White Sox Minor Keys: June 19, 2024

Since the start of the 2023 season, the strike zones in Triple-A games have been determined under two different systems. Tuesday through Thursday, all pitches were called by an automated ball-strike system. On Friday through Sunday, all pitches were initially called by home plate umpires, and teams were given three pitch challenges with the hopes of correcting the most egregious mistakes.

After a year and a half of data, Major League Baseball announced that starting next week, the challenge system will be the way all Triple-A games are called. In another tweak, the International League will play with two challenges per team, while the Pacific Coast League will continue to operate with three.

Baseball America's initial look into the data shows that walk rates were noticeably higher in the games with full ABS. J.J. Cooper says they'll be studying which teams and pitchers were hurt most by the tighter automated strike zone, but:

Talking with pitchers and coaches, the ABS zone seems to be one that is better for “North-South” pitchers who work up and down in the zone and more difficult for pitchers who work “East-West” with pitches on the inner and outer edges of the plate.

The abandonment of full ABS suggests that if and when robo-umps make their way into Major League Baseball, it'll be only as an assistant to the human element.

Charlotte 9, Gwinnett 3

• Colson Montgomery went 1-for-4 with an HBP and two strikeouts.
• Bryan Ramos was 1-for-3 with a sac fly.
• Zach DeLoach, 2-for-4 with a double.
• Sean Burke: 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 1 WP, 43 of 77 pitches for strikes.

Birmingham 4, Montgomery 3

• Terrell Tatum went 1-for-5 with a triple.
• Jacob Gonzalez was 0-for-5 with a K.
• Brooks Baldwin went 1-for4- with a stolen base.
• Edgar Quero, 1-for-4 with a double.
• Tim Elko was 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
• Wilfred Veras drove in all four runs with two homers, along with a walk and a strikeout.
• Jacob Burke singled, walked, struck out twice and stole a base.
• Tyler Schweitzer: 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 60 of 87 pitches for strikes.

Highlights:

*Both of Veras' homers were crushed.

Asheville 16, Winston-Salem 6

• Samuel Zavala went 1-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout.
• DJ Gladney, 0-for-3 with two walks and two strikeouts.
• Calvin Harris, 1-for-5 with a K.
• Wes Kath struck out thrice during an 0-for-5 night.
• Ryan Galanie was 2-for-4 with a homer and a strikeout.
• Loidel Chapelli, 1-for-3 with a walk and a K.
• Tanner McDougal: 4 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, 1 HR, 1 WP, 37 of 77 pitches for strikes.

Kannapolis 5, Myrtle Beach 0 (Game 1, 7 innings)

• Ryan Burrowes walked once and struck out twice.
• George Wolkow was plunked once and struck out twice.

Myrtle Beach 7, Kannapolis 0 (Game 2, 7 innings)

• Rikuu Nishida and Ronny Hernandez both were 0-for-3.
• Ryan Burrowes singled, struck out twice and stole a base.
• George Wolkow singled once and struck out twice.
• Jake Peppers: 2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 26 of 48 pitches for strikes.