AJ Smith-Shawver Could Start This Weekend
2 years agoWith the Atlanta Braves sending right-hander Michael Soroka to Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday, pitching prospect AJ Smith-Shawver could make his first major-league start on Friday or Saturday against the visiting Washington Nationals. In his big-league debut on Sunday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the 20-year-old right-hander looked good, tossing 2 1/3 shutout innings while walking one and striking out three in relief. He started the 2023 season at High-A Rome before working his way to the majors. The team's No. 4 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, will definitely have streaming appeal in fantasy leagues if he makes a start against the Nats this weekend, and he could stick in Atlanta's rotation moving forward if he impresses again. Smith-Shawver's fastball-slider combination has a chance to be electric at the major-league level.
Source: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
Source: MLB.com - Mark Bowman