What is the Phillies' plan for 2025 1st-round pick Wood?

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Gage Wood knows. Philly is different.

Wood smiled on Saturday afternoon at BayCare Ballpark, remembering how Phillies fans DM’d him on Instagram in the minutes, days and weeks after the Phils selected him with the 25th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. Wood was a hard-throwing right-hander who tossed a no-hitter for Arkansas in the College World Series. He had swagger. He looked like fun.

A few folks took a wild leap on Draft night and suggested that he could be in the Phillies’ bullpen by the end of the season.

“We can’t wait to have you this year,” fans told Wood.

It was never a consideration.

“Philly fans are crazy,” Wood said after pitching three innings in the Phillies' 5-4 Spring Breakout victory over top Blue Jays prospects. “I’m like, 'Guys, I’m still in Draft camp.' They had no idea. But I’m going to do whatever it takes to get there in God’s time.”

Wood, the Phillies' No. 4 prospect, is expected to open the season with Single-A Clearwater, but he could move quickly through the system if he throws strikes. Even then, he might be limited this year after he threw only 39 2/3 innings last season between Arkansas (37 2/3 innings) and the Threshers (two innings) because of a shoulder impingement early in his college season.

“They’re really cautious about building a workload for me,” he said.

Wood allowed two hits, one run, two walks and struck out three on Saturday. He got six swings and misses on a four-seam fastball that touched 98.1 mph and averaged 96.3 mph.

He threw 11 sliders, which is a pitch he wants to throw more this season.

“Everybody knew that I had a good heater and a good curveball,” Wood said. “Throwing in that third breaking ball just kind of changes hitters’ eyes. It’s really effective because it’s coming out of the same plane. We just really emphasized this offseason that we were going to make it better, more consistent and use it more now that the hitters are getting better.”

Wood walked Blue Jays prospect Arjun Nimmala (Toronto's No. 3 prospect, MLB's No. 77 prospect overall) on a 3-2 fastball to start the game. A 2-2 cutter just missed the zone. Phillies catcher Caleb Ricketts challenged the call, but he lost.

“In college, I thought the strike zone was small,” Wood said. “Then, I got here. … I hate giving away a free 90 [feet]. That’s the biggest part, adjusting to that. It’s really good to go out there and fill it up, for sure. These hitters are a lot better -- a lot better eyes. They don’t chase as much, so you’ve really got to attack.”

To be as good as he can, Wood knows he needs to throw strikes.

“It’s going to happen,” he said. “I want to keep free 90s as low as possible. I just want to learn, grow and experience all this. The guys that have been here before me -- these coaches, the older players -- just pick their brains and just, you know, kind of grow as a player and pitcher as much as I can throughout the season. Enjoy the ride, the process.”

Wood still has that fire. He showed his competitiveness a few times, shaking his head when he threw a pitch out of the zone or when he walked a batter. But he said he had fun.

“He’s ultra competitive,” Phillies director of player development Luke Murton said. “He’s one of the most competitive guys I’ve been around. For him, the adrenaline, I think that’s what makes him go. He’ll figure out who he is as he goes. What you don’t want to do is back off a kid that needs the adrenaline to be as good as he can.”