The Philadelphia Phillies are not good at developing prospects. The organization has time and again whiffed on crucial draft picks in recent years, but one youngster seems to be bucking that trend. 2025 first-rounder Gage Wood has impressed in his first full professional season, but unfortunately that didn’t earn him a promotion when rosters expanded this September.
The Phillies chose Wood with the 26th overall selection in last year’s draft, taking a chance on a supremely talented hurler who had been severely limited by injuries throughout his collegiate career. The diminutive right-hander got national attention after his incredible 19-strikeout no-hitter against Murray State (just the third no-hitter in College World Series history).
Unfortunately, that remarkable performance was only part of Wood’s story at the University of Arkansas, as injuries limited him to just 108 innings pitched over three seasons in Fayetteville. The Phillies opted to slow play his development, getting him into just one Low-A contest during the 2025 season.
The training wheels have come off this year however, as the 22-year-old has made 24 starts between the High-A and Double-A levels, racking up 86 innings of 4.40 ERA ball. That body of work averages out to less than four innings per start, and the rising star must be running up against some sort of innings limit.
If that is indeed the case, why not get the most out of those innings in the major leagues? The Phillies’ bullpen has been improved in recent weeks, but still lacks proven options for the bridge to lights out closer Jhoan Duran. José Alvarado and Orion Kerkering have proven themselves to be completely untrustworthy, while Jonathan Bowlan, Alex McFarlane and Tim Mayza have been solid, but don’t exactly have lengthy track records of dominance.
Wood’s electric fastball and hammer curve should put him in a position to get big league hitters out right away, and a handful of one-inning outings down the stretch would give him valuable experience at the highest level while not adding a massive amount of stress to his arm. Unfortunately, the Phils went in a different direction.
With September call-ups, the Phillies opted for another retread instead of a high-upside prospect
With the first of September came roster expansion, with each MLB team being granted the use of one additional position player and one pitcher. Backup catcher Rafael Marchán was reinstated from the Injured List as the position player, while 26-year-old right-hander Grant Holman got the call as the fresh arm.
Prior to tonight’s game, the Phillies returned C Rafael Marchán from his rehab assignment with Lehigh Valley (AAA) and reinstated him from the 10-day IL. Additionally, RHP Grant Holman was recalled from Lehigh Valley, expanding the roster to 28 players. Holman will wear No. 51.
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 1, 2026
Holman has 40 career games’ worth of big league experience under his belt, all with the Athletics, in which he posted a 4.66 ERA across 38 ⅔ frames with 33 strikeouts. The Californian has appeared in 20 contests for the Triple-A Lehigh Valley Ironpigs this season, working to a 3.12 ERA over 26 innings.
Holman clearly won’t be used in high-leverage situations for the Phils, making him just another warm body who can take care of mop-up duty. Contrast that with the prospective arrival of Gage Wood, who has the kind of filthy stuff that could play up in late innings come October. Throwing a 22-year-old kid into the fire right away does carry some risk, but Wood has the upside to be one of the Phillies’ most capable arms down the stretch.
The Phillies are only getting older and their competitive window is rapidly closing. They need to make the most of every chance they have to finally win a World Series, and Gage Wood could have increased their odds of bringing home a trophy this fall.
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