The Automated Ball Strike (ABS) Challenge System that MLB has followed for a test drive in the spring training will be fully assumed during the 2026 season.
Major League Baseball made the announcement this morning after a vote from the Joint Competition Committee, which has a membership of six owners, four active players and one active referee.
From 2026 the ABS challenge system will be used in the spring training and during the season and the late season.
MLB has been testing technology in Triple-A baseball since 2022. It was further tightened in the spring training and in the All-Star game 2025.
Here is how MLB describes the technology and the process:
Twelve (12) Hawk-Eye cameras set around the circumference of the field follow the location of each pitch. If a pitcher, catcher or batter does not agree with the first call of the ball or strike of the referee, he can request a challenge by immediately tapping his hat or helmet and vocalizing a challenge. The pitch location is compared to the battery stroke zone, and if a part of the ball touches each part of the battle zone, the field is considered a strike. The referee of the home plate will announce the challenge for the fans in the margin and an image that shows the outcome of the challenge will be displayed on the scoreboard and the broadcast. The entire process takes approximately 15 seconds.
Every team will have to challenge when the game starts. If a challenge is successful, the team will keep it; If that is not the case, the team loses one challenge. Only the pitcher, Catcher or Slagman can challenge a call and the challenge must take place immediately without input from each player or coach. If a team uses all its challenges in the course of a game, it will get an extra challenge in every collection of an extra-the innings game.
To establish the percussion zone, every player is measured in the spring training to establish his official height.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said about the move, Aid: “We used the same process with ABS that started listening to fans, performing extensive testing at the level of the Minor League, and trying for every step to make the game better. During this process we worked on implementing the system in a way that is acceptable for players.
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