If the best & most simple thing we can do is to teach kids how to hit BY HITTING, then it makes sense to optimize the environment we're training in to be an accurate representation of the task.

Hitting plyos >>> whiffle balls, and here's a thread about why:

Every swing should always be made in consideration of:

A. Where the ball is in the hitting zone
B. When the ball is in the hitting zone

with the most simple ideal outcome of getting the barrel there on time, with maximum surface area contact between bat and ball.

In either a tech or no-tech environment, you can evaluate whether the hitter has achieved those goals based on how & where the ball is hit.

Hitting the ball far is good
Hitting the ball not far is...less good.

Training with whiffle balls allows those lines to be blurred.

Because they're light as hell, often times whiffle balls are going to fly far regardless of whether there was ideal bat + ball contact. Even worse they're may carry farther - so you're giving feedback to the hitter that may not actually be accurate. https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/09/wiffle-ball-physics/539982/

Hitting Plyos primary benefit over whiffle balls is so basic, but significant, in that they're just heavier.

Because they're heavier, you're going to have to move the bat fast in order to hit them far.

Moving the bat fast (everybody feel free to join in here) is:

GOOOOOOOOOD!

Not only are we cultivating more high intent swings b/c you need to move the bat fast to hit Plyos far, but they're also less forgiving for mishits than whiffle balls.

Creating an environment that's less forgiving for mishits w/ plyos generates more barrels w/ baseballs.

We want to give kids immediate AND accurate outcome feedback when they're swinging, so they get a chance to internalize the swings / swing decisions / movement solutions that produced the ideal outcomes we're looking for.

Kid: (hits the Hitting Plyo far)
Coach: Do that again

There is also immediate visual feedback with the Hitting Plyo post-contact, where it maintains shape when you get it flush & it'll deform if you slice / shank / top it.

If good hitting is quality bat to ball contact, then having the implement confirm so is pretty valuable.

You don't need to be @JasonOchart to create & manage a beneficial training environment for your kid.

I *most certainly* am not, but I feel confident that my kids are getting good feedback when we hit because we train with Hitting Plyos & I can let the environment be the teacher.

If the truth of the quality of any swing is in it’s outcome, then we NEED that outcome to be accurate. That is what Hitting Plyos give you:

https://plus.drivelinebaseball.com/product/mini-hitting-plyos/