AJ Smith-Shawver

Bats R Throws R6'3" 205 lbBorn 2002 Fort Worth, USADebut 2023Team ATLDraft 2021 R7 #217 Atlanta Braves, Colleyville Heritage HSContract 1 y/$800,000 (26) 2026: $752,893

Projections

Season	BF	K%	BB%	HR%	1B%	XBH%	PITCH+
2026	378	22.1	9.6	3.55	19.9	6.79	99.9
2027							102.2
2028							102.6

Projected rates are per plate appearance or batter faced; counting stats scale with projected playing time. Statcast measurements inform these projections as inputs and are reported as measurements, not projected.

Most similar through age 22

His ten closest age-22 comparables averaged 95 PITCH+ the next season; 9 of 10 played. Averages cover only the players who got a next season, which is why the played count matters.

#	Player	Through	PITCH+ then	Next season	Next PA / BF
1	Aaron Nola	2015	102.2	102.5	483
2	Franklin Morales	2008	103.6	106.6	179
3	Henry Owens	2015	100.4	67.8	103
4	Aaron Laffey	2007	103.6	97.7	409
5	Phil Hughes	2008	101.1	114.1	351
6	Patrick Sandoval	2019	101.3	95.1	159
7	Robbie Erlin	2013	101.4	89.3	264
8	Daniel Norris	2015	100.9	98.8	302
9	Jason Vargas	2005	102.6	79.7	213
10	Deivi Garcia	2021	103.4	did not play

Pitching

Year	Team	W	L	ERA	G	GS	SV	IP	BF	HR	BB	SO	PITCH+
2027 proj									378				102.2
2026*									40				106.1	94.9	101.0
2025	ATL	3	2	3.86	9	9	0	44.3	192	4	21	42	99.8	103.7	103.5
2024	ATL	0	0	0.00	1	1	0	4.3	18	0	2	4	122.8	99.4	122.2
2023	ATL	1	0	4.26	6	5	0	25.3	105	7	11	20	105.3	101.4	106.7
Career		4	2	3.77	16	15	0	74.0	315	11	34	66	102.9		105.6

Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	Inn	PO	A	Fld%	Runs saved
2025	ATL	P	9	44	4	4	1.000	+0.9
2024	ATL	P	1	4	0	0		-0.0
2023	ATL	P	6	25	2	1	1.000	+0.2

Runs saved covers the Statcast era; for catchers it includes framing.

Minor leagues

Year	Level	Team	Side	PA / BF	Line	AVG / ERA
2026	AAA	Gwinnett Stripers	Pit	87	21.2 IP, 29% K	1.70
2026	A	Augusta GreenJackets	Pit	24	7.0 IP, 38% K	1.29
2025	AAA	Gwinnett Stripers	Pit	40	9.1 IP, 32% K	4.95
2024	AAA	Gwinnett Stripers	Pit	365	87.0 IP, 28% K	4.86
2023	AAA	Gwinnett Stripers	Pit	171	41.0 IP, 27% K	4.17
2023	AA	Mississippi Braves	Pit	29	7.0 IP, 31% K	0.00
2023	A+	Rome Braves	Pit	52	14.0 IP, 44% K	0.00
2022	A	Augusta GreenJackets	Pit	299	68.2 IP, 34% K	5.15
2021	Rk	FCL Braves	Pit	38	8.1 IP, 42% K	8.89

Splits

Year	vs LHP	vs RHP	Home	Away
2026	0.237	0.503		0.344
2025	0.281	0.381	0.261	0.364
2024	0.175	0.270		0.228
2023	0.404	0.211	0.294	0.402

wOBA by split, from pitch level data, 2015 on. For pitchers the split is the batter side faced.

Postseason pitching

Year	L	ERA	G	GS	IP	H	HR	BB	SO	WHIP
2024	1	24.55	1	1	1.1	4	1	0	1	3.64
2023	0	12.27	1	0	2.2	3	3	1	3	1.82
Career	1	16.36	2	1	3.3	7	4	1	4	2.42