Sources told ESPN that the electronic strike zone will be used in all 30 Grade AAA parks by 2023, appearing to be another major step towards major league-level technology implementations. in the near future.
The automatic ball and hit system, commonly referred to as ABS, will be implemented in two different ways. Half of the Grade AAA games will be played with all calls determined by the electronic strike zone and the other half will be played with an ABS challenge system similar to that used in tennis professionally.
Each team will be allowed to take three challenges per game, teams will keep the challenges in case they are proven correct. MLB’s intention is to use data and feedback from both systems, across the game, to make future picks.
As of now, MLB doesn’t have a definite date for implementing its Auto Ball and Attack system in major tournaments. But in recent seasons, robotic referees have been increasingly used in minor leagues.
In 2019, the independent Atlantic League used the electronic strike zone in an all-star game, and that same year, the Arizona Fall League was held with ABS. In 2021, ABS was implemented in a number of Grade A parks. Last season, full ABS was used for several Grade AAA games.
The Southeast Division A has adopted a challenge system, in which the referee calls and hits the ball but the batter, pitcher and catcher each have the right to object to a decision on a particular court surface. . As one official noted, this seems to foster another layer of strategy in the game, with managers and coaching staff instructing players on how best to use challenges — avoiding the pitfalls. frivolous challenge and protect the team from fatal mistakes when calling the ball. moment.
According to club staff, the first year feedback on the challenge system has been surprisingly positive, with some in the industry beginning to believe it could be a good first step in using polishing technology.
If the MLB commits to applying electronic strike zone calls to all pitches, that would dramatically change the catcher’s position, which for generations has been inhabited by the catcher. Players who master the nuances of defense — receiving the ball effectively, presenting on the field and maneuvering in dialogue with the referees — will become obsolete under ABS. With full ABS, the catchers are really only required to block the ball in the ground and throw. In addition, the referees will be stripped of one of their primary responsibilities altogether if the MLB moves to an electronic strike zone.
If challenge system feedback continues to be positive, then it’s possible that this will take precedence as an initial intermediate step over ABS immediately taking over all ball attack calls.
There has been a significant change coming next season, with the implementation of pitching watches, new regulations significantly limiting the use of defensive shifts, larger bases, and limiting the number of times an athlete throw-ins can take throw-ins. The changes are intended to increase what MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has called “the speed of action”.
At the winter meetings, MLB general managers were also informed of ongoing efforts to shape the strike zone in a way more conducive to action. Next season, more focus will be on lowering the top of the strike zone – an area where many pitchers have contributed to record hit rates – and taking strikes in horizontal plane 17 inches above the home field.
