Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona says he's told players not to use the experimental Automated Ball-Strike System in spring training. Francona told The Athletic he's OK with younger players challenging calls via the ABS,

He figures there’s little point for veterans to use it since the system won’t be in effect in the majors this season.

Several of the Reds minor leaguers have prior experience with the ABS challenge system, which, along with full ABS (all balls and strikes automated) was tested at the Double and Triple-A levels in '23 and '24. By the end of '24, full ABS was dropped in favor of the happy middle ground, the ABS challenge system.

Reds manager Terry Francona plans to opt out of elective participation in the automated ball-strike challenge trial during spring training but is willing to let Cincinnati's minor league players accustomed to the procedure use challenges.