Description of particle breakage embedded in a simulation using the discrete element method (DEM) qualifies it to describe processes in which breakage is either desired or undesired. DEM codes evolved significantly in recent years, many of which describing breakage. In spite of their limitations representing real particles, spheres have several important advantages from the standpoint of computation efficiency, being the basis for several particle replacement schemes. However, one of its biggest disadvantages lies in the fact that size distributions that are generated are very jagged and unnatural. The work describes a stochastic approach to generate realistic size distributions from breakage of spheres. Families of fragment size distributions were obtained from testing various materials in a drop weight tester. The model also incorporates the description of the unresolved fines. Its application to individual particles demonstrates that the method captures properly the effect of stressing energy described in the analytical model. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.