Triple-A Adopts Robot Umpires for 2023, One Step Closer to Entering Major League Baseball

Angel Hernandez
Rich Schultz/Getty Images
Paul Bois

Major League Baseball (MLB) may soon adopt robot umpires now that Triple-A stadiums have approved electronic strike zones.

According to ESPN, sources confirmed that “the electronic strike zones will “be used in all 30 Class AAA parks in 2023, seemingly another significant step toward the implementation of the technology at the big league level in the near future.”

The Automatic Balls and Strikes system, commonly referred to as ABS, will be deployed in two different ways. Half of the Class AAA games will be played with all of the calls determined by an electronic strike zone, and the other half will be played with an ABS challenge system similar to that used in professional tennis,” noted ESPN.

“Each team will be allowed three challenges per game, with teams retaining challenges in cases when they are proved correct,” it added. “MLB’s intention is to use the data and feedback from both systems, over the full slate of games, to inform future choices.”

The MLB has not said when it will implement the new system, which has already appeared in the minor leagues. Should the MLB use the electronic strike zone for all pitches, the position of the catcher would be dramatically altered while umpires would have their chief job reduced.

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