The Dynasty Digest: March 31, 2025

It is a new week, we have our first full weekend of baseball in the books. It has been a good one with a ton of notable storylines. This week, we get Minor League assignments, and all full-season affiliates start this weekend. I will be covering live games all weekend, and I cannot wait.

If you are unfamiliar with the Dynasty Digest, it is a daily newsletter covering the previous days’ action. While the main focus is usually Minor League Baseball, I will also be hitting on MLB performances to know as well.

While your here, be sure to check out our new rankings that dropped this week.

With that being said, let’s get to the action. The Dynasty Digest for Monday, March 31.

The Dynasty Digest, March 31, 2025

AJ Smith-Shawver, RHP, Atlanta Braves

On the surface, it was honestly not all that great of a start for Smith-Shawver. The line finished at four innings pitch with six hits, three walks, and two earned runs allowed. Smith-Shawver struck out four batters but generated 13 whiffs.

While strike-throwing was an issue, as Smith-Shawver landed just 55 percent of his pitches for strikes, there were some positives to take away. He led the way with a new-look splitter that sat 85 mph and generated ten whiffs on 14 swings. It averaged 17 inches of horizontal movement, up significantly from his changeup last year, which averaged 9.6 inches of glove-side.

The release height on all pitches has dropped ever so slightly and Smith-Shawver is getting more extension. Despite the drop in release height, he is actually creating 2.5 inches more of IVB, which is pretty incredible, while also seeing a jump in horizontal movement. The results were not there on the fastball, but I do think better locations will allow the pitch to play up and be a successful fastball.

Smith-Shawver also brought back his slider from 2023 but in a new form. It almost plays like a cutter with the amount of carry it gets(9.5 inches of IVB) and its short horizontal movement. The pitch sat at 87.5 mph.

The two-plane curveball was also sharp. Sitting near 78 mph, Smith-Shawver utilized his curveball 23.4 percent of the time, producing a 33 percent whiff rate. Having negative 12 inches of IVB, it also has eight inches of sweep, making it pretty similar to 2024.

The arsenal changes could lead to more success. Command with the fastball is important. Leading with the splitter and locating it well was a huge plus. Check out that location heat map below.

At the end of the day, it is essential to remember that Smith-Shawver just turned 22 years old this offseason. He clearly has the arsenal talent and has the makings of being a successful starting pitcher.

Jazz Chisholm Jr., 2B, New York Yankees

After people began worrying after Chisholm went zero-for-four with two strikeouts on Opening Day, he has quickly found his groove. A two-hit day on Saturday included a home run, and on Sunday, Chisholm blasted two more homers and added a third hit.

Some will say it was the torpedo bats that Chisholm is using, but it is important to remember after his trade to New York last July, he was pacing for 33 home runs and 54 stolen bases. Maybe we won’t see that kind of numbers from Chisholm this year, but a 30/30 season is a real possibility.

The early returns have been more balls in the air(87.5 percent), and plenty of hard-hit balls. The hard-hit rate sits at 50 percent, albeit a small sample, and four of his eight batted balls have been hit 100 mph or harder.

No stolen bases yet, but Chisholm has not really had the opportunity yet to swipe a base. Sure, he is going to swing and miss, but the counting stats are just going to be so good.

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