Phillies Land Florida State Product in Recent MLB Mock Draft

The Philadelphia Phillies got off to a shaky start in the 2026 MLB regular season, digging themselves into a deep hole right out of the gate.

While they have righted the ship a bit since then, there are some serious questions about the long-term outlook of the squad. Their Major League roster has a few young players contributing, but this is a veteran-laden team.

Infusing some youth into the organization should be a goal of Dave Dombrowski, whether it is ahead of the MLB trade deadline or this offseason. Alas, they are in win-now mode, and the only true avenue to add youth to the organization is the MLB draft.

Because they surpassed the second surcharge threshold of the competitive-balance tax in 2025, the Phillies won’t be on the clock until No. 36. That didn’t keep them from landing a very talented player, with a recent mock draft done over at MLB.com having Florida State Seminoles left-handed pitcher Wes Mendes landing with Philadelphia.

Phillies land Wes Mendes in MLB mock draft

Adding another high-upside arm to the organization with their first selection would make a lot of sense for the Phillies. They selected Gage Wood from the Arkansas Razorbacks last year, who has a chance to speed through the minor leagues if Philadelphia wants to deploy him as a relief pitcher.

Mendes also began his career with Mississippi as a relief pitcher but has successfully moved into the rotation with Florida State. He struggled a bit in 2025 in his transition to being a starter again, but he has been excellent in 2026.

Through 13 starts and 78 innings, Mendez has compiled a 9-3 record to go along with a 2.42 ERA and 103 strikeouts. He has showcased improved accuracy and control of his arsenal with only 23 walks after issuing 39 free passes in 78 innings as a sophomore.

All of his metrics have headed in the right direction this year. His H/9, BB/9, HR/9 and K/9 have all improved. He has to prove that he can be durable and productive deeper into games, but that is a challenge any team will take on early in the draft.

There is a lot to like about the 6-foot-1 southpaw with real athleticism on the mound. He possesses a five-pitch mix that helps keep opponents off balance, and he is turning that arsenal into some great production this season.

His changeup is currently his highest graded pitch, with a 60. His control is a 55, while his fastball, cutter and slider all received 50 grades. Rounding out the repertoire is a 45-grade curveball that he can use early in counts to get early strikes against hitters not ready for off-speed early.

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