AJ Smith-Shawver | |
---|---|
![]() Smith-Shawver with the Gwinnett Stripers in 2024 | |
Atlanta Braves – No. 32 | |
Pitcher | |
Born: Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. | November 20, 2002|
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
MLB debut | |
June 4, 2023, for the Atlanta Braves | |
MLB statistics (through May 23, 2024) | |
Win–loss record | 1–0 |
Earned run average | 3.64 |
Strikeouts | 24 |
Teams | |
|
AJ Smith-Shawver (born November 20, 2002) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023.
Smith-Shawver grew up in Colleyville, Texas and attended Colleyville Heritage High School, where he played baseball and football.[1] He was Colleyville Heritage's starting quarterback and passed for 2,616 yards and 25 touchdowns as a senior. He stopped pitching to focus on football,[2] and was named All-Area by the Dallas Morning News as a third baseman after batting .344 with 20 RBIs.[3] Smith-Shawver committed to play both college baseball and college football at Texas Tech University.[4]
The Atlanta Braves selected Smith-Shawver in the seventh round of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft.[5] He signed with the team, foregoing his commitment to Texas Tech, and received an over-slot signing bonus of $997,500.[6][7] After signing, Smith-Shawver was assigned to the Rookie-level Florida Complex League Braves and made four appearances. He spent the 2022 season with the Single-A Augusta GreenJackets.[8][9] While pitching in the FCL and for the GreenJackets, Smith-Shawver focused on developing a slider.[10]
The following year, Smith-Shawver began the season with the Rome Braves.[11][12] At the High-A level, he made three starts, threw fourteen scoreless innings with four walks and 23 strikeouts, while yielding six hits.[13] On May 2, Smith-Shawver was promoted to the Mississippi Braves.[14] He allowed five hits in seven scoreless innings over two appearances at the Double-A level,[15] then made his Triple-A debut with the Gwinnett Stripers on May 19, yielding his first earned runs on the 2023 season.[7][16][17]
On May 30, 2023, the Braves selected Smith-Shawver's contract and promoted him to the major leagues for the first time.[18][19] He faced the Arizona Diamondbacks in his major league debut on June 4, pitching 2+1⁄3 innings of relief while recording three strikeouts and one walk.[20][21] Smith-Shawver made his first start against the Washington Nationals on June 9,[22] yielding two unearned runs on three hits in 5+1⁄3 innings.[2][23] On June 15, Smith-Shawver earned his first win, giving up six hits and one walk with six strikeouts in 5+2⁄3 innings against the Colorado Rockies.[24] He became the youngest Braves pitcher to win a game since Steve Avery on August 24, 1990.[25] On June 26, Shawver was optioned back down to Gwinnett to make room on the roster for the Braves to promote relief pitcher Dereck Rodriguez.[26]
Smith-Shawver was invited to spring training before the 2024 regular season began,[27] but did not make the club and was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett.[28]
AJ Smith was raised by his mother Laurie and stepfather Jason. He added Shawver to his surname while in high school.[2]