The 2026 season is expected to be a big year for Philadelphia Phillies sixth-round draft pick Mavis Graves as he continues to make his way through the minor league system.
MLB Pipeline recently named Graves as the Phillies prospect most likely to break out this season after a very promising end to his 2025 minor league campaign. He follows Aroon Escobar who had a breakout season after being named a candidate ahead of last year.
Graves, 22, was selected in the sixth round by the Phillies in the 2022 MLB Draft out of Eastside High School in Taylors, South Carolina. The left-hander is currently ranked as the organization’s No. 25 MLB Pipeline prospect and has made great progress in his young professional career. In the three years since he was drafted, he has advanced through three levels of the minors including High-A Jersey Shore in 2025.
Phillies' sixth-round draft pick from 2022 Mavis Graves is a perfect candidate for a breakout season in 2026
After a tough start to the minor league season last year in Jersey Shore in which he pitched to a 6.50 ERA through June, Graves rebounded exceptionally well, posting just a 1.30 ERA in his final eight starts of the season.
While his command was an issue at times (51 walks), he continued to strike out hitters at a very high rate (27.7 percent) as he picked up 103 strikeouts in 81 2/3 innings. This is slightly below his exceptional 31.8 percent strikeout rate in 2024. Overall, he finished the season with a 6-7 record with a 4.41 ERA in a career-high 21 starts with the BlueClaws.
At 6-foot-6 and 205 pounds, Graves possesses a tall, above-average frame that bodes well for a starting pitcher. In addition to his solid build, Graves has a five-pitch arsenal including two- and four- seam fastballs, a cutter, a slider, and a changeup. His slider stands out as he has registered a spin rate north of 3,000 rpm, per MLB Pipeline, and his changeup is not far behind.
With an aging rotation that includes Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola, the Phillies will eventually turn to their young prospects including Andrew Painter, Gage Wood, Moisés Chace, and Jean Cabrera. Graves has a chance to become part of that future core if he can continue the dominance he showed in the second half of 2025.
With an expected arrival in the majors of 2027, according to MLB Pipeline, fans have a chance to see Graves in Philadelphia in the near future. A breakout season in 2026 would certainly go a long way in making that happen.