Who will be the best at ABS challenges? Here's what the players think

The Automated-Ball Strike (ABS) Challenge System, powered by T-Mobile, is coming to MLB in 2026. We've seen baseball's latest innovation at Spring Training in each of the past two years, along with the Minor Leagues and the 2025 All-Star Game. Of the many things that we've already learned, perhaps this is most important: These challenges matter. As one AL East position player put it, ABS is going to "change the game."

We'll see the real thing for the first time on Opening Night, which is less than a week away.

With that in mind, we tasked our MLB.com beat writers to survey their clubhouses and ask players for their opinions on a range of topics surrounding ABS, in exchange for anonymity. Players were asked to only vote on players on opposing teams.

Here are some of the results.

Name one hitter you think will be really good at challenges

1. Juan Soto (NYM): 33 votes
2. Aaron Judge (NYY): 9 votes
3. Steven Kwan (CLE): 6 votes
4. Alex Bregman (CHC): 5 votes
5. Kyle Schwarber (PHI): 3 votes

Others receiving votes: Matt Olson (ATL), Freddie Freeman (LAD), Brendan Donovan (SEA), Jose Altuve (HOU), Yordan Alvarez (HOU), Luis Arraez (SF), Caleb Durbin (BOS), Xavier Edwards (MIA), Freddy Fermin (SD), Hunter Goodman (COL), Bryce Harper (PHI), Bobby Witt Jr. (KC), Max Muncy (LAD), Josh Naylor (SEA), Cal Raleigh (SEA), Ben Rice (NYY), Carlos Santana (AZ), Will Smith (LAD), Kyle Tucker (LAD), Brice Turang (MIL), Jacob Wilson (ATH)

Known for having one of the best eyes in the game, Soto was the overwhelming winner here: He received a vote from at least one player on 27 of the 29 opposing teams. That's not surprising, because Soto commands the strike zone like few others: His 15.9% chase rate in 2025 ranked as the lowest in the Majors among qualified hitters, and he set a new single-season Mets franchise record with 127 walks.

"He is the gold standard," said an AL East player.

Soto won all four of his challenges last Spring Training, and while he's yet to challenge a pitch this spring, the Mets have the utmost confidence in their star left fielder. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said in January that he expects Soto to be "pretty damn good at this." Consider it another advantage for one of baseball's truly elite players.

Soto's former teammate, Aaron Judge, placed a distant second. Last season, only 13 hitters had more called strikes against them on pitches outside the zone than the six-foot-seven Judge, with most occurring on pitches beneath the zone.

But as MLB.com's Mike Petriello pointed out last month, shorter players -- defined as those 5-foot-9 and under -- actually had the highest challenge success rate at Triple-A last season. That could benefit the likes of Steven Kwan (5-foot-8) and Alex Bregman (5-foot-10), two disciplined hitters who also received multiple votes from their peers.

Name one pitcher you think will be really good at challenges

1. Justin Verlander (DET): 10 votes
2. Max Scherzer (TOR): 7 votes
3. Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LAD): 6 votes
4. Paul Skenes (PIT): 5 votes
5. Jacob deGrom (TEX): 4 votes

Others receiving votes: Tarik Skubal (DET), Sonny Gray (BOS), Gerrit Cole (NYY), Chris Bassitt (BAL), Zack Wheeler (PHI), Merrill Kelly (AZ), Logan Webb (SF), George Kirby (SEA), Garrett Crochet (BOS), Chris Sale (ATL), Zac Gallen (AZ), Shohei Ohtani (LAD), Nathan Eovaldi (TEX), Michael King (SD), Aaron Nola (PHI)

The consensus among players is that the vast majority of pitchers will not be good at ball/strike challenges. In fact, "none" was the most common response to this question.

"I don't think pitchers see it very well," said a pitcher in the AL East. "Maybe others do, but I can't unless it's really obvious. And if that's the case, then the catchers see it, too."

The pitchers who received votes mostly fall into one of two categories: grizzled veterans or bona fide stars.

"Maybe Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Chris Sale," said an NL Central player. "Those are the three pitchers who should be allowed to challenge this year."

Sale has already gone on record saying that he will not challenge balls or strikes this season. Verlander won his first challenge in his start on March 17, while Scherzer has yet to issue a challenge this spring.

Yamamoto earned the most votes of any player not named Verlander or Scherzer, in part because of his pinpoint command. "He can put it wherever he wants it, so he might be good at it," suggested a player in the AL East.

Name one catcher you think will be really good at challenges

1. Cal Raleigh (SEA): 16 votes
2. J.T. Realmuto (PHI): 15 votes
3. Patrick Bailey (SF): 11 votes
4. Salvador Perez (KC): 7 votes
5. Will Smith (LAD): 6 votes

Others receiving votes: Austin Hedges (CLE), Alejandro Kirk (TOR), Carlos Narváez (BOS); Dillon Dingler (DET), Gabriel Moreno (AZ), Austin Wells (NYY), Hunter Feduccia (TB), Freddy Fermin (SD), Andrew Knizner (SEA), James McCann (AZ), Adley Rutschman (BAL), Tyler Stephenson (CIN), Jose Trevino (CIN), Austin Wynns (ATH)

If pitchers aren't going to challenge much at all, then a lot of the onus to do so will fall on the catchers. So, which backstops might be good at it?

Raleigh was the most popular response. He went a perfect 9-for-9 on challenges in Spring Training last year and aced one in the All-Star Game, too, overturning a call in favor of Tigers ace Tarik Skubal. Raleigh only has a 33% win rate on challenges this spring, though he was aggressive on purpose to try and get the hang of the new system before departing for the World Baseball Classic.

"He usually gets the close ones anyways, but I think he'll know whether it's actually on or off," said an AL Central player. "I think he's actually good at that."

Realmuto, entering his 13th year in the Majors, received plenty of votes, as did Bailey, who has developed a deserved reputation as one of the best defenders in baseball since debuting in 2023. This spring, Bailey's 83% win rate is second best among catchers to issue at least 10 challenges.

Do you think the pitchers on your team should be given the green light to challenge?

• Yes: 22
• No: 41

As we teased above, this has been one of the hot topics throughout the spring. In Spring Training, so far, pitchers have been rather tepid: Only 30 pitcher-issued challenges have occurred. All other fielders have combined to attempt 822 challenges.

The majority of players don't expect pitchers to be good at challenges. But should they have the right to challenge? The players surveyed were split.

"I don't believe that pitchers should ever challenge," said Orioles right-hander Chris Bassitt. "We have too much movement. I'm not sitting back there and catching the ball. So we're talking about the very fine-line pitches. I mean, if it was up to me, I would have challenged probably six [calls] today and got a lot of them wrong."

The movement of pitchers on the mound -- juxtaposed with the lack of movement from catchers squatting behind the plate -- was mentioned often. Catcher framing was another concern.

"The way they catch the ball, the way they receive, they make them all look like strikes," said Sale.

Some pitchers also doubted their own ability to be judicious.

"I'm greedy," an AL West player said. "I think everything is a strike."

Added a player in the NL West: "I thought I had a pitch last year in Triple-A. I was like, that's without a doubt a strike. And it was six inches below the zone. I was like, 'Alright, I'm done. I'm never challenging again.' I'll leave it to the catchers."