MLB tests pitch clock, anti-shift, bigger bases in minors

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Pitchers, catchers and batters will be able to appeal calls from human umpires to "robo umps" in the Low-A Southeast League this season, while pitch clocks, anti-shift rules and larger bases will be tried in the minors ahead of possible big league use in 2023.

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MLB announced a slate of rules trials Monday, including updates to the Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS) and a ban on infield shifts, that will expand on several experiments from 2021. Some could be introduced to the majors as soon as 2023. The changes were first reported by Yahoo! Sports.

ABS will be used at Triple-A for the first time, as well as in Low-A Southeast for the second straight year. ABS will call balls and strikes in Triple-A West after May 17 and at Triple-A East games played in Charlotte throughout the season, with an aim to "approximate the strike zone called by high-level umpires."

The Low-A Southeast challenge rule is new. In select games, human umpires will call balls and strikes, and each team will have three appeals that must be made by the pitcher, catcher or batter. Successful challenges will be retained by the team.

Atlanta Braves minor leaguers watch a game during the start of spring training baseball at the CoolToday Park Sunday March 13, 2022, in North Port, Fl. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

The pitch clock is being expanded to all levels after a trial in Low-A West and the Arizona Fall League. Pitchers will have 14 seconds with the bases empty and 19 with runners on at Triple-A, the same timing MLB negotiators mentioned to the players' association. At lower levels, pitchers will get 18 second with men aboard.