Birdman Wood Training Bats

Evidence public reviews and break reports, with links

Public reviews of Driveline Baseball are thin. They are gathered by maker; each source says which product or line it covers.

• Bat Digest (Bat Digest Team, published Sep 15, 2024; has Amazon affiliate link)Independent review: Overload/underload bat training incl. Axe bats whose curriculum Driveline designs, and the SKLZ AMMO systemThe review likes: Cites studies on college and elite players where alternating heavy, light and normal bats improved swing speed more than a normal bat alone; Calls Driveline's role legitimateThe review raises: Says branded programs are not clearly worth their cost; cheap or used bats and a plan can work; Research does not include youth players; Article is internally inconsistent on the size of gains (read it there)
• Ochsner Health blog (undated, unsigned)Independent review: Weighted-ball programs in general (not Driveline-specific)The review likes: Preliminary trial of high school pitchers showed modest average velocity gainsThe review raises: Many pitchers saw no gain and some got slower; about a quarter of the weighted-ball group was injured versus none in the standard-ball group; cautions for youth (read it there)
• eBayRetailer ratings: Driveline Plyo Soft Shell weighted ball set (32, 21, 14, 7, 5 oz)5.0 of 5, 1 reviewBuyers like: Single Spanish-language review praises price and quality
• Closeout BatsRetailer ratings: Axe Speed Trainers setRating: 3 stars labeled Roy's Rating (retailer's own rating, not customer-derived)Buyers like: Only a college coach endorsement, which is marketing
• Anytime Baseball SupplyRetailer ratings: Plyo ball collection0 reviews
• Better BaseballRetailer ratings: Plyo ball set (brand shown as Pitchers Pocket)0 reviews
• axebat.comOn the maker's own site, chosen by the maker: Axe Speed Trainers powered by Driveline0 reviews
• Tread Athletics (training facility; undated, unsigned)Other source: Driveline plyo ballsThe source says: Says a set lasts well over a year even with regular wall throws by 90+ mph pitchers; Says it costs slightly more than a rival that broke after a few monthsThe source raises: Warns weighted balls can cause injury without warm-up, gradual progression and age-appropriate structure; advises against throwing only plyos for long stretches (read it there)