NEW YORK – Computer plate umpires could be called up to the major leagues at some point during the next five seasons, according to multiple sources.
Umpires agreed to cooperate with Major League Baseball in the development and testing of an automated ball-strike system as part of a five-year labor contract announced Saturday.
The Major League Baseball Umpires Association also agreed to cooperate and assist if Commissioner Rob Manfred decides to utilize the system at the major league level. The details of the deal, which is subject to ratification by both sides, had not been announced.
The independent Atlantic League became the first American professional league to let a computer call balls and strikes at its All-Star Game on July 10. Plate umpire Brian deBrauwere wore an earpiece connected to an iPhone in his pocket and relayed the call upon receiving it from a TrackMan computer system that uses Doppler radar.
The Atlantic League experimented with the computer system during the second half of its season, and the Arizona Fall League of top prospects used it for a few dozen games this year at Salt River Fields.
MLB has discussed installing the system at the Class A Florida State League for 2020. If that test goes well, the computer umps could be used at Triple-A in 2021 as bugs are dealt with before a big league call-up.
Several AFL prospects praised the TrackMan system for calls on the inside and outside corners but said it struggled with breaking balls low or high in the strike zone.
It is not clear whether the Major League Baseball Players Association would need to approve computerized calls.
