Right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver, the Atlanta Braves’ former top pitching prospect, began a rehabilitation assignment at Single-A Augusta on Wednesday as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery.
Smith-Shawver, 23, was a seventh-round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft and made his major league debut in 2023 at age 20. He struggled with injuries early in his career, missing two months in 2024 with an oblique strain, and underwent Tommy John surgery last May.
Before going down, Smith-Shawver had been having a solid season at Triple-A Gwinnett, making nine starts and striking out 42 batters in 44 1/3 innings while posting a 3.86 ERA.
The Braves announced the move Wednesday along with the transfer of left-hander Danny Young’s rehab assignment to Triple-A Gwinnett.
“Smith-Shawver has been throwing bullpens for the last few weeks and looked great,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “He’s an important part of what we’re trying to do, and we’re looking forward to getting him back.”
The Braves’ starting rotation has been among the best in the National League this season, with Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Max Fried, and Reynaldo Lopez all pitching at or near an All-Star level. Smith-Shawver will likely need several weeks to build back up, and his role in 2026 is unclear.
The team also has two other young right-handers, JR Ritchie and Didier Fuentes, who are higher on the depth chart and could be considered for a major league call-up before Smith-Shawver.
Smith-Shawver is expected to make his first rehab start for Augusta on Friday. The GreenJackets are at home against the Charleston RiverDogs.