NCAA Approves Automated Ball-Strike Challenges For College Baseball, Possibly For 2027

By KACE KIESCHNICK, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter

The NCAA Baseball rules subcommittee has approved the use of the automated ball-strike (ABS) challenge system in college baseball.

The proposal will take effect as soon as 2027, but is still pending approval from the NCAA Baseball oversight committee. The new challenge system will be modeled after the one used in the Southeastern Conference Tournament this past season.

NEWS: The NCAA Rules Subcommittee has approved the usage of ABS, sources tell @BaseballAmerica. It can be used in any game where the tech is available (includes Trackman). This still requires Baseball Oversight Committee approval but is expected to be implemented in 2027.

— Jacob Rudner (@JacobRudner) July 15, 2026

Teams at the SEC Tournament started each game with three challenges and were awarded another for every call they correctly overturned. Challenges can be requested by batters, catchers or pitchers and must be signaled immediately following the pitch by tapping the top of the head.

In the 15 SEC Tournament games, 105 challenges were made with 59 calls overturned. That’s an average of seven challenges per game with a 56.2% success rate.

The first ABS walk-off challenge in college baseball history ✔️@AuburnBaseball x #SECTourney pic.twitter.com/mLoRnevJ07

— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) May 23, 2026

The rule has been in place in Major League Baseball as of this season, and over 6,000 ABS challenges have been requested with a 53.3% overturn rate.

If passed, any school with the available ball-tracking technology, like Trackman or Hawk-Eye, can institute the ABS system. Over 400 college baseball teams use Trackman data, but not all of those teams have permanent systems installed in their stadiums.

All major conference schools do have the system available, but due to the installation costs, it would not be featured in every collegiate ballpark right away.