The Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system will go into full effect for Major League Baseball’s 2026 regular season, giving pitchers, catchers and batters something to adjust to this spring. 

ABS was utilized in 288 games during major-league spring training last year and was put on display at last year's All-Star Game. It’s been used in the minor leagues, too, so it’s not as if players are unfamiliar with it. But there are different factors that will affect how players approach the system’s now permanent existence in the upcoming season. 

“I don’t think I’ll ever challenge anything,” Braxton Ashcraft said. “My head is moving too much whenever I’m throwing and our catchers know the zone well enough that if they feel obligated to do that and keep things accountable on the field, I think there’s a good place for it in the game.” 

If catchers are being counted on to challenge pitches on behalf of their pitchers, Rafael Flores Jr. is ready for that responsibility. And to him, it makes sense that this would be the case, considering the perspective they have behind the plate. 

“Us catchers, we’re receiving back there, we’re moving pitches trying to get strikes and it’s kinda hard for a pitcher to see where a ball actually lands after we finish the move,” Flores said. “I think it’s good for catchers to have that responsibility. We kinda have an idea for where the zone is and we’re going to take advantage of it. We’re gonna clip corners and I think guys are gonna like it because they’re gonna get strikes that were normally balls during a season. It’s gonna be good.” 

Mitch Keller said he doesn’t know if he’ll ever personally challenge a call, either. Surely he trusts his catchers’ decision-making, but timing might also play a role in how things play out. Keller said he obviously wants anything close to be a strike, but he doesn’t want to challenge a call and risk losing one of the two challenges teams will be given to start a game. 

Keller mentioned one particular instance in his first spring start where he and Henry Davis both thought a strike should have been called. The timing might not have been right for a challenge, though, since it was the first pitch of an at-bat in the second inning. 

“I’d like to trust my ability in getting back into the count from down 1-0,” Keller said. “That’s just going to be an adjustment, probably try and save them for bigger moments.”