Major League Baseball plans to take full control of selecting technology partners for scouting and data collection starting in 2026, shifting power from individual teams to the league. This move will bundle data from third-party vendors for equal distribution to all 30 clubs, raising concerns among teams about innovation and potential favoritism. The changes extend beyond the minors to amateur events like college and high school games.
In modern baseball, teams have relied on advanced technologies such as motion capture and high-speed cameras to scout and develop prospects, often hiring outside firms for proprietary data advantages. However, that competitive edge will diminish next year as MLB assumes control over all aspects of tech implementation in minor league parks, including negotiations, approvals, and data distribution.
The policy, first reported by The Athletic, will make vendor-collected information non-proprietary, bundling it for league-wide access. MLB's oversight will also cover technology at college, high school, and showcase events, building on regulations for amateur tech established since 2020. A league spokesperson stated that the expansion aims to "ensure equal access to data and a level playing field."
During a closed-door session at the winter meetings earlier this month, MLB presented several potential vendors to clubs, prominently featuring Infinite Sky, an AI startup founded in 2021 by MIT PhD Ken Lazarus. Infinite Sky employs machine learning to analyze video for pitcher biomechanics, ball speed, movement, and injury risk prediction. Lazarus is the uncle of Morgan Sword, MLB's executive vice president of baseball operations, who oversees data and tech partnerships, including the upcoming Automated Ball-Strike System.
The league clarified that Sword recused himself from Infinite Sky's evaluation and that the firm was identified by multiple clubs as a desired partner. MLB holds a non-exclusive evaluation contract with Infinite Sky, granting access to league data solely for testing purposes, with no final deal decided yet. Three team sources were unaware of the family connection until informed.
Team executives expressed unease over the league's authority to select winners in the $7 billion player tracking industry. One attendee at the meeting remarked, "In a world where that [deal] happens, it would be very disappointing. It would mean the commissioner’s office isn’t making decisions to help its clubs, but to help its preferred vendors."
Former Federal Trade Commission advisor Katherine Van Dyck warned that MLB's consolidated buying power could lead to higher costs for vendors passed on to others and invite antitrust scrutiny. She argued, "Different teams have different needs, and those needs will not be represented by MLB," potentially forcing unwanted bundled services. Some staffers anticipate reduced in-house research and development as a result.
MLB maintains the changes promote fairness, countering criticisms by emphasizing broad team input in vendor selection.