NCAA approves ABS challenge system in college baseball for 2027

By admin — In News — July 16, 2026

   ​According to a report from Baseball America on Wednesday, the NCAA rules subcommittee has approved the usage of the ABS challenge system in college baseball.This comes after a successful trial run by the Southeastern Conference in the league tournament in Hoover, Ala., this past season. ABS can now be used in any game where the technology is available, including Trackman, but the NCAA’s baseball oversight committee must still approve the change for it to be implemented this upcoming season, according to On3 Sports.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNow, it will be a waiting game to see what stipulations the NCAA will put on the ABS in 2027 and if it will look similar to what we saw at the SEC Tournament back in May.During last season’s conference tournament, coaches were provided three challenges per game. If the team won the challenge, it would retain it, rather than losing it. There was also a bonus challenge in extra innings if teams did not have any left. Pitchers, catchers and hitters were the only positions granted the power to request an ABS challenge, within 2-3 seconds of the play.In Major League Baseball, ABS has slight differences from what was introduced in college baseball in 2026. At the professional level, each team is granted just two challenges per game, which are retained if they are successful. Along with the new system’s format, the player-specific dimensions will be another intriguing aspect to watch before first pitch.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAccording to The Athletic, Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin, who is on the baseball rules committee, was part of Wednesday’s discussions.”From my perspective, it has been one of the more positivie rules experiments we’ve had in recent years,” Corbin said. “The feedback from coaches, players and umpires have been encouraging, and the committee recognizes its potential to improve competitive integrity while preserving the human element of the game.”Along with the Commodores, the Texas A&M Aggies got a firsthand look at ABS in the SEC Tournament this past season. Texas A&M’s appearance in Hoover was cut short when the team was eliminated in the quarterfinals by the Auburn Tigers.While many questions remain about the format of the new system, which appears to be fully implemented in 2027, it seems to be a welcome sight for coaches, players and fans and will move the college game in the right direction.Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Dylan on X: @dylanmflippo.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThis article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: NCAA approves ABS challenge system in college baseball for 2027  

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