The big building doesn't say Stod's on it like you'd expect a huge supermarket to but chances are, if you're in a huge parking lot, you're in the right place. When I was there the owner was the one working front desk and he was super friendly. Might not be your experience so I'll leave it at that, hopefully the rest of the staff are great too. Most of the folks coming to bat here seemed like grade schoolers and given I visited at the start of spring, perhaps it was season. Nevertheless, there were cages available for me and my buddy to bat at. We had to go into one of the faster cages but as a beginner I was able to hit most of what came my way. Once in a while the ball pitched with a bit of a different trajectory but nothing crazy. We did not have our own gear, you can borrow what they have at Stod's. Definitely would come again. read more

Great facility for batting practice, friendly staff! Highly recommend, and the price for batting cage use is reasonable!

Proceed with Caution When Considering This Facility I enrolled my 8-year-old son in the Stods spring break baseball camp (starting 4/14/25), primarily because his best friend was also attending. I dropped them off Monday morning, and later that day, I asked how things had gone. My son's friend told me that another child repeatedly kicked his helmet, even after being asked to stop. He also mentioned that the same child elbowed him in the stomach. Both boys said they had reported the incident to a coach. That evening, the father of my son's friend emailed the camp owner to share the incident and ensure it would be addressed. When I arrived at drop-off the next morning (Tuesday), I was met by an older man sitting behind the counter--who I later learned was Bob Stoddard, the owner. He abruptly asked who I was dropping off. After I gave both boys' names, he told me he needed to speak with me outside. His tone was sharp and commanding. We stepped just beyond the sliding doors, though they continued to open and close, making our conversation audible inside. He then loudly informed me that a child at camp with ADHD and other "ABCD, XYZ" (mocking the diagnosis) had been acting out physically. He claimed that my son was "part of the problem" and that I needed to "handle it." I calmly tried to explain that I believed he was mistaken, and that we were actually friends with the child who had been harmed. He cut me off repeatedly, insisted he was "1,000% sure" he was right, and continued in his raised tone, refusing to listen. When I said I'd talk to my son, he demanded that I do it immediately, and called my child outside in front of others. The whole situation felt hostile, inappropriate, and deeply disrespectful. I asked my son if he had interacted with the child in question the day before. He said no. I believed him, gave him a kiss, and let him go in--he had enjoyed the first day and was eager to return. Still shaken, I left the camp feeling humiliated and silenced. I wasn't just accused--I was denied the chance to speak and treated as if my concerns and voice didn't matter. It was an incredibly upsetting experience. On Wednesday, my husband brought the boys to camp and asked to speak with Bob. He introduced himself respectfully and asked about the previous day's confrontation. Bob informed him the "problem child" had been removed from camp and that there was "no problem" anymore. When my husband tried to ask why I had been treated the way I was, Bob dismissed the conversation entirely and told him to leave. He even threatened to call the police--completely uncalled for, as my husband had remained calm and respectful throughout. At no point did Bob take any responsibility for his behavior or offer an apology for the misunderstanding or how he had handled the situation. It's hard to imagine him speaking to a father the same way he spoke to me. This experience was both disappointing and alarming. I would strongly urge other families to consider alternative programs where communication, professionalism, and respect are valued. read more

Parents of young children--please read before enrolling at Stods. I brought my 7-year-old son to what was supposed to be his first day of camp at Stods Baseball. There was no communication beforehand about experience requirements or what to bring. We arrived in good faith, hoping for a welcoming introduction to the sport. At check-in, his name wasn't on the roster. When I gave it, the older man overseeing the facility (who appeared to be the owner or manager) said, "Oh, he's Asian," in front of my son. The comment felt unnecessary and uncomfortable, especially in that context. That same man continued to question why I had brought my child, suggesting he wasn't good enough to participate. He made remarks like, "Do you need a tee?" and "Are you trying to make him a superstar?" and asked, "Where's the dad?"--implying I didn't belong there as a mother. All of this was said directly to me, while my 7-year-old was standing right there. He had a coach briefly observe my son for less than five minutes, then told me, "This camp isn't going to work for him." When I calmly asked why none of this was shared in advance, I was told to "stop." I requested a refund, and was told--without much detail--that it would be processed "later tonight." As of now, I have not received it. I hope they follow through as promised. Most of the other staff appeared young and not directly involved. The facility itself was also outdated and in need of maintenance. But what stood out most was the way we were treated--dismissively and with no effort to welcome or support a child who was simply new to the sport. If your child is still learning, or if you're a parent trying to help them try something for the first time, I would recommend looking elsewhere. This was not the environment we expected or needed. read more

Nothing can improve. Bob is condescending and disrespectful especially to women, has no work ethic or professionalism, kids are often fending for themselves, and learn nothing. Wasted time and money. Would give zero stars if I could. Still fuming and pissed off days after my interaction with that jerk. read more

Again, I cannot say enough. Private lessons with Stephen are phenomenal and have turn my son into a threat at the plate. We just love it here. My son asks daily when he gets to go back and WORK on his game. This ain't Bell-Square Bellevue - this is working class type place; love it!!!! read more

I used to really enjoy taking the kids to this place. Two weeks ago we had a reservation and the staff didn't show up at opening time. There were about 15 customers waiting in the parking lot. Everyone waited 30-45 min for them to open and ultimately left. Later that afternoon, we got an email from Bob, the owner, apologizing and saying a staff mix-up had led to them opening at 12 (2 hours after the first reservations). He refunded what we paid (and his message made it seem like that was a magnanimous gesture, when it's literally the minimum required). I emailed him back to explain we'd traveled 30 min to get there, waited in the cold with 2 disappointed children, and then driven another 30 min home - a morning wasted. I asked him if there was anything he could do to make it right, like perhaps some comped credits for the batting cage. I never even got a response. If you read the other comments here, you'll get a sense of the kind of guy Bob is. I don't recommend making a booking since you can't be sure they'll actually be there to open the place. Maybe one day Bob will learn about customer service. The cages themselves are fine. read more

I have had my 9 year old going to twice a week "select style coaching" program for a few months now. After every trip I ask my kiddo what he's learned ect... he has consistently told me he gets no feedback from the coaches there specifically on batting. I have stayed many times and observed this for my self as well. I'm a coach in our local league here in the neihborhood where the facility is and so I'm often there with my whole team as well. While I was there the last time, I observed my son getting zero direction in the batting cage while clearly struggling. I approached Bob and politely asked if there could be some instruction for my son. He just told me I could cancel if I want and walked off. I waited for him to come back and asked him politely to go ahead and cancel my reoccurring payment and he quickly told me he already did. I then told him not so politely my thoughts on his behavior towards me. This makes me very sad that he puts so little into these programs. Iv had a lot of parents on the teams I coach express similar disappoint in his other programs as well. If you need a cage with no frills in a gross space, it will get the job done but I would beware of any paid programs or any interaction with Bob himself. read more

Great place to learn baseball skills. we came for batting lessons and left with much better form

Our first time doing batting cages, they were very informative and helpful, looking forward to going back.

I went their with my mom they we both hit for 15 minutes than let me have an extra 15 minutes in the cage for free

Wow I didn't know so many people had a problem with Bob. Maybe he is getting cranky in his old age? I really like Bob and learned a lot from him. Here is my experience with Stods: During the late 90s to early 2000s (my teen years) I took hitting and pitching lessons at Stods. I trained at Stods. I worked at Stods for a year and a half. I coached his camps. Bob is old school. He is not going to coddle you. If you want your kid to get better Stods is a great place to train and learn. Though it's been almost 20 years since I moved from Washington, I have nothing but fond memories working and training at Stods. I played at Issaquah and knew dozens of ballplayers who trained at Stods from all over the Eastside. A response to one of the reviews I read: Bob is not a failed ballplayer. He played in the big leagues for 7 years and made millions doing it. You can't find 1 on 1 instruction from an ex pro for such a reasonable price. read more

Today my son Allen was repeatedly praised by Coach Bob, just because he called yesterday to make an appointment for a baseball cage by himself. "Boss Stod will be very happy when he heard about it!" This reminds me that I was mocked by Stod before, saying that I was like a caddy (following his ass to pick up clothes and things), saying that I was like a baby sitter (keep staring at him), once stopped me from going into the cage and help him pick up the ball. "What do you want to do? Your baby needs to grow up!" Stod is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played for the Seattle Mariners, Detroit Tigers, San Diego Padres and Kansas City Royals in Major League Baseball. This baseball stadium has been running for over thirty years. I don't know much about baseball, but I envy and respect people like him who pursue and persevere. Although my son is not athletically gifted, I hope he will become a better person through gains and losses. The coaches here never treat the students differently because they play well or badly. They always encourage them like friends. The worst comment is "That's ok!" Coach Steven will say: "Today is much better than before! ""I am very happy that he was able to throw the ball into the target today, instead of being able to throw only one meter as before. I have also seen children who have been unable to hit the ball, sitting in the corner with their heads buried in a dark mood, and their parents are patiently beside them Support him with companionship, without a word of blame. I learned that success is not the main theme of growth, but accepting reality and experiencing failure is a compulsory course. All the staff are very nice, they all seem happy to help the children. Only the boss looks a bit serious, but that's stod style. Love here! read more

I read bad things. I heard bad things. Now I understand why. I scheduled a baseball lesson for my son online, only to have it cancelled at 8:30pm the night before via an automated email. We had cancelled activities to make time for the lesson, so I was disappointed to have it cancelled less than 24 hours in advance with no phone call. I called Stod's the next morning and was told the instructor had "an appointment." An appointment, that they did not know about the day before? All I expected was a timely cancellation. I re-scheduled another lesson for my son on his birthday, and this time, it was cancelled at 10:10pm the night before, again by an automated email. I called Stod's the next morning and was told the instructor was "at a tournament." A tournament, that they did not know about in advance? All I expected was a timely cancellation. The employee (who was the only good part of this experience) was very apologetic and offered to have the owner call me. The owner, Bob, called me the next day. The conversation went something like this: "What can I do for you?" "I'd like to re-schedule our lesson for a time when the instructor is actually available. It was heartbreaking for my son to have a lesson cancelled on his birthday with zero notice. And, this has happened twice." "Well, have you ever had anything cancelled, in your whole life?" "Yes, all I expect is the courtesy of 24 hours' notice and a phone call." "Does your son even play baseball? Why don't I just give you your money back and we'll be done?" I was horrified. This is the worst customer service I have ever experienced. Bob, we are done. This is no way to run a business. I will be sure to put the word out to the rest of the Bellevue West Little League, too. You can count on it. read more

Stod's is the best. I've been going there since it was across the street, over 20 years ago when I was a little leaguer myself. Now my 9 year old goes there for select instructional training as well as normal batting at pitching practice. I recommend Stod's to anyone relatively close by who plays baseball. The staff is all great as well. read more

Great place to go Kids love it Real true baseball knowledge by real baseball players. Stods builds champions.

Pros:. Good value for a cage. Like the new online scheduling. If you have a motivated young player this is a good place to take swings. Not fancy but I'd also say not fussy. (But definitely wash your hands after.). Cages may look old but they work just fine. Different speeds. These are all fastballs though; the machines don't need a person to feed them (some machines will throw curves and sliders but also need a human to feed them). So you don't need someone to help the machine. If you want to drop your kid for 30 min and come back totally fine. Cons: Would caution on baseball program here. It's the puppy mill equivalent of coaching for young athletes with a lot of variation in experience and teaching skill. Not great around character stuff. Baseball is a great vehicle to teach your kid teamwork, supporting team mates, respect, hard work...this is not really the right place for that. I'd look for player development elsewhere. read more

To say it's the BEST cage on the eastside is misleading, it's the ONLY cage on the eastside apart from FoC at Preston! Stod has NO qualms about calling your young athlete fat or asking him if he's been eating a lot of McDonalds. This is amazing for a teenager's self esteem. ProTip: get a tetanus shot before you go inside, even tho they changed locations, there are still broken cages, metal wires, and spikes all over the place. read more

Went to this place for the first time, my first impression of the older gentleman running the place who apparently is Stod, seemed a little impatient but I did not think that was a big deal. While setting up the cage up, Stod was unfriendly to my father and would start to taunt my father for not wanting to bat, and would later say to my dad "oh why? You don't want to throw your back out?" After he continued to disrespect my father, I asked him nicely to show a little respect please and then Stod would reply by saying " You Could Leave or Stay?"at that point after receiving such horrible customer service in the matter of 10 minutes, I chose to leave and he literally ran to the register to give me a refund, and he also very immaturely threatened to call the cops on me and my father as we left. This place is not friendly at all, Highly not recommended, Would've gave zero stars if I could have. read more

Took my 11 year old son there recently- was ignored and after I said 'hello I'm in line here' I was simply told to pick a cage. So not knowing-NOT being helped or advised, I said #7 only because that cage was by the couches. He said ok and turned that machine on. That ball came flying at my son at least 70-80 mph. I yelled right away to turn the speed way down. Who would allow a little kid to go in that cage, their fastest cage there without first confirming they can handle it? It was such a negative experience. I didn't feel we were welcomed or even wanted there. It stunk in the building as well. And having to pick up all those balls?? That's lame when you can drive 10 min down the road and go to a place where the cage is designed for the balls to roll back into a shoot. Regardless- the place is a dump. Needs an attitude and interior remodel. Don't go! read more

My son was with the Stod's Select program for 8 years. He had many chances and opportunities to go elsewhere, but the 5 C's of select baseball always brought him back to his Stods team: Coaching, Competitiveness, Convenience, Cost & Camaraderie. He was not a top tier natural talent, but he was passionate and determined. He got better every year with the coaching and training. He has a good chance to play beyond high school if he wants to. Best of all he got to play many hundreds of games with his friends. read more

Solid indoor batting cage area. I come hear every year with some teammates to get ready for softball season. Booking is easy and prices are fair. read more

For the price, you can't go wrong. It's a pretty bare bones place but a classic. The machine is a pretty accurate depiction of how my league pitches; inconsistent lol. I don't mind it since it trains you to really not get in the habit of hitting everything in the zone. Just expect to be shagging balls and sharing the space since the cages are doubled up for the most part. Also, if you're going in the summer time, be aware that this place is west facing so you're going to be pretty toasty. All in all, the best place to go to work on your swing. read more

Great prices, friendly staff who know what they are talking about when it comes to baseball. Highly recommend this place

Baseball practice for Cheap! The building is old and looks like it was a grocery store or a bowling alley. Even though it looks old, it gets the job done. Prices are reasonable, staff friendly and it doesn't get as busy as some of the cages out there. Plenty of parking and herfy's is across the street. For you softball players out there, they have an manual feed machine in the back, so bring a buddy if you are going to practice there. BTW..make sure you call the place before heading over there. They book ahead of time and usually sell out of space at night. read more

This is by far the best cage on the eastside. They have 2 machines that throw with decent speed, although cage 1 tops out at around 70 and cage 2 is right around 65. They have a couple more cages in the back where you can throw live BP, as well as 2 mounds for pitching practice in a separate area. Great for before games. Like the other review said, they even have a soft ball cage as well. This place really caters to all aspects of the game. They have a team of their own for the youngsters, you can order jerseys through them, and even set up personal training if desired. I have been to other cages but I always come back to this one. I was headed there tonight but cage 1 broke and won't be fixed until this weekend, so I am headed up to their send location in Mukilteo to check it out...I'm expecting it to be pretty similar. read more

Stods is a fun place to take your kid. Bob and his staff set good rules for the kids, and establish a good environment. If you're looking for a good place to hit some balls, or join a good club, this is the place. read more

Facilities are Ok, but can be dangerous, with single netting separating some cages (don't allow your child to get close to the nets when others are hitting). Stod's coaches for various teams don't run dynamic practices -- kids might be lined up 10-12 deep doing a single drill. Mostly, practices are a waste of time. You'll be able to do more in 15 minutes with your child than a Stod's practice will offer in an hour. In my experience with them, coach's are not particularly interested in player health. In my case, a coach accused my injured son of faking his injury (growth plate) to get out of practicing "hard enough." They can also be fairly disorganized. In addition, the owner, Bob Stoddard, can be very unprofessional at times (see other reviews on this point). All in all, there are better options if you care about your child's health and well-being and are looking for a team. For batting cages, there aren't a lot of choices in South Bellevue. Just keep safe and aware while in the facility. read more

Would like to see some maintenance to control the aim of the machines. Home plate secured to the floor so we know it's accurate and some added lighting. read more

This place is the best. Old school batting cage with real baseball people running it. It's not beautiful unless you love baseball. Son is 7 and we've been coming regularly for 2 years. So happy little league is opening up and Stods is getting busier. Please visit and support these guys. Additionally if you want private lessons for your kid coach Steve is fantastic. read more

Staff is very rude and condescending. Don't come here unless you play baseball for school. Amateurs not welcome.

Pretty much grew up here. Played for Stod for a couple of years and after reading these reviews, some of them are far from the truth. Sure he may be a bit rough around the edges but it's constructive and he tells you how it is instead of sugarcoating everything. He was so important for my development as a player and helped me gain a sense of how playing ball is at the next level. If you're looking for a place to play or simply want to get some swings in, I highly recommend it--was the best decision of my baseball career. read more

Stod's was pretty junky and rundown. We waited at the front counter for more than 5 minutes before anyone helped us. They rented a cage to us for an hour without a pitching machine, there were no balls in the cage and the baseballs we could scrounge were in terrible condition. Stod came huffing around 40 minutes after we got there asking how long we'd be, and then got nasty with me when we left the cage early for the next person (who was also nagging about when we'd be done) but didn't also pick up balls for her. I paid full price, left the cage in better condition than I found it, and left early for the next person, and Stod called me an asshole and told me to never come back. No fear. Low quality place, low quality people. read more

All good over here. Man at front was firm but friendly and helped us as needed. Thanks for a great place to bat. Will be back!

Place was great. You can book online, there's different speed cages, guys helping were super relaxed and let the dads hit too, and they had bats and helmets there to use for it. Great deal read more

My children went to the 4 day baseball camp. The coaches were great, my boys made friends immediately, learned a lot and had fun. They came home last night and immediately grabbed their gear and started playing baseball. It was a good experience. read more

I want to begin my review by saying that I began training at Stod's when I was 10, roughly 20 years ago. I've always had and continue to have a good relationship with Bob (Stod). I trained under Bob as well as other instructors that were there at the time, and I have to say that it really had a big impact on my baseball career. It was through this facility that I really developed a deep love and passion for the game. I eventually went on to play in college and credit it to the time that I spent here in my formative years. I've read the negative reviews on here, and I want people to understand that they are not necessarily warranted. What people need to understand about Bob is that he just a brutally honest coach, and will tell you exactly what is on his mind. Like another review I've read on here stated, Bob is simply not going to coddle your kid. At times it may have rubbed me the wrong way when I was young, but honestly I would say that it prepared for my experience as I advanced. What many parents don't realize is that as their children get older and progress in baseball, eventually they are going to run into a coach that is going test their kid's mettle. Simply put, it is hard to go far in this game without toughness. I would say that if your kid is serious about advancing as far as they can in baseball, then this is a great place to get started. Bob will help instill the mental toughness in your kid that will be needed once they get to the more advanced levels of the game. read more

Awesome batting cages. Hard to find no frills places where the owner clearly cares more about helping kids improve and enjoy the sport rather than just making a buck. It was refreshing to take my son to the cages and have it be just real deal gritty baseball like it was when I was a kid. So happy to have found Stod's. read more

This is my son's first camp there, and last one for sure. Wish I had read other reviews on how rude the owner Stod (think he's also called Bob) is before I signed my son up. He really has anger management issues. When I signed him up 2 months ago, Stod made some mean comments on Bellevue Thunderbird Little League where my son has played two seasons, saying kids don't learn anything from Thunderbird and coaches there are all free volunteers who don't have any experiences, etc. It gave me a bad first impression but knowing his place is the only one nearby with indoor and year long practice space, I decided to give it a try. I wish I had never sent my boy there. The group lessons are pretty disorganized and kids get yelled at all the time. He told my boy's group to wear mitten only and go to cage 9, they went to cage 9 all the way in the back and realized they actually needed helmet and bat but not mitten. So they came back to the front to get the right stuff. I wanted to make sure that's the right cage to go and talked to Stod. He started yelling at me and saying it's his camp and he didn't like parents to get involved and he didn't want parents to get in his way to run his camp. I said I was just trying to clarify something so the kids don't run back and forth. He was extremely low class, mean and rude. He then said my boy needed to leave his camp. I said not a problem but we'll quit after next class which is the last class of the session and we've paid for it. He said he would refund me the last class. While he was doing the refund, he continued saying mean things about my boy, "Your son doesn't listen and doesn't want to learn and he'll never be good at baseball." First, my son is a very well behaved child, what he said is totally untrue. Second, even if it's about a boy who's not well behaved, it's not right for a coach to make such mean comments in public with other parents and kids around. While I kept telling him just process the refund and no need to say anything else, he continued with his rude behavior and comments. Good thing I looked at the receipt because he charged me $30 instead of a refund!! When I went back to ask him to correct it, of course he started making rude comments again, non stop. It is really sad to have someone who doesn't even have the basic courtesy and not even anywhere close to be called "civilized" to teach children sportsmanship. Don't send your child there! read more

The best batting cage on the Eastside. Good places to work on your swing are few and far between these days, not to mention expensive. I've been going here for probably 20 years. Stod keeps the prices affordable for everyone, even at peak times when he could easily charge more. Great place to bring teams, or come in by yourself. read more