s a lot of fun.
If your child is playing T-Ball, and if they are the team’s catcher, then this post is for you. We identify and review three T-Ball catchers gear sets, beginning with our top pick.
Keep reading to learn more...
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Best T-Ball Catcher’s Gear
Background on T-Ball
T-Ball (also commonly spelled tee ball) is a great sport for introducing young girls and boys to the games of baseball and softball.
It simplifies the game since kids are hitting off of a tee, and it does a great job of teaching kids the importance of teamwork and of having fun on the field.
I know the game definitely served that purpose for me (Scott). I can say without a doubt that playing T-Ball as a kid helped ignite a passion in me for the game of baseball.
T-Ball has its origins back in the 1950s, though it hasn't been proven who exactly is responsible for inventing the game or where it was invented.
We do know that since the middle of the 20th century, the game of T-Ball became increasingly popular across the US, and of course it’s now played even in other countries.
Currently, there is an organization called T•BALL USA that is the primary advocate for the game and its development in the United States.
What Most Parents Are Looking For
Characteristic 1: Safety
Like baseball or softball, many (though not all) T-Ball teams feature catchers. Although T-Ball catchers do not catch actual pitches, they still often suit up in catcher’s gear.
More often than not, T-Ball catchers are not involved in potentially dangerous plays - such as the foul tips and ‘plays at the plate’ that can cause injuries to catchers playing at advanced levels of the game.
However, this doesn’t mean that safety is not important for T-Ball catchers. On the contrary. These are very young people playing a game they may not be used to, with rules that may be unfamiliar to them.
As a result, having kids catchers gear that will keep young kids safe is one of the most important qualities that parents are looking for.
Characteristic 2: Price
There is more than just safety that parents need to consider when buying gear.
Price is also important.
For example, your kid might be playing catcher on their T-Ball team, but it’s too early to tell if they want to continue catching as they move up in age. Their catcher’s gear may be something they use for just a short while. As a parent, then, you wouldn’t want to spend too much money on gear.
Characteristic 3: Fit
Fit is also an extremely important consideration because even the smallest youth catcher’s gear sets from noteworthy brands can be way too big for 5 or 6 year old kids playing T-Ball. You need gear that actually fits your young kid!
Characteristic 4: Ease of Use
Lastly, the ease of putting on and taking off catcher’s gear is another very important consideration for T-Ball catchers. Fortunately, most gear for this age is designed to be easy to wear and remove.
In short, these four key qualities - safety, cost, fit, and ease of use - were top of mind when we did the research for this post.
Top T-Ball Catcher’s Gear Picks
After a scan of available gear on the market, we concluded that the following three sets are currently the best T Ball catchers gear available. They are:
- Wilson EZ Gear (Best overall)
- All Star League Series (Runner-up)
- MacGregor Junior (Honorable Mention)
Keep reading to learn more about each of these pics!
Top Overall Pick: Wilson EZ Gear Catcher's Kit
Wilson's EZ Gear Kit is our pick for the best overall tee ball catchers gear set. The kit includes a catcher's helmet, chest protector and leg guards.
Let's start with the catcher's helmet. It is NOCSAE approved, made with a standard ABS shell, and it contains multiple vents to help with airflow. The MLB logo is also on the left side, near the ear.
The chest protector also has the MLB logo, appearing directly under the Wilson logo above the sternum. It comes with removable shoulder caps, and most notably, its "QuickChange" system which makes it easy for kids to buckle and unbuckle the chest protector in just a few seconds.
The leg guards are also easy to put on and take off, with clips that face the front and velcro based bottom straps. Wilson notes the leg guards are "form fitting", which means they also provide good protection for the side of the legs.
This set comes in navy blue, royal blue, black or red. It is sold in two sizes: small/medium and large/extra large. The small/medium size is best for most T-Ball players, as it is recommended for those between 5 and 7 years old.
Pros
It's very affordable
The catcher's helmet is NOCSAE approved
The chest protector and the leg guards are easy to put on and to remove
The gear looks sharp
It comes in four colors and two different sizes
Cons
There have been some complaints that the velcro does not hold up well with lots of use
This may not “grow with” your child. Meaning, if they continue catching beyond tee ball, they will likely need another set.
Back of the Chest Protector and Leg Guards in the EZ Gear Kit
Runner-up Pick: All Star League Series T Ball Catcher's Gear Set
All Star's League Series catching kit is our runner up pick for best tee ball catchers gear.
Like the Wilson EZ Gear Kit, the League Series kit includes a catcher's helmet, chest protector and leg guards.
Additionally, it comes with a throat guard for attachment to the catcher’s helmet.
The catcher's helmet is the MVP1000 series, which is NOCSAE approved. It has glossy black paint and is known for being easy to put on and take off. Also, it contains All Star's "I-Bar vision" design, meaning the helmet has a good field of view.
The chest protector in this set has good protective qualities, such as added throat padding and reinforced protection over the sternum.
The leg guards have two velcro based straps, making it simple for a younger catcher to put them on and remove them.
This set comes in one size, which is recommended for kids under the age of 7. Also, it is available in only one color (black).
Pros
The All Star brand has a great reputation among catchers
It includes a throat guard
Comes with a NOCSAE approved catcher’s helmet
The gear is easy to put on and take off
Cons
As mentioned with the Wilson kit (above), this is strictly a tee ball set. If you child continues catching, they will need another set after tee ball.
Back of the League Series Leg Guards
Honorable Mention: MacGregor Junior Catcher's Gear Pack
The final set of tee ball catcher's gear that we wanted to look at is the MacGregor Junior Catcher's Gear Pack. This set is our "honorable mention" pick.
MacGregor - which at one time was a major sports manufacturer - is no longer a well known name in baseball or softball circles. However, their catcher's gear set for tee ball aged catchers is still sold, and it is reviewed pretty highly among parents.
The MacGregor Junior catcher's gear pack comes with a Rawlings catcher's helmet, and a MacGregor branded throat guard, chest protector and leg guards.
We are not sure why the catcher’s helmet is from Rawlings, and not MacGregor. Rawlings is a great brand though, so that shouldn’t be a problem for parents.
This set is sold in three colors: black, royal blue and red. It was designed for kids between the ages of 5 and 8.
Pros
This set comes with a throat protector
The chest protector has removable shoulder caps
The leg guards do a good job of wrapping around the sides of the legs
Comes available in multiple colors
Cons
It tends to run large. If your child is on the lower end of the age range (or is smaller than average), the chest protector and the leg guards might not fit as well.
Thanks for Reading!
We hope this post and our reviews on T Ball catchers gear was helpful to you. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to Contact Us. We will try our best to help.
All the best to you and to your child as they start their T Ball journey!
Scott Perry
Scott Perry is the owner and lead author at Catchers Home. He's a former baseball player, a current coach, a husband and a Dad. He remains as passionate about baseball today as he was as a kid.
