Facts as the maker states them, read 13 Oct 2026
The base type is a foam-core ball made for pitching machine use, listed at 3 oz with a 2.9" regulation diameter and an exposed polyurethane foam cover. The page states 105 mph+ out of pitching machines and gives a durability rating of 1,000+ machine uses.
| Type | Foam machine ball |
|---|---|
| In the set | 12 balls: Smash Factor Balls™ (white) |
| Weights | 3 oz |
| Sizes | Set of 12; 5 Sets of 12; 10 Sets of 12 |
| Ages | All ages. Used with athletes as young as 8 |
| Training goal | Contact and barrel accuracy; Swing path |
| Also on the page |
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| Availability | Out of stock |
| The maker says |
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| Source | drivelinebaseball.com, product page, read 13 Oct 2026 |
Pat's Grade one person's opinion, with the reason
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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.
What "buyer reports" means
Public review counts and themes we found for this maker, with links, plus break reports sent in by site users. Where we found nothing public we say so.
- 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)
Break reports from players on this site
0 break reports so far.