ADAD“We’re going to be using it during spring training and in some of our minor leagues this year,” he said. But fully instituting ABS immediately in spring training would have run afoul of the new collective bargaining agreement between MLB and umpires that was brokered around Christmastime. ADAD“To achieve this new contract with the owners, however, we agreed that MLB can use ESZ technology, if important conditions are met, and after a process through which umpires will have direct input into when and how the technology enters Major League games, including spring training games,” the Major League Baseball Umpires Association said in a statement. Use of ESZ technology in spring training games this year would be premature and would violate our new agreement." Nine of the 12 ballclubs there play in major league spring training ballparks that are already equipped with the hardware necessary for the electronic strike zone.

Source: Washington Post January 23, 2020 18:07 UTC