Cubs draft target might help the bullpen sooner than anyone expects

We are mere weeks away from the 2025 MLB Draft - and given the front office's hot streak of late with their first-round picks, Chicago Cubs fans are excited to see who Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins tap with the 17th overall pick on July 13.

One name that's already been connected to the Cubs is Arkansas Razorbacks right-hander Gage Wood, who made national headlines with a 19-strikeout no-hitter in Omaha this month, the first no-no in the College World Series since 1960. A new write-up from Keith Law over at The Athletic (subscription required) doesn't explicitly draw a line between Chicago and the righty, he does make a point that should hit home with the Cubs' front office.

Could Gage Wood really make his MLB debut during the 2025 season?

He mentions Wood among seven 2025 MLB Draft prospects who could quickly ascend to the big leagues, raising the prospect of him potentially pitching out of the bullpen as soon as this year. Law cites a low workload and uncertain long-term outlook as reasons a team could draft him with the plan to see if he can be an impactful reliever this season - and that could pique the Cubs' interest.

Chicago's bullpen has been good, but a shutdown arm with a powerful fastball-slider combination is one of those things no front office is ever going to turn down. Come October, bullpens reign supreme in today's game - and in a 'win-now' season, that's likely a top focus for Hoyer.

An ESPN mock draft pre-historic Omaha performance had him going to the Cubs, but there's a good chance his performance on college baseball's biggest stage may have significantly boosted his draft standing. Here's what that write-up had to say about Wood and, as you'll see, it's loaded with Cubs references.

Wood is a hot name because of his huge stuff, but he has started only 10 games in college. Some scouts think that if he can make a number of starts for Arkansas this postseason, he could have a rise like Cade Horton, who went No. 7 in 2022 out of Oklahoma and is now in the big leagues for the Cubs. This projection is a little speculative, but I don't think Wood would get out of the 20s if the draft were held today. He is a more refined version of another Arkansas pitcher the Cubs took in the second round in 2023, Jaxon Wiggins.

I think he'll be off the board before the Cubs have their pick but, if not, he could be one of the more intriguing options available to Hoyer and the front office.