Automated Umpire System Set for College Baseball
The NCAA announced that an automated ball‑strike system will be available to every division of college baseball beginning next season, giving teams the ability to challenge umpired calls during both regular‑season and postseason games.
The decision follows a limited trial conducted by the Southeastern Conference during its May tournament, where the technology was tested under game‑like conditions and received positive feedback from coaches and players.
Alongside the umpire system, the governing body has introduced a series of equipment and timing adjustments, including the adoption of 18‑inch square bases for all divisions and the mandatory use of a double first base in every game.
In Division I, a 30‑second timer will be enforced between batters, as well as during mound visits and offensive timeouts, aiming to improve the sport’s pace of play and reduce delays.
Additional experimental rules permit conferences to test limits on pitcher disengagements, allowing only two pickoff attempts per batter before a balk is called unless an out is recorded, and requiring pitchers to face a minimum of three batters before they may be removed, unless the inning ends earlier.
While the core changes are now standardized, individual conferences retain the freedom to explore further modifications, such as pitcher disengagement limits, giving them a laboratory for innovation before any potential league‑wide rollout.