ESPN writer Kiley McDaniel predicts that the Philadelphia Phillies' night-one picks, Gage Wood and Cade Obermueller, could make their MLB debuts this season.
Phillies 2025 Draft Picks Gage Wood and Cade Obermueller Could Make MLB Debut This Season originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
During night one of the 2025 MLB Draft, the Philadelphia Phillies did something that they haven't done since Brian Barber joined the organization: draft college pitchers early in the draft.
They took Gage Wood out of Arkansas and Cade Obermueller out of Iowa with their first two picks. Both are 21 years old and are very intriguing picks for the Phillies.
For MLB writer Kiley McDaniel of ESPN, the Phillies' picks are very interesting. McDaniel has a bold prediction for both Wood and Obermueller, with their potential Major League debuts not far off in the future.
"Gage Wood has a chance to start long term but can also go straight to the upper minors -- if not the big leagues -- and potentially help the bullpen later this season," McDaniel writes. "Like a trade deadline addition."
The Phillies could bring him up to the Majors in 2025, the same year he was drafted, for a postseason run. He isn't unfamiliar with the pressure, as in the College World Series, Wood had one of the best performances ever, striking out 19 in a no-hitter for Arkansas.
Obermueller doesn't have the insane single-game production that Wood had, but he's also viewed similarly by McDaniel.
"The Phillies' next pick," McDaniel wrote, "Cade Obermueller, is another possible starter who could move quickly as a lefty turning 22 later this month with two knockout pitches in his fastball/slider combo."
McDaniel believes either Obermueller or Wood can make an impact in the Majors for the Phillies this season. Or, at the very least, "... provide big league value in the next 12 months if Philly wants to utilize them that way."
It's a risky move, as it could stunt development if they're rushed to the Majors. But if the Phillies don't make a significant move at the MLB trade deadline, either Wood or Obermueller could be a late-season boost to the bullpen for a World Series run.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Baseball