The one who refuses to back down and sees every challenge as an opportunity is Austin Gage Wood for you! Would you believe he was just 9 when he began pitching with his live arm? Yep, he was that young. Little did he know he would be pitching for the University of Arkansas years later. But before that, Wood attended Batesville High School in Batesville, Arkansas.

It didn’t take him long to establish his name on the national recruiting scene. He was ranked as the no. 3 overall prospect in all of Arkansas. Wood’s high school coach, Kelly Rush, was highly involved in his journey. There were no doubts around Wood’s position on the field.

He could play at any position but as per Rush, he belonged to pitching. “He [Wood] knew how to pitch and had multiple pitches: fastball, breaking ball, and changeup.” Rush was in complete awe of his game.

After high school, Wood kicked off his journey with Arkansas as a closer. When the scouts were informed about his joining, they couldn’t contain their excitement. He’s actually that special. After all, he has one of the best fastballs in the draft.

It averages between 94-96 mph and tops at 98 mph. It’s his combination of velocity and low release height that makes his pitches a lot more dangerous. He has all the right ingredients to be a starter. It’s mainly why the scouts couldn’t stop raving about him.

And that was just a glimpse of Wood’s potential. There’s so much more to him you wouldn’t want to miss.

Who is Gage Wood? All about him, his Family, background, and more

Hailing from Batesville, Gage Wood was born on December 15, 2003, in Newport, Arkansas. He was brought up in a place nearby Batesville. It’s his work ethic that shaped Wood into an elite arm today. From 6 am workouts to attending private pitching lessons after school, he rarely took a breather.

Outside of the baseball world, Wood has spent his years hunting, fishing and following razorback games. His mom, Chasity Gould, describes him as a “driven” character, for the way he uses criticism to refine his game. On an interesting note, Wood was nicknamed “Fathead” and he earned this name for his command.

In fact, Chasity believes Wood has a dog mentality, as she explains, “the more you tell him he can’t do it, the more he’s going to do it.”

During his high school stint, Wood earned All-State honors in the year 2022. For the record, it was his junior season era when he started making waves. He threw a no-hitter with 17 strikeouts in a state tournament. It was a kind of outing that had a major role in his regional and national rankings.

Initially, he was committed to Kansas State. Soon enough he signed with the University of Arkansas after recommitting to Kansas. To your surprise, it was a decision that fit well with his longtime love for the Razorbacks. As a freshman in 2023, he became a closer for the team. Wood posted 23 relief appearances and went 2-0 with a 4.80 ERA.

Coming to his velocity, it didn’t directly spike to 94 mph. It all started gradually. He was first throwing in the low to mid 80s during his sophomore year. Soon after lots of strength training, his velocity spiked to 92 mph and later, as a senior, it reached 94 mph.

How has Wood’s college career been? An insight into his journey so far

Wood’s journey in college baseball is just as interesting. During a recent College World Series matchup between Arkansas and Murray State, he threw a no-hitter. It was his third in the tournament’s history. He helped Arkansas secure a 3-0 win.

In fact, even back in 2023 as a freshman, he earned the role of Arkansas’ closer. He recorded a 2-0 score with a 4.80 ERA. The same year he had a .198 batting average and he ultimately earned a spot on the freshman ALL-SEC team.

By next year, 2024, he was named in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award preseason watch list. Moreover, his scouting report, as per MLB.com, displays stellar numbers. His fastball has an impressive 70 grade and curveball has a solid 55 grade as well.

His slider and changeup are both graded at 46, while overall, he’s been rated 50. As the grading suggests, Wood has the potential to grow into a valuable contributor to the game. That being said, his journey has just begun.