AJ Smith-Shawver #32

Placed on the 15-day injured list with a strained left oblique on May 24, 2024...Drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the seventh round of the 2021 MLB June Amateur Draft.

2024

In his fourth professional season, Smith-Shawver made one regular season start for Atlanta on May 23 in Chicago (NL)…Left the game with a strained left oblique after 4.1 scoreless innings pitched...Went 3-7 with a 4.86 ERA (47 ER/87.0 IP) and 104 strikeouts in 20 starts with Triple-A Gwinnett.

POSTSEASON: Started Game 1 in the NL Wild Card Series against San Diego…It was his first career postseason start...Smith-Shawver made the start at 21 years, 316 days old, and became the youngest pitcher in Braves franchise history to start Game 1 of a postseason series...Just one Atlanta pitcher had started any playoff game at a younger age...Steve Avery made four starts in the 1991 playoffs, including two in the World Series, between 21 years, 179 days and 21 years, 195 days old.

2023

Finished 1-0 with a 4.26 ERA (12 ER/25.1 IP) in his debut season with the Braves...At 20 years - 207 days old, became the youngest Braves pitcher to earn a win since Steve Avery (20 years - 132 days), Aug. 24, 1990 vs. Chicago (NL)...Won against Colorado on June 15...Just the sixth time in Atlanta franchise history (1966) a pitcher of Smith? Shawver's age or younger was credited with the win...Became the youngest pitcher to make his first start for Atlanta since Julio Teheran on May 7, 2011...Only one pitcher in baseball in the 2023 season had started a game at a younger age, with Eury Perez making five such starts for the Marlins...Prior to his debut, Smith-Shawver had 33.0 professional innings pitched...Went 2-2 with a 4.17 ERA in 10 starts with Triple-A Gwinnett...Pitched to a 1.59 ERA over his last three starts with the Stripers...Pitched to a 2.76 ERA and a 4-4 record between Gwinnett, Double-A Mississippi and High-A Rome this season...Was named the South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Month for April after pitching 14.0 scoreless frames between all three of his starts with High-A Rome.

2022

Made his professional debut with Single-A Augusta in 2022...Spent the entire season with the GreenJackets, going 3-4 with a 5.11 ERA in 17 starts.