ABS Reportedly Coming to College Baseball, New Rumors on NCAA Debut, Rules After MLB Success

The future has reportedly arrived in SEC baseball.

Joe Rexrode of The Athletic reported Monday the conference will use the Automated Ball-Strike challenge system during its league tournament that runs from May 19-24 in Hoover, Alabama.

The introduction of the ABS system has been one of the biggest storylines of the 2026 Major League Baseball season, but there will be a notable difference in the SEC tournament. The college teams will have three challenges per game compared to the two per game the professional teams receive in the first year of the system.

Like in MLB, teams will retain their challenges if they are successful. Catchers, batters and pitchers are also the only ones who can challenge ball and strike calls from the home-plate umpire, and they must do so in the immediate aftermath of the pitch.

SEC teams will also receive an additional challenge if a game goes into extra innings if they used all three during regulation.

Automated ball and strike calls started in the minor leagues as something of a testing ground before it made its way to the sport's highest level. It wouldn't be a surprise if it spread to other conferences in much the same way at the college level if there is success at the SEC tournament.

"Reviews of ABS in MLB so far have been more positive than negative, with notably less complaining from the dugout about balls and strikes," Rexrode wrote. "If it's a shaky enough call in a big enough moment, there's now a mechanism in place to get it right."

It has also introduced an additional element of strategy in the game for teams. With a limited number of challenges, players are better off using them in high-leverage situations so they do not run out of them before critical moments in later innings.

It has even led to some exciting moments for fans who get to anticipate a potential overturned call on the replay scoreboard.

"The fans seem to like it," Baltimore Orioles pitcher Rico Garcia said, per ESPN. "They get loud when a call is overturned or is confirmed. It's an interaction for them that they've never really had."

Pittsburgh Pirates star pitcher Paul Skenes said the new system is "pretty cool. I don't think it's been super one-sided where the pitchers are getting a lot more than the hitters. It feels right so far."

That system that "feels right so far" is now making its way to the college game.