Cubs starter lauds Arkansas' Gage Wood for College World Series no-hitter

Gage Wood is a fringe first-round prospect in the upcoming 2025 MLB Draft, though expect his stock to skyrocket after his latest feat: a no-hitter in the College World Series.

According to ESPN, it's the first no-hitter in the Men's College World Series since 1960.

Of course, after a performance like that, Wood drew a lot of praise from fans, pundits, and even MLB players on social media, including Cubs pitcher Jordan Wicks.

Wicks, the 21st overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft out of Kansas State, is no stranger to collegiate success. The 2021 Big 12 Conference Preseason Pitcher of the Year, Wicks compiled a 3.24 ERA in 203.0 career innings before being selected by the Cubs in the first round of the draft.

Now trying to make his way back to the big leagues after struggling with injuries earlier in the year, Wicks can appreciate Wood's performance as well as any of us.

Gage Wood boosts draft stock with historic College World Series outing

Prior to this performance, Wood has had an up-and-down collegiate career, with a 4.33 ERA across three seasons for Arkansas. MLB Pipeline has him as the 50th-best prospect on their board, though again, his latest outing on college baseball's biggest stage will surely give his profile a boost.

FanSided's Mark Powell already connected the Cubs and Wood prior to the righty's no-hitter, suggesting that Chicago, picking at No. 17 overall in the first round, could look to follow their Cade Horton blueprint by drafting a late-rising college arm with the hopes of signing him to an under-slot contract, in order to make way for bigger swings on prep players in later rounds.

Now, Wood does have a history with shoulder injuries, and his spotty command and workload concerns could give the Cubs (and other teams) pause.

However, Horton had similar concerns coming out of Oklahoma, and he's now in the major leagues as one of the top pitching prospects in baseball.

Though an endorsement from Wicks surely won't be what pushes the Cubs over the edge in their draft process, it can't hurt Wood's profile. Expect to hear a lot of chatter connecting the team with the University of Arkansas star leading up to the 2025 MLB Draft on July 13.