Phillies prospect Gage Wood may have to take a longer road to the majors — and he’s OK with that

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Shortly after Gage Wood signed last July, his Instagram direct messages started filling up with Phillies fans.

After five straight years of the Phillies selecting high school players in the first round of the MLB draft, many were excited about how quickly a college pitcher could potentially move through the system — especially one that had just thrown a 19-strikeout no-hitter in the Men’s College World Series with Arkansas.

Wood got tons of messages telling him they hoped to see him in the Phillies’ major league bullpen by the time the postseason rolled around.

“Like, guys, I’m still in draft camp. They had no idea,” Wood said. “But I’m going to do whatever it takes to get there in God’s time.”

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That had never been part of the organization’s immediate plan for the right-hander after they drafted him. They plan to develop the 22-year-old, as a starter, and want to be cautious about his workload as he has never thrown more than 59 ⅓ innings in a year between college and summer ball.

That may make the road longer, but Wood doesn’t mind.

“Whatever they think is best, that’s what I want to do,” he said.

Phillies fans in Clearwater got an up-close look at the 2025 first-round pick Saturday when he pitched three innings in the Spring Breakout game, a prospect exhibition against the Blue Jays.

He allowed two hits on one run and two walks as the Phillies’ prospects beat the Toronto prospects, 5-4. Aroon Escobar and Felix Reyes both smacked solo home runs, and Dante Nori, fresh off the World Baseball Classic, knocked a 2-RBI single.

Wood generated eight total swings-and-misses, six on his fastball, which topped out at 98.1 mph. One of his three strikeouts came on his slider, which is a pitch that he honed in on improving over the offseason. He plans to mix it in more often this year.

“I had a good heater and a good curveball,” Wood said. “Throwing in that third breaking ball, just kind of changes hitters eyes. And it’s really effective because it’s coming out on the same plane. It’s strike to strike, strike to ball.”

But it was the two walks that bothered Wood the most. One of his biggest adjustments he’s found between college and pro ball has been the smaller zone and facing hitters with better eyes and plate discipline.

“In college, I thought the strike zone was small and then I got here and it’s a lot smaller now,” Wood said. “I hate giving away free 90s. So that’s the biggest part, adjusting to that. So just really going to go out there and fill it up for sure.”

He has a straightforward goal for the season.

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“I don’t want to walk anyone else,” he said. “Now, that being said, it’s going to happen, but I want to keep free 90s as low as possible.”

Wood has only pitched in one regular season professional game since he was drafted: two innings for single-A Clearwater last September. The Phillies slow-played him after a shoulder impingement limited his junior season at Arkansas to 37 ⅔ innings, though he returned from the injury and tossed the no-hitter in the college playoffs.

He said Saturday he feels great physically.

“I just want to learn, grow, and experience all of this,” he said. “The guys that have been here before me, from these coaches, older players, pick their brains and just grow as a player, pitcher, as much as I can throughout the season. Enjoy the ride, the process. I’m very blessed to be here.

“And just come out the yard and have fun every day.”

The Phillies’ major league squad lost to the Orioles, 10-8, in Sarasota, Fla., on Saturday. ... The Phillies acquired minor league infielder Carter Kieboom from the Guardians Saturday in exchange for cash considerations. ... The Phillies visit the Yankees in Tampa on Sunday for their penultimate spring training game (1:05 p.m., NBCSP). Aaron Nola is scheduled to start.