AJ Smith-Shawver Bio
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 major league debut with the Braves in 2023 after a rapid climb through the organization’s minor league system. As a hard-throwing right-hander, he drew national attention by becoming the youngest Braves pitcher to record a victory in more than three decades. He continues to be regarded as one of the more promising young arms in Atlanta’s farm system.
Early Life and Background
AJ Smith-Shawver was born on November 20, 2002, in Colleyville, Texas, and grew up in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He was raised by his mother, Laurie, and his stepfather, Jason, and added Shawver to his surname while still in high school. From an early age, he displayed a natural aptitude for athletics, eventually earning recognition in two major high school sports.
He attended Colleyville Heritage High School in Colleyville, Texas, where he starred as both a pitcher and position player on the baseball team and as the starting quarterback on the football team. As a senior, Smith-Shawver passed for 2,616 yards and 25 touchdowns on the gridiron. Despite his success on the diamond, he briefly stepped away from pitching to focus on football, but returned to the mound before his final season.
On the baseball field, he was named All-Area by the Dallas Morning News as a third baseman after batting .344 with 20 runs batted in. His dual-sport ability earned him a commitment to play both college baseball and college football at Texas Tech University, though he would ultimately choose professional baseball instead.
Path to Baseball
Following his senior season at Colleyville Heritage, Smith-Shawver was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the seventh round of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft. Rather than enroll at Texas Tech, he signed with the organization and received an over-slot signing bonus of $997,500. That decision marked his full commitment to a future on the mound.
After signing, the Braves assigned Smith-Shawver to the Rookie-level Florida Complex League Braves, where he made four appearances. He spent the entire 2022 season with the Single-A Augusta GreenJackets, using that year to refine his slider and develop the secondary pitches that would later define his arsenal.
Smith-Shawver opened the 2023 minor league season with the Rome Braves at the High-A level and quickly established himself as one of the system’s most electric arms. He made three starts at High-A, firing fourteen scoreless innings with twenty-three strikeouts against just four walks. On May 2, 2023, he was promoted to the Mississippi Braves at the Double-A level, where he allowed just five hits across seven scoreless innings before reaching Triple-A with the Gwinnett Stripers on May 19.
AJ Smith-Shawver Career
Early Career (2021-2022)
Smith-Shawver’s professional career began in the rookie-level Florida Complex League in 2021, immediately after he signed with the Braves. The organization took a cautious approach with the young right-hander, limiting his workload to four appearances while focusing on foundational development. During this period, he concentrated on building a consistent slider to pair with his fastball, a plan that began to take shape during instructional play.
In 2022, he advanced to the Single-A Augusta GreenJackets and pitched a full season at that level. The year served as an important developmental bridge, allowing him to handle a starter’s workload against older competition. By the end of the season, he had built a reputation inside the Braves organization as a polished prospect with the potential to move quickly.
MLB Breakthrough (2023)
On May 30, 2023, the Braves selected Smith-Shawver’s contract and promoted him to the major leagues for the first time. He made his MLB debut on June 4 against the Arizona Diamondbacks, pitching two and one-third innings of relief while striking out three batters. Five days later, on June 9, he made his first start against the Washington Nationals, yielding two unearned runs on three hits across five and one-third innings.
On June 15, 2023, Smith-Shawver earned his first major league win against the Colorado Rockies, allowing six hits and one walk while striking out six across five and two-thirds innings. The victory made him the youngest Braves pitcher to win a game since Steve Avery accomplished the feat on August 24, 1990. He was optioned back to Triple-A Gwinnett on June 26 to make room on the active roster.
Atlanta Braves Era (2024-2025)
Smith-Shawver was invited to spring training before the 2024 regular season, but did not make the opening day roster and was optioned back to Triple-A Gwinnett. He spent the bulk of the 2024 season continuing to develop at the highest level of the minor leagues, with the Braves maintaining a long-term developmental plan for the young right-hander.
In 2025, Smith-Shawver returned to the major league rotation and delivered one of the most memorable performances of his career on May 5. Against the Cincinnati Reds, he pitched eight shutout innings and did not allow a hit until the eighth, when Santiago Espinal broke up the bid. The outing marked the longest start of his professional career. Later in the month, on May 29, he was removed from a game and placed on the 15-day injured list. He was later transferred to the 60-day injured list and diagnosed with a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament. On June 9, 2025, Smith-Shawver underwent Tommy John surgery, officially ending his season.
Driving Style and Strengths
Smith-Shawver is a power pitcher who relies heavily on a lively fastball paired with a developing slider that became the focal point of his arsenal in the minor leagues. His long, clean delivery creates difficult angle profiles for opposing hitters, and his strikeout rates at every minor league stop reflected his swing-and-miss profile. His composure on the mound was evident in his debut season, when he routinely attacked major league lineups without hesitation.
Notable Events and Milestones
Smith-Shawver’s most celebrated milestone came on June 15, 2023, when his first MLB win made him the youngest Braves pitcher to win a game since Steve Avery in 1990. His eight-inning, no-hit gem against the Reds on May 5, 2025, ranks among the most impressive single-game performances of his young career. His rapid rise from a seventh-round draft pick to the major leagues in under two full seasons also stands as a notable organizational achievement.
AJ Smith-Shawver Career Wins
Smith-Shawver’s verified major league victories are anchored by his debut-season win over the Colorado Rockies in June 2023. That victory, combined with his subsequent starts in 2025, has established him as a starting pitcher capable of delivering quality innings against major league competition.
MLB Highlights
His first MLB win came on June 15, 2023, against the Colorado Rockies, when he worked five and two-thirds innings, allowed six hits and one walk, and struck out six batters. The performance cemented his status as one of the most exciting young arms in the Braves organization. He continued to log starts for Atlanta through the early portion of the 2025 season before his injury.
Other Wins and Performances
During his minor league career, Smith-Shawver posted several impressive stretches, including fourteen scoreless innings across three High-A starts in 2023 and seven scoreless innings at the Double-A level before his Triple-A promotion. These performances helped set the stage for his rapid promotion to the major leagues.
AJ Smith-Shawver Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Smith-Shawver was raised by his mother, Laurie, and his stepfather, Jason. While in high school, he adopted Shawver as part of his surname, reflecting his blended family. He grew up in a household that supported his athletic pursuits, and his family’s flexibility allowed him to pursue both baseball and football at a high level during his teenage years.
He is in a relationship with Josie Canseco, the daughter of former MLB star Jose Canseco. The couple has been publicly linked, and Smith-Shawver continues to balance his professional career and personal life in the public eye.
2025 Season Performance
Smith-Shawver opened the 2025 season as part of the Atlanta Braves pitching staff and quickly produced one of the standout starts of his career. On May 5, 2025, he delivered eight shutout innings against the Cincinnati Reds, surrendering no hits until the eighth inning. The start signaled that he had taken a significant step forward as a major league starter.
His 2025 campaign was interrupted on May 29, when he was removed from a game and placed on the 15-day injured list. The Braves later transferred him to the 60-day injured list and announced a diagnosis of a torn ulnar collateral ligament. On June 9, 2025, Smith-Shawver underwent Tommy John surgery, ending his 2025 season and placing his recovery timeline into 2026.
Despite the injury, Smith-Shawver’s 2025 results before the setback reinforced his standing as a foundational piece of the Braves’ long-term rotation plans. His combination of strikeout ability, mound presence, and youth makes him a central figure in the organization’s pitching future.