MLB is testing robotic umpires in Spring Training, eyes 2026 implementation

Forward-looking: Major League Baseball is testing a computerized system for calling balls and strikes during spring training exhibition games. This Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS), which has been in development for four years in the minor leagues, could aid MLB home plate umpires as early as 2026. The ABS uses a network of cameras installed in stadiums to track each pitch and determine whether it crosses home plate within the strike zone. The current iteration uses Hawk-Eye pose-tracking cameras, with most spring training ballparks equipped with eight cameras, though the Diamondbacks/Rockies stadium boasts 12. Before a team's first test game, each batter is measured with shoes off to calibrate their individual strike zone, a process that takes less than a minute. The latest version of ABS introduces a challenge system, adding a new dimension to the game. During spring training, human umpires will continue to call every pitch, but each team will have two challenges per game. Only b ... Read full article.