There is a very good chance that Teddy McGraw debuts as a Mariner before anyone else on this list. There is also a very good chance he never debuts at all.
The question isn’t one of talent – McGraw has two ultra-elite curveballs (they call him Curveball Jesus, per Ryan Divish) that could play in the majors tomorrow.
In addition to the strikeout stuff, McGraw can also induce grounders with his heavy sinker, which also features plus movement.
Yeah, the stuff
isn’t the question.
The question is one of health. A two-time veteran of Tommy John before even finishing his college career, McGraw continued to struggle with injuries as a pro. The Mariners took the Wake Forest product in the third round of the 2023 draft, but a flexor tendon injury kept him from making his professional debut until the very end of 2024. McGraw finally began pitching regularly in 2025, working his way from the ACL up to Everett as a starter but working brief starts of no more than three innings at a time and missing about a month in July with another injury. However, he was able to finish the season strong and earned himself an invite to the Mariners big-league camp. It looked like it would finally be Teddy’s turn.
But once again, injuries have gotten in the way. McGraw is currently down with biceps tendinitis and is yet to make his spring debut. A full time reliever now, the Mariners are managing McGraw’s outings carefully and under controlled conditions, still optimistic he’ll one day be able to contribute to the big-league bullpen.
McGraw, for his part, is also optimistic. He’s come this far, fought through so much, and made difficult choices about his health journey that would challenge someone twice his age. In talking to him, you get the feeling that McGraw won’t let this story end until he’s standing on a big-league mound.
For now, though, he’s being forced to bide his time, once again. But “Curveball Jesus” knows that patience is a virtue. And so we all wait together.
