PHILADELPHIA - The most popular man in the home clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park on July 12 was a hard-throwing 22-year-old right hander from Batesville, Arkansas.
It has been a year since the Philadelphia Phillies made Gage Wood the 26th overall pick in the MLB Draft and only a month longer since Wood elevated his national profile with a 19-strikeout, no-hitter in the College World Series with the Arkansas Razorbacks.
That made him the entrant most anticipated by the hometown crowd in the MLB Futures Game, an hors d'oeuvre to the All-Star Game that brings together top prospects in a seven-inning American League vs. National League exhibition.
Wood took the mound at Citizens Bank Park for the first time at 12:11 p.m. as the NL starter. The half-full stadium gave him a warm greeting. He allowed a leadoff single to Athletics' infield prospect Leo De Vries. De Vries stole two bases then scored on a groundout. Wood threw 10 pitches, the majority fastballs that topped out at 97.7 mph.
He left with wide eyes, impressed by the size and grandeur of the major-league park.
"Coming to this place, it makes you not want to go back," said Wood, whose NL team lost 6-1. "It puts it in your...
Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/futures-game-starter-wood-phillies-193603396.html
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