Viars and Graves Earn Honors After Strong May

Two Threshers began the month of June with an award, as Jordan Viars earned the Florida State League Player of the Week Award following a four-homer series against Lakeland and Mavis Graves took home the Phillies Pitcher of the Month Award for May.

Jordan Viars jumped onto everyone’s radar on Thursday, May 30, with an incredible showcase of power. He walked in his first at-bat and homered in each of his next three, finishing the game 4-4 with three home runs (including a grand slam) and nine RBIs. Viars completed the series with four homers and 11 RBIs, finishing with a whopping slash line of .500/.526/.1.222 and an OPS of 1.748. He added a stolen base and a double, finishing with five of his nine hits going for extra bases.

Mavis Graves was the first Thresher to start a game in June after ending May on a three-start win streak. Two 6.0-inning outings capped off his pitcher-of-the-month performance to finish may, where he combined to allow one unearned run and strike out 19 batters over a start and a relief appearance to finish May. Overall, Graves was 3-0 in four appearances (three starts) in May, striking out 29 batters in 21.1 May innings and finishing with an ERA of 2.95. The award comes one week after he was named pitcher of the week for his dominant start against St. Lucie, finishing May with 6.0 shutout innings and nine strikeouts in a win over the St. Lucie Mets on May 25. Graves shares the Phillies monthly award with Otto Kemp, who began this season as a Thresher and was on Clearwater’s Opening Day Roster in 2023.

The Threshers travel to Bradenton for a six-game road series beginning on Tuesday, June 4, at 6:30 PM. They return home for a six-game set against the Tampa Tarpons a week later, beginning on June 11 at BayCare Ballpark. For tickets please visit threshersbaseball.com/tickets.