The draft picks made by the Philadelphia Phillies could be an indication of their trade deadline plans. In the first round, they drafted pitcher Gage Wood from the University of Arkansas. Wood was the first of six consecutive college pitchers the Phillies selected to start the draft. In total, the first eight picks, as well as 14 of the 20 total choices they made, were pitchers. Of those 14 pitchers, 13 were college pitchers. This is a change in philosophy from previous drafts, where the Phillies have focused on high school talent. The other six picks featured four infielders, an outfielder, and a catcher. In total, four of the 20 players the Phillies selected came from high school.
Draft Picks are a Possible Indication of Phillies’ Trade Plans
Pitching Prospects Who Could Be on the Move
Mick Abel has been the subject of trade rumors for many weeks now. The Phillies drafting many college pitchers, including some who could be fast-tracked to the majors, increases the noise. Abel has a 2-2 record with a 5.04 ERA in six major league starts this year. He also has a 2.33 K/BB rate and a 1.360 WHIP in the majors. The Phillies decided to option Abel to Triple-A on July 4. At that level this season, he has a 6-2 record with a 2.00 ERA in 11 starts, along with a 2.63 K/BB rate and a 1.143 WHIP. While the Phillies’ official reasoning for sending down Abel is to give him a reset, preserving his trade value may have been a consideration.
Jean Cabrera is another Phillies pitching prospect who could be on the move at the deadline with the newly added pitching depth in the farm system. Cabrera has a 4-4 record with a 3.47 ERA, a 1.98 K/BB rate, and a 1.202 WHIP in 17 Double-A starts this season. He is on the Phillies’ 40-man roster, but is unlikely to reach the majors this season. Cabrera is also in his age-23 season. The additional pitching depth gives the Phillies more flexibility to part with pitching prospects they would not have otherwise. As a result, Cabrera could be on the move as the Phillies look to upgrade the bullpen and the outfield on their major league roster.
What a performance from Jean Cabrera
6.0 IP | 3 H | 1 R | 6 K pic.twitter.com/K24Q15dxJV
— Reading Fightin Phils (@ReadingFightins) July 12, 2025
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Wood Could Figure Into the Phillies’ Postseason Bullpen
While not likely, there is a scenario where Wood ends up on the Phillies’ major league roster this year. Wood being drafted out of college means he is more major league-ready than some other first-round picks. In the past, teams such as the Los Angeles Angels have swiftly moved draft picks up right after drafting them. This is also the first time the Phillies have taken a college pitcher in the first round since drafting Aaron Nola in 2014. Nola made his major league debut the following year in 2015. In the college regular season, Wood had a 4-1 record and a 3.82 ERA in 10 starts. He then threw a no-hitter in the College World Series.
If Wood were to somehow be on a hypothetical Phillies postseason roster, Taijuan Walker or Joe Ross would probably be the odd one out. Walker has not appeared in a postseason game in his two seasons with the Phillies despite making $18 million a year. Additionally, Walker was not on the Phillies’ NLDS roster last season. This year, he has a 3-5 record with a 3.55 ERA in 20 outings. He also has a 2.04 K/BB rate and a 1.303 WHIP this season. Meanwhile, Ross, who is on a one-year deal, has struggled for the most part. This season, he has a 2-1 record with a 5.40 ERA in 29 appearances, along with a 2.00 K/BB rate and a 1.488 WHIP.
Main Photo Credit: © Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images
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