Jun 16, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks starting pitcher Gage Wood (14) pitches against the Murray State Racers during the first inning at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images Dylan Widger
It didn't take long after the Phillies selected RHP Gage Wood from Arkansas with the 26th overall pick in Round 1 of the MLB Draft Sunday evening for fans to start dreaming of him pitching in Red October a few months from now.
Brian Barber — the Phillies' assistant general manager, amateur scouting — didn't go there when he met with the media after the selection, but you could tell he was excited about the pick.
"Gage is always somebody that has thrown strikes, but the stuff just really, really took a big step forward this year," Barber said.
The step forward included Wood posting a staggering 16.5 K/9 across 37 2/3 innings for the Razorbacks this past season. Wood — who finished his final collegiate campaign with a 3.82 ERA — also tossed a no-hitter against Murray State in the College Baseball World Series. He primarily found his success, per MLB Pipeline, with a 94-96 mph fastball and a "power 82-85 mph curveball."
For all the positives with Wood, 37 2/3 innings isn't a ton. He was limited to that amount because of a shoulder injury.
"Obviously, got a little sidetracked during the middle part of the season with a little shoulder [injury] that kept him out of some games," Barber added. "He came back super strong at the end."
Naturally, On Pattison asked Barber what, specifically, was the ailment that Wood was dealing with in his throwing shoulder?
"That's probably for somebody else to get into," Barber responded. "I mean, I know quite a bit about it, but I'll let somebody else get into that."
Later on in the Zoom session, though, Barber did elaborate a bit, while still not revealing the exact nature of the injury.
"Yeah, I'll say this — obviously, we knew about the shoulder and we have all the information on it and it wasn't anything that we were concerned about for the long term."
Barber went on to refer to Wood as a "strong-bodied competitor," and pointed to the fact that his "stuff stayed throughout" the 119-pitch no-hitter that came after he returned from injury.
Still, shoulder injuries can derail careers, particularly with a power pitcher. So it's something to file away. Barber said that there's injury risk in taking any pitcher, with the Phillies taking two more collegiate arms — LHP Cade Obermueller from Iowa and RHP Cody Bowker from Vanderbilt — before the night was over. That's true, but it's especially true of someone that's already had a bit of a shoulder issue.
Nonetheless, all indications from how Wood finished the season are that he's very healthy. So much so that it was reasonable to wonder after the pick came in if the Phillies think there's a chance that Wood could help their beleaguered bullpen down the stretch this season.
"We see him as a starter," Barber said. "Obviously, you see those dominating two pitches and people are going to automatically think move [him] to the bullpen. But this is a guy that's shown the ability to do it.
"...Especially with the ability to throw strikes at a high level that he's done with the dominating pitches, we don't have any ... we're not planning to move him into the bullpen long-term anytime soon."
Fair enough, but Barber's words aren't legally binding. The Phillies could also move Wood into a bullpen role for the rest of this season, before stretching him back out in 2026.
Garrett Crochet, for example, was drafted No. 11 overall by the Chicago White Sox out of Tennessee in 2020. He made five appearances out of the bullpen that regular season, and did make a relief appearance in the postseason. Heck, the White Sox used Crochet out of the bullpen for the entire 2021 season, and he was a real weapon, posting a 2.82 ERA over 54 games. Granted, Crochet ended up needing Tommy John surgery in April of 2022, but it's hard to say that's necessarily from having been a reliever for a period. And he's since come back and emerged as one of the game's elite starters.
Whether the Phillies ultimately try to work Wood into the bullpen this year, Barber — who had taken high schoolers with his five previous first-round picks on the job — did acknowledge the possibility for the righty to move at a quicker pace because he's already 21.
"I don't think it's ever really easy to predict how fast the person is going to have the ability to move. I do know that he has the potential to move quickly, just because he does the two things ... it's already more stuff now that you don't have to project a ton on.
"Obviously, we think there are certain things, especially within his slider shape, that we think we can enhance a little bit," Barber continued. "But he also already throws strikes."
Wood walked just seven batters in 10 collegiate starts this year, and coupled with his dominant stuff, the Phillies feel like they got an arm that wouldn't normally make it to No. 26.
Again, him being there probably is due at least in part to the shoulder injury. But the Phillies have done a remarkable job — relative to the rest of the league — at keeping the shoulder and elbows of their starting pitchers healthy under director of medical services and head athletic trainer Paul Bucheit.
The bet with this pick is they can keep Wood healthy, because it's pretty apparent the potential he has — be it as a starter, reliever or both.
"It's quality stuff. It's a quality pitcher. It's a guy that can just dominate hitters in the lineup with two pitches," Barber said. "And we also think the slider that he has and the little split change that he can throw ... [he] ends up with a four-pitch mix and a really quality starter."
