Phillies Prospects: Mavis Graves Talks Move to the Bullpen

Mavis Graves currently ranks No. 27 on MLB Pipeline’s ranking of the Phillies’ top prospects, but a red-hot start to his Double-A career could help him skyrocket up the list this offseason. The 2022 sixth round pick has a 0.96 ERA through his first 14 appearances (18.2 innings) with Reading, striking out 31 batters without allowing any homers.

Graves began the season with High-A Jersey Shore, where he was a member of the starting rotation. While he’s pitched with his hair on fire since moving to the bullpen, the left-hander said he’s still settling in to the new role… and the Phillies haven’t decided yet whether they’ll make the move permanent.

“It’s been great. Just figuring out routines and stuff, and just working from there. Just going out and trying to win a ball game every single time I go out there. I get put in those situations, and I’m just trying to get in there and get outs,” Graves said. “We haven’t talked about that [staying as a reliever or returning to the rotation] yet, but I love both positions, starter or reliever… Just go out there and get outs. We’ve got an awesome clubhouse with this team, good vibes going right now. We’re just trying to win.”

Building Off the Breaking Ball

Graves benefits from a starter’s arsenal, throwing a sweeper, slider, four and two-seam fastballs along with a changeup. The breaking pitches grade as his best and, although his low-to-mid 90s fastball doesn’t turn heads in this era of velocity, his 6-foot-6 frame can help it seem like it’s arriving at the plate faster.

Graves pitched one scoreless inning in relief against the Erie Sea Wolves on Wednesday, Sept. 9 and struck out two batters, catching both looking. He described how he ambushed his opponents, who were expecting him to rely on his breaking pitches.

“I fell behind in the counts. I’m going through my mind: the sweeper’s always there, the slider’s always there,” Graves said. “They get later in those counts, two strike counts, and they’re looking for a sweeper or a slider: we got them with the heater, threw an outside pitch to them, [then an] inside pitch to a righty, and just froze him there.”