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The Numbers Behind MLB's Spring Training Experiment With ABS Challenge System

Ryan Phillips

The ABS operator sits in the press box at LECOM Park during a spring training game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies.
The ABS operator sits in the press box at LECOM Park during a spring training game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies. / Mike Lang / Sarasota Herald-Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Major League Baseball has concluded its spring training experiment with the automated ball-strike system and the numbers stats from it are promising.

The league released its report on Wednesday and it appears the system worked as it was designed to.

The system was used in 288 spring training games, with an average of 4.1 challenges per game, compared to 3.9 per game in Triple-A during the 2024 campaign. Through spring training, 2.6% of all pitches were challenged, with 52.2% of challenged pitches getting overturned, both figures on par with the system’s use in Triple-A ball in 2024.

Lastly, and probably most importantly, each challenge lasted an average of 13.8 seconds, compared to 16.6 seconds in Triple-A in 2024.

It would seem the system is working as desinged—ensuring more calls were correct while keeping stoppages to a minimum. For those who watched games with the system, challenges just seemed to be a seamless part of things, with fans getting to see the tracked pitch cross the plate and anticipate the result.

Given the success of this run with ABS, it feels like the challenge system could make the jump to the majors sooner rather than later.

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Ryan Phillips
RYAN PHILLIPS

Ryan Phillips is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in digital media since 2009, spending eight years at The Big Lead before joining SI in 2024. Phillips also co-hosts The Assembly Call Podcast about Indiana Hoosiers basketball and previously worked at Bleacher Report. He is a proud San Diego native and a graduate of Indiana University’s journalism program.

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