Automated Ball-Strike System approved for SEC Tournament

Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS) made its debut in Major League Baseball this season and has received rave reviews after some usage in the minor leagues. Now that system is coming to college baseball. Kentucky will be one of the first time to get to use the system.

The SEC Tournament in Hoover just added some more stakes. D1 Baseball’s Kendall Rogers reported on Monday evening that the NCAA Baseball Rules Committee has approved a special proposal by the SEC. ABS is coming to college baseball.

More #SEC ABS Details:

– 3 ABS challenges (if you win the challenge, you retain)
– You get a bonus challenge in extra innings if you don't have any left
– 🚨ONLY a pitcher, catcher, hitter can request ABS challenge (within 2-3 seconds). Untimely challenges will NOT be granted.

— Kendall Rogers (@KendallRogers) May 4, 2026

The rules are what everyone has grown accustomed to in Major League Baseball. Each team gets three challenges and can retain the challenge if the call is overturned. A bonus challenge will be awarded if the game goes to extra innings. Only a pitcher, catcher, and hitter can request ABS. Most teams in MLB seemingly wants the catcher and not the pitcher asking for challenges. These challenges must come immediately after the ball is caught.

Rogers also reports that the ACC has not yet requested to use ABS this postseason but that is expected to change. The same goes for other leagues in college baseball. That could all be changing soon.

The SEC is the first one in college baseball to join the party.

Current SEC standings

The SEC Tournament begins on Tuesday, May 18. This is how the SEC Tournament would be seeded if it started today.

Place	Team	Overall Record (Conference Record)
1	Georgia	38-11 (18-6)
2	Texas A&M	35-10 (15-8)
3	Texas	35-10 (15-8)
4	Auburn	32-14 (14-10)
5	Mississippi State	36-12 (14-10)
6	Alabama	32-16 (13-11)
7	Florida	31-17 (13-11)
8	Arkansas	32-17 (13-11)
9	Ole Miss	32-17 (12-12)
10	Oklahoma	30-16 (12-12)
11	Kentucky	29-16 (11-13)
12	Tennessee	31-17 (11-13)
13	Vanderbilt	27-22 (10-14)
14	LSU	28-21 (9-15)
15	South Carolina	22-27 (7-17)
16	Missouri	21-26 (4-20)

Kentucky would play LSU in the opening round of the SEC Tournament if the event started today. The Bat Cats enter the final two-week stretch of league play one game behind the No. 9 seed and two games behind the No. 6 seed.

The Wildcats sit at No. 35 in RPI with a 6-6 record in Quad 1 and 4-4 record in Quad 2. This is a rock-solid resume at the moment, but some more wins are required over the last two weeks to secure a spot on Selection Monday.