JUST-IN: Phillies May Have Acquired ‘Unhittable’ Help to Fix Bullpen Mess As This Phillies Draft Pick Could Skip the Minors and Go STRAIGHT to the Big Leagues

Could Phillies First-Round Pick Gage Wood Skip the Minors and Head Straight to the Majors?

The Philadelphia Phillies may have just added a player who could make an extremely rare leap: jumping straight from college to the Major Leagues — without ever setting foot in the minors.

With the 26th overall pick in Sunday’s MLB Draft, the Phillies selected Gage Wood, a right-hander out of the University of Arkansas. Known for his power arm and fierce mound presence, Wood spent two years as a reliever before making 10 starts this spring. Despite missing over a month with a shoulder issue, he posted a 4-1 record with a 3.82 ERA and an eye-popping 69 strikeouts in just 37.2 innings. But what truly put him on the map was a historic performance in the Men’s College World Series: Wood threw the tournament’s third-ever no-hitter — and the first in 65 years — while striking out a record 19 batters in a win over Murray State.

“This guy just threw arguably the greatest game in College World Series history,” said MLB Network’s Greg Amsinger. “Phillies fans should be pumped.”

While the Phillies drafted Wood with long-term potential as a starter, analysts believe he might help the team this year — especially if they fast-track him back into a bullpen role. ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and The Athletic’s Keith Law both suggested Philadelphia could use Wood as a late-season weapon, with Law noting he might debut as soon as this fall. If that happens, he’d become just the 25th player since 1965 to reach the big leagues in the same year he was drafted.

With a blazing fastball and a wipeout curveball, Wood has the arsenal to make it happen. “He’s a guy who can dominate a lineup with two pitches,” said Phillies assistant GM Brian Barber. “People see that and immediately think ‘bullpen,’ but he’s shown starter potential too.”

And he might be arriving at the perfect time. The Phillies’ bullpen has struggled all season, with a team ERA of 4.38 — among the worst in baseball. They’ve also been hit with adversity: Jose Alvarado is suspended for 80 games and can’t pitch in the postseason, and veteran closer Jordan Romano has struggled mightily after signing in the offseason.

Trusting a rookie straight out of college with high-pressure innings might sound risky — and team president Dave Dombrowski will likely still look for bullpen help at the trade deadline — but Wood could be a surprise solution already in the system.

“It’s not a guarantee, but it’s hard not to imagine Gage Wood delivering big outs as the Phillies chase another NL East title — or even a postseason run,” wrote John Stolnis of The Good Phight. “Maybe that idea was already in the front office’s mind on draft night.”