If an illegal pitch is made, what happens if it goes through the strike zone?

When an illegal pitch is made, it is considered a violation of the pitching regulations, which are in place to ensure fair play and player safety. In this scenario, if the illegal pitch passes through the strike zone and the batter does not swing, the proper ruling is that the pitch is considered a ball.

The rationale behind this is that an illegal pitch is not evaluated based on whether it crosses the strike zone or not, but rather it is categorized as an infraction. The rules dictate that the pitch is automatically deemed illegal and carries a penalty regardless of its position in the strike zone. This means that while it may appear to be a strike based on its trajectory, the illegal nature of the pitch takes precedence. Therefore, if the batter does not swing at an illegal pitch, they are awarded a ball, as the infraction is the primary concern.