Major League Baseball Competition Committee is expected to approve automated ball systems for the 2026 season

Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported that the Major League Baseball Joint Competition Committee will meet today to vote on the implementation of automated ball systems for the 2026 season. An 11-member committee of six owners, four players and one referee is expected to approve next year’s ABS system.

This will be a complete shift in the game’s identity – many fans think it’s overdue, but many others are against enthusiasm. If the ABS system is approved, the strike zone will not be fully automated. Instead, the challenge system used in minor leagues will be achieved during spring training and during this year’s All-Star Game.

Under the upcoming ABS system, any pitcher, catcher or batsman will be able to tap his helmet or hat to show his desire to challenge the ball or strike the phone. The team faces two challenges in each game, but only if they fail. Once a team faces two unsuccessful challenges, they will face challenges for the rest of the game. In theory, there is no limit to the number of successful challenges that a team may experience in the game. Challenges must be raised immediately after playing/strike calls; for example, Dugout cannot have the team’s replay coordinator review the stadium and ask for challenges 10 to 15 seconds after the stadium is delivered. After the challenge, the challenge results will be displayed on the scoreboard immediately after the challenge.

For many players, the system will be the second country. The ABS system was first implemented in low-level minors in 2021. It has been standard on the triple A class since 2022. During the 2025 spring training, more senior players have received their first tasting in the 2026 spring training and will have all the schedules for the 2026 spring to accommodate these changes. As with any significant change, there will be some obstacles in adoption, and there may be some ics, but the hope of the league is certainly the same – like the pitch clock, to a lesser extent, instant replay – it will soon become a fairly seamless integration.