Blue Jays are already seeing the benefit of ABS system after one week of spring games

It's a new day and age in Major League Baseball. The Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) umpiring system will begin use during regular-season games this season. It began being tested in the minor leagues in 2019. The big leagues implemented the system during Spring Training last season, where teams won 52.2 percent of their challenges. Each team gets two challenges per game. If a challenge is successful, the team retains it.

The players who can initiate the challenge are the pitcher, catcher, or batter. After the pitch, the player will immediately tap their hat or helmet to request a challenge. The Toronto Blue Jays have initiated 27 challenges so far through (12 on offense and 15 on defense).

ABS system doing it's job and the Blue Jays are taking advantage of it

They’ve been successful overall in 48 percent of the appeals, but the defense has been more successful in their challenges (60 percent). On defense, Tommy Nance has shown a knack for recognizing the strike zone, winning all three of his challenges. Two of his overturns changed the pitch to a strikeout pitch.

Brandon Valenzuela will begin the season in Triple-A after being acquired last season during the trade deadline in exchange for Will Wagner. He has also been 100 percent successful in his challenges (4 for 4). Starting catcher, Alejandro Kirk, is known for his expertise in framing pitches, ranking in the 98th percentile, according to Baseball Savant. Though he's best at framing, his performance against challenging pitches has been mediocre. He's so far correctly appealed three of his five opportunities.

On offense, none of the regular-season starters has attempted an appeal. The Blue Jays’ number three prospect, Arjun Nimmala, has led the way this spring, challenging three pitches (two successful). Davis Schneider is the Blue Jay with the most success with the ABS, though he is 0-for-1 this spring.

Last season, while in Triple-A, he ranked number one among 169 batters in winning challenges. To be eligible, batters had to have at least 10 challenges. Schneider was successful on 83 percent of his appeals, with five of his challenges reversing a strikeout call.

This new element to MLB will be interesting to watch, as teams navigate who has the green light to challenge calls and when in games they can be used. With only two initial challenges per game, teams will need to be strategic about how they use their appeals. This new aspect will take some getting used to for fans, but in the long run, the ABS is what's best for baseball.