Cubs' Cody Poteet Wins 1st-Ever Automated Ball-Strike Challenge of MLB Spring Training

Cody Poteet is going to be the answer to a trivia question one day.

The Chicago Cubs pitcher became the first player at the major league level to successfully challenge a ball/strike call using the automatic ball and strike system MLB is testing during Spring Training games this year.

Poteet challenged a pitch against Max Muncy in the first inning of Thursday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers and was able to successfully overturn the call.

"I was pretty positive it was a strike and the umpire balled it," Muncy said, per ESPN's Jesse Rogers. "I knew it was going to get overturned, and I went, 'Oh, man, I'm going to be the first one.' Great."

While the system has been in place in the minor leagues in recent years, MLB is testing it in Spring Training.

Rather than having an electronic strike zone system for every pitch, either the pitcher, catcher or hitter can challenge a ball/strike call but only if they do not receive any help from the dugout. They simply tap their head to challenge it, and the electronic system then determines whether the call was correct.

Teams get just two challenges per game, although they can retain them if they are successful.

Rogers noted 50 percent of calls were overturned at the minor league level with games averaging four challenges a contest. It was just a one-game sample size, but 50 percent was also the ratio in Thursday's contest since Dodgers batter Sean McLain unsuccessfully challenged a call later in the game.

Given the minor-league testing and the presence of the system in Spring Training, it wouldn't be surprising to see it implemented for regular-season games in the near future.

According to Rogers, the league plans on polling its players and coaches after the spring for feedback as it evaluates the next step.

As for Thursday's game, the Cubs cruised in a 12-4 victory. Muncy ended up striking out in the first-inning at-bat that featured the successful challenge, although Poteet struggled in his outing and allowed three earned runs in 1.1 innings.