Phillies draft College World Series hero Gage Wood in first round

With their first collegiate first-round draft pick since 2019, the Phillies took a swing on a College World Series hero.

Philadelphia selected right-handed pitcher Gage Wood, the Arkansas starter who threw a no-hitter with 19 strikeouts in Omaha last month, at No. 26 overall in Major League Baseball’s amateur draft on Sunday night. Wood, 21, had a 3.82 ERA in 10 starts for the Razorbacks this season.

An Arkansas native, Wood began his college career in 2023 and was a reliever for his first two years. He missed two months due to injury after his first two starts in 2025, but he produced upon his return and helped Arkansas reach the College World Series.

On June 16, Wood threw the third no-hitter in the history of the College World Series against Murray State. He hit one batter and walked none. Arkansas was later eliminated from the tournament by Louisiana State.

Bryson Stott was the last college player the Phillies took in the first round before Wood. In the five previous drafts since Brian Barber, the Phillies’ assistant general manager and head of amateur scouting, joined the organization, Philadelphia chose five high schoolers in the first round: pitcher Mick Abel in 2020, pitcher Andrew Painter in 2021, outfielder Justin Crawford in 2022, infielder Aidan Miller in 2023 and outfielder Dante Nori in 2024.