Dillon Dingler had the ball in his hand and ready to throw back to the mound, when he stopped. The Detroit Tigers’ catcher tapped his helmet and looked up at the Comerica Park scoreboard.
It was an April 5 game against the St. Louis Cardinals barely a week into the new season and MLB’s new Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System. Dingler was just getting a feel for the game.
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“You’re just hoping to God you got it right, to be honest,” Dingler said after going 4-for-4 on challenges that day.
Seven weeks into Major League Baseball’s first season with the ABS Challenge System, he is getting it right more than anyone.
Dingler is 19 for 21 (91%) on challenges this season, the best success rate among catchers with significant volume. The Tigers as a team lead all of baseball at 60.5% overall.
The Washington Nationals sit dead last at 41.9%.
Here is a breakdown of who is thriving, who is struggling and what the early numbers reveal about a system that has quickly changed the game.
Which catchers are best at the ABS challenge system?
Detroit’s catchers are the story of the early ABS era. Dingler was 19 for 21 going into play Wednesday. His backup, Jake Rogers, is 4 for 5, giving the Tigers the top catcher success rate in baseball.
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Will Smith of the Los Angeles Dodgers leads all catchers with 36 attempts and is winning 75% of them.
White Sox catcher Edgar Quero is the worst at challenges, by a wide margin. He has had 42 challenges and just a 42.9% overturn rate.
Which batters know the strike zone best?
Isaac Paredes of the Houston Astros is perfect. He is 4 for 4 in challenges. New Yok Mets infielder Marcus Semien, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout and Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz are all at 83.3%.
New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge is 4 for 5 (80%).
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Davis Schneider of the Toronto Blue Jays is pretty confident in challenging, making nine of them. He’s won seven for a solid 77.8% overturn rate.
Mike Trout is one of the better hitters at ABS challenges.
Milwaukee Brewers hitters are the worst in baseball at challenges. They are winning just 33.3% of their challenges.
Among the worst is Brewers catcher Gary Sanchez, who has lost 9 of 16 ABS challenges. Washington Nationals right fielder James Wood has won just 11% (1-of-8) and Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson is at 14% (1 of 6).
Have pitchers figured out the ABS system yet?
No, not yet.
Freddy Peralta of the New York Mets leads all pitchers with three successful challenges. That number tells you plenty about how little pitchers are using this system to their advantage. Cristopher Sanchez of the Phillies and Gregory Soto of the Pirates are both 0 for 3, the worst performance on the pitcher side.
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Which teams are winning and losing the ABS battle?
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB ABS challenge stats: Winners and losers from 2026 season
Read the full article here
