Yes, a mechanical wave requires a medium to travel through. Mechanical waves are disturbances that transfer energy from one point to another through a medium, such as air, water, or solids. This is in contrast to electromagnetic waves, like light waves, which can travel through a vacuum without requiring any medium.
When a mechanical wave propagates, it causes particles in the medium to oscillate or move from their equilibrium positions. For example, when you drop a stone into a pond, it creates ripples (mechanical waves) that travel outward, causing the water particles to move up and down as the wave passes through. Without a medium, there are no particles to transfer the energy, and thus the wave cannot propagate.