The SEC announced that it will implement an automated ball-strike challenge system in every game of the 2026 SEC Baseball Tournament, which will be played in Hoover, Alabama, from May 19–24.
While this will be done on an experimental basis, it follows Major League Baseball, which introduced its own ABS challenge system for regular-season games this year.
“The introduction of this challenge system at the SEC Tournament reflects our continued commitment to innovation,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. “This addition represents a continued step forward for our game, aligns more closely with the professional level and supports the development of our student-athletes as they prepare for success at the next level.”
Each team will begin the game with three challenges. If a challenge is successful, the team retains it. If the original call is confirmed, the team loses the challenge. Each team will also receive one additional challenge in extra innings.
Only the pitcher, catcher, or hitter may initiate a challenge. No other player, coach, or team personnel may signal whether to challenge. If the umpire determines that a player’s decision was aided by another individual, the team loses the right to challenge that pitch.
Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan shared his thoughts on the SEC Tournament’s implementation of the ABS challenge system, saying he believes aligning the college game more closely with Major League Baseball would be a positive step.
“The game is always evolving and changing, and we’ve got to evolve and change with the changes,” O’Sullivan said. “And I’ve always thought that maybe, and this is my opinion, that if we can get our rules as similar as the major league level, because especially in the SEC, so many players are getting to the big leagues so quickly. But that’s just my opinion. But I think that the more we can mirror the rule book and at the major league level and translate it into our level, I think it’d be beneficial.”
There was some backlash from college baseball fans across the country regarding the timing of the implementation, with many believing postseason play was not the ideal setting given how much is at stake for teams.
However, O’Sullivan said he has no issue with the SEC experimenting with the ABS challenge system during the tournament.
“I don’t have any objection to them experimenting in Hoover. I mean, at some point you got to experiment when you’re gonna make a change like this. So, I’ve got no issues.”
Time will tell how Florida plans to approach the rule change on gameday, but O’Sullivan said he does not want his team using challenges too aggressively early in games. He also indicated he would likely trust veteran catcher Karson Bowen to handle challenge decisions when the Gators are in the field.
“There’s got to be some guidelines, you know what I mean? Like, you can’t be tapping your helmet the first inning and third pitch of the game,” O’Sullivan said. “There’s got to be some guidelines that way. And, yeah, I would trust Karson. He’s got a better view than I do as far as that is concerned, but, yeah, it’ll be interesting for sure.”
Florida players had mixed reactions to the implementation of the ABS challenge system.
Landon Stripling, a junior infielder, said he is looking forward to seeing how the system translates to the college game after watching it work at the Major League level.
“I think it’s cool. I like how it’s been implemented into Major League Baseball. I think it has been beneficial for both pitchers and hitters, and so I like it. I’m curious to see how it’s going to work in college, and honestly excited about it, too.”
Meanwhile, sophomore right-handed pitcher Cooper Walls said he has no plans to use challenges himself and would rather leave those decisions to the catcher.
“I don’t really care. Honestly, I just pitch. I mean, I’m not doing that. I’m not using it. If the catcher wants to use it, great. If the catcher steals a couple of strikes from it, great. I’m not using it.”
Florida will take on the winner of Vanderbilt vs. Kentucky in the second round of the SEC Tournament on Wednesday, May 20.