Phils draft Gage Wood, who twirled a no-no in the MCWS, at No. 26

PHILADELPHIA – How fast can Gage Wood get here?

The Phillies selected the University of Arkansas right-hander on Sunday night with the 26th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. It is the first time the Phils have selected a college pitcher in the first round since 2014, when they selected right-hander Aaron Nola with the seventh overall pick.

Back then, evaluators believed Nola could rise quickly to the big leagues. He did. Following a stellar career at LSU and 30 appearances in the Phillies’ farm system, Nola debuted with the Phils in July 2015. More recently, reliever Orion Kerkering was selected in the fifth round of the 2022 Draft, then debuted in Sept. 2023.

There are no internal expectations that Wood will help the Phillies this year, but he could move quickly.

“I don’t think it’s ever really easy to predict how fast a person is going to have the ability to move,” Phillies assistant general manager of amateur scouting Brian Barber said. “I do know he has the potential to move quickly, just because he does the two things: it’s already more ‘now’ stuff that you don’t have to project a ton on.

“Obviously, we think there are certain things … especially his slider shape that we think we can enhance a little bit. But he also already throws strikes. You don’t normally have an opportunity, especially at No. 26, to select a college pitcher with stuff in such a dominating performance when he was on the mound.”

Wood, who is MLB Pipeline’s No. 23 Draft prospect, threw the first no-hitter in the College World Series since 1960 on June 16. He had 19 strikeouts against Murray State, which were the most strikeouts in a nine-inning game in College World Series history.

He hit one batter with a pitch, otherwise he would have had a perfect game.

“It solidified a lot of what we already thought,” Barber said.

Wood began his Razorbacks career as a closer before moving into the rotation this spring. A shoulder issue limited him to 10 starts. He also had shoulder issues in high school, but the Phillies said they feel comfortable about his ability to stay healthy.

“He came back super strong at the end,” Barber said, referring to Wood’s 119-pitch no-hitter. “He’s a strong-body competitor that goes out there with big stuff.”

Wood has great stuff. His fastball sits in the mid-90s, touching 98 mph. His curveball is his best secondary pitch. He also throws a slider and split-changeup.

“It’s a guy that can just dominate hitters through the lineup with two pitches,” Barber said. “We see him as a starter. You see those dominating two pitches and people are going to automatically think, ‘Move to the bullpen.’ But this is a guy who’s shown the ability to do it.”

He mentioned how Wood maintained his stuff throughout his no-hitter against Murray State.

But the Phillies also love the fact that Wood throws strikes. He struck out 69 and walked only seven in 37 2/3 innings in his final season with Arkansas. His 9.85 strikeout-to-walk ratio would have been the best in Division I, if he had enough innings to qualify.

“We go back to seeing him pitch in the Cape [Cod League] last summer,” Barber said. “Then the first starts that he had this year, the stuff had taken a big jump and it popped. Gage is always somebody that has thrown strikes, but the stuff just really took a big step forward this year.”

This is the first time Barber has selected a college player in the first round. In his first five Drafts, he took high school players: right-hander Mick Abel (2020), right-hander Andrew Painter (2021), center fielder Justin Crawford (2022), shortstop Aidan Miller (2023) and outfielder Dante Nori (2024).

“In past years we’ve liked college guys as well,” Barber said. “It’s just the way it lines up when it’s your turn to pick. Gage was the best guy on our board.”

The Phillies took college pitchers with their first three picks for the first time in Draft history. It is the first time they selected college players (at any position) with their first three picks since 2018: third baseman Alec Bohm (first round), right-hander Colton Eastman (fourth round) and center fielder Matt Vierling (fifth round).

“If you’re taking a college pitcher up high, they should have the opportunity to advance at a higher rate,” Barber said. “So unless you’re just taking somebody that throws 103 mph and say, ‘We’re going to work on a lot of things, the arm talent’s just so advanced,’ … but when you’re taking a college pitcher up high, they should be doing more than one thing. They should have more than one pitch.

“Each of the guys we drafted today, Gage, it’s fastball, curveball. Cade Obermueller, it’s his fastball, slider. Cody Bowker, it’s his fastball, slider and sweeper. They should have multiple pitches and they should be able to throw strikes.”

Here are the Phillies’ other picks from Day 1:

Cade Obermueller, LHP (No. 63 overall)

• Bats/throws: L/L
• School: University of Iowa
• Calling Card: Obermueller is the son of former big leaguer Wes Obermueller, who spent five seasons in MLB. Cade increased his velocity and strike-throwing as a junior, going 5-3 with a 3.02 ERA in 15 starts and striking out 117 and walking 32 in 83 1/3 innings. Obermueller throws from a low arm slot that plays well with his fastball and slider. His fastball sits 91-94 mph, but it has touched 98.
• Quote: “If you look at Cade Obermueller, his strikeout rate has steadily increased,” Barber said. “He proved he could throw strikes, and do it as a starter.”

Cody Bowker, RHP (No. 100 overall)

• Bats/throws: R/R
• School: Vanderbilt University
• Calling Card: Bowker was a two-way player with Georgetown in 2023. He became a full-time pitcher last spring, then became Vanderbilt’s No. 2 starter because of a nearly unhittable fastball. MLB Pipeline said the fastball sits 90-95 mph, which isn’t super notable in today’s game, but a “drop-and-drive delivery and a low arm slot” produce unusually high spin from an unusually low release point, giving the fastball a rising effect.
• Quote: “You don’t want just a cookie-cutter delivery,” Barber said. “These guys have unique qualities that not only allow them to pitch with quality stuff, but give them some deception on the hitter as well. Both Cade and Cody are low-slot, low-release that give hitters a little different look than the normal pitcher does."