The Philadelphia Phillies drafted Arkansas pitcher Gage Wood with their first pick (and 26th overall) of the 2025 MLB Draft on Sunday night.

The junior right-hander launched himself into the national spotlight last month after throwing a 19-strikeout no-hitter in an elimination game against Murray State in the Men’s College World Series.

So the question must be asked: Could the Phillies rush Wood through their system to get him to the big club to help their weakest unit — the bullpen — for a playoff push this year? Back in 2014, such a rarity happened when the Kansas City Royals drafted a college ace, Brandon Finnegan, who pitched that September for K.C. and then later in the playoffs and World Series. Another notable example would be pitcher Chris Sale who debuted as a reliever with the White Sox two months after getting drafted in 2010.

Finnegan and Sale had to be lurking in the mind of Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski when the team selected Wood, even if it’s a long shot that the kid reaches the majors in the next couple months. But if he does, he could be a power arm that the Philly bullpen could desperately use while Dombrowski searches for other relief-pitching reinforcements before the trade deadline.

MLB Pipeline says Wood “has one of the best fastballs in the Draft, sitting at 94-96 mph and reaching 98. Its combination of velocity and carry, along with his low release height and flat approach angle, produce elite rates of chases, as well as overall and in-zone swings and misses. He relies heavily on his heater and a power 82-85 mph curveball that shows flashes of becoming a plus pitch.” Here’s a look at Wood’s heater-hook combo meal:

Wood, who is listed at 6-feet and 205 pounds, also throws an upper-80s slider that “isn’t nearly as effective as his curve” and a changeup “with similar velocity and decent fade,” according to MLB Pipeline. He battled control issues as a freshman but has carried an impressive 5-percent walk rate the last two seasons.

Earlier this year, a shoulder impingement forced Wood to miss two months of the regular season, but he ended 2025 with a 4-1 record and a 3.82 ERA in 10 appearances, giving up 27 hits and 16 earned runs while striking out 69 batters and walking only seven.

Beyond his electric fastball and 12-6 hamer, Wood flashes some swagger that Philly will love. Check out his swag here:

With the Wood selection, it’s the first time since 2019 that the Phillies used their first-round draft pick on a college player. Under Phillies amateur scouting director Brian Barber, the team selected five prep athletes in the first round: right-handers Mick Abel (2020) and Andrew Painter (2021), center fielder Justin Crawford (2022), shortstop Aidan Miller (2023) and outfielder Dante Nori (2024).

MLB Network’s Greg Amsinger said of the Wood selection, "You should be fired up, Phillies fans. This dude pitched arguably the greatest game in the history of the College World Series." Here’s the video: