Hayden Senger, a Mets catching prospect, is one of a rising number of catchers worried that the automatic ball-strike (ABS) system may eliminate the need for pitch framing, arguably the position’s most important defensive skill.
“We spend our lives trying to master that motion and deceive umpires.” It takes the most essential aspect of our game away from us,” said Senger, who reached Double-A last season and is now in big-league spring training with the Mets.
Senger had previously caught with ABS during a trial run in the Arizona Fall League. MLB will test Hawk-automated Eye’s ball-strike (ABS) system in Triple-A games this season, as well as use it to dispute human umpires’ ball and strike calls in Single-A.
MLB attempted to accelerate deployment of ABS in the majors during this off-season’s collective bargaining negations, but the union reportedly fought to keep ABS out of the big leagues through at least the 2023 season.
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“I don’t think [automated strike zones are] going to be as efficient, and I think the pitcher still needs somebody back there that makes them feel good and who they trust,” Mets catcher Tomas Nido told the New York Post. “On the surface, you think it’s going to completely change the dynamic of the catching position,” added Mets manager Buck Showalter.
Former MLB catcher Tyler Flowers and current Blue Jays catcher Reese McGuire have also voiced concerns over ABS making pitch framing obsolete. Even if robot umpires do compute their way to the majors, Senger is committed to keeping the skill alive to build maximum rapport with the pitchers he works with.
“Even if [ABS] does come into play, I’ll probably still frame balls,” Senger said. “It’s good to give the pitcher where they’re missing, if you just catch [the ball] and throw it back, the pitcher might not be as comfortable with you back there. It’s always good to make the pitcher feel good about the pitches he’s throwing.”
