Photo © Alberto Dubini | Dreamstime.com
As a deep freeze and snowstorms wreak havoc in several parts of the country, it’s fun to think about spring. Which, for sports fans, means spring training. Games begin Feb. 20 in Arizona and Florida, which means Major League Baseball’s new “Automated Ball Strike (ABS) Challenge System” era will officially launch.
Here’s how it will work, according to MLB’s official explanation:
The ABS Challenge System runs on a 5G private network from T-Mobile for Business’ Advanced Network Solutions. Twelve Hawk-Eye cameras set up around the perimeter of the field track the location of each pitch. If a pitcher, catcher or batter disagrees with the umpire’s initial call of ball or strike, he can request a challenge by immediately tapping on his hat or helmet and vocalizing a challenge.
The pitch location is compared to the batter’s strike zone, and if any part of the ball touches any part of the strike zone, the pitch will be considered a strike. The home plate umpire will announce the challenge to the fans in the ballpark and a graphic showing the outcome of the challenge will be displayed on the scoreboard and broadcast. The entire process takes approximately 15 seconds.
Each club will start the game with two challenges, and all successful challenges are retained. Only the pitcher, catcher or batter may challenge an umpire’s call of ball or strike. Challenges must be requested immediately after the call, and players may not receive help from the coaching staff, other players or anyone else. In each extra inning, a team will be awarded a challenge if it has none remaining entering the inning.
MLB has extensively tested the use of ABS technology in Triple-A since 2022, as well as during 2025 spring training games and the 2025 All-Star Game.
In spring training last years, teams challenged just over four pitches per game, with a success rate near 50% — consistent with results observed during Minor League testing, MLB officials report.
The offense and defense challenged a similar number of pitches, but the defense was more successful (54% vs. 50% overturn rate). Catchers had the most success challenging: 56% overturn rate for catchers vs. 50% for hitters and 41% for pitchers.
The final design of the system, including moving to the ABS Challenge format, “is a result of significant feedback from players, coaches, front office staff, umpires and fans,” according to MLB officials.
“We … started with listening to fans, conducting extensive testing at the Minor League level and trying at every step to make the game better,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said when the ABS Challenge System was announced last September. “Throughout this process, we have worked on deploying the system in a way that’s acceptable to players.”
How are teams likely to respond to this major change in a game built on longstanding (and often defiant) traditions? Here’s a smattering of responses SDM culled from reports around the country:
Milwaukee Brewers: “What I love is it’s player-driven, you know what I mean? And it requires the players to embrace it, understand it, understand the strategy of it. … I think you have to trust your players. You’ve got 26 active. You’ve got to trust them. You try to educate them, try to give them as much information as possible. We’ll see how it rolls.” — Manager Pat Murphy
Cleveland Guardians: “I would imagine that we will not have our pitchers challenging pitches. Focus on making a pitch. Let the catcher make the decision.” — Manager Stephen Vogt
Minnesota Twins: “My early thought — I don’t know if I should say this — I don’t think the pitchers should ever challenge. Pitchers think everything is a strike.” — Manager Derek Shelton
Philadelphia Phillies: “I love it, and I loved it in spring training. And I think — not all the players, but I think most of the players — they really liked it, too. It keeps everybody accountable.” — Manager Rob Thompson
Arizona Diamondback: “I like it. I think players just want to get calls right. … I know the umpires do their absolute best. They’re not trying to miss calls. This game has changed over the past several years where the ball’s traveling at an extremely high velocity and there’s calls that are missed. It’s very natural in this game.” — Manager Torey Lovullo
New York Yankees: “It’ll certainly be a focal point day in and day out in spring training.” — Manager Aaron Boone
One big question surrounding the use of the ABS system is if — or, perhaps more accurately, when — the technology will become a focal point at the collegiate, high school and youth sports levels.
The NCAA’s Southeastern Conference, which sent 13 of its 16 programs to the NCAA tournament in 2025, is “already laying the groundwork” with a potential target implementation of 2027, according to BaseballAmerica.com.
The ABS Challenge System trickle-down might slow as it heads toward high school and youth programs — at least until organizers there see how the system’s first few years impact play at the professional and collegiate levels. Nevertheless, it’s a development worth keeping — um — an eye on.
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