Vaughn Grissom and 2 more assets Braves can flip for stars at the trade deadline

Braves rumors: A.J. Smith-Shawver is available

Atlanta’s farm system rebuild has been noted, and their top five prospects are all pitchers. A.J. Smith-Shawver is just 20 years old and, because of his age and relative success so far for a seventh-round pick, is a high-upside prospect who could prove valuable come the trade deadline.

Smith-Shawver is in Double-A already and should be major-league ready by 2025 at the latest. He made his Mississippi Braves debut just under a week ago to relative success, walking two and giving up two hits, but no earned runs. We’ll chalk that one up to nerves, as Double-A is a big jump from the hitters Smith-Shawver was used to facing elsewhere.

MLB Pipeline’s scouting department has been impressed with Smith-Shawver in a brief amount of time, as the seventh-round pick has exceeded expectations and then some:

"“Smith-Shawver is big and projectable and already has an electric fastball-slider combination. His heater sits in the mid-90s and touches 98 mph, with a ton of run and life. His slider flashes plus at 88-92 mph and has the chance to be a special out pitch. There’s some feel for his changeup, but he hasn’t thrown it a ton, and it’s behind the other two pitches. He once had a curve but didn’t use it at all last year.”"

He still has to develop his breaking pitches some and perhaps add a curveball to his arsenal, but Smith-Shawver is well on his way to becoming a regular in any MLB rotation. That kind of talent could be included in just about any trade package.