Phillies Prospect Watch: Up-and-Down Day for Wood, Youngerman

Phillies affiliates went 2-3 on Friday, Aug. 7, with young starters Gage Wood and Sean Youngerman enduring up-and-down outings.

Triple-A Lehigh Valley mounted a ninth inning comeback but lost 5-4. Catcher Paul McIntosh (2-for-4 with a double and a homer) cleared the fences with two outs in the final frame in a last gasp at victory; Keaton Anthony and Tommy Pham also doubled.

Double-A Reading lost 10-9 via walkoff, their bullpen struggling after Wood allowed four runs in three innings. Wood struck out four batters and didn’t allow any walks or extra base hits, but the Richmond Flying Squirrels managed to string singles together against him. Pedro León, Raylin Heredia and Caleb Ricketts all homered; León added two singles but got picked off and caught stealing in a pair of baserunning gaffes. Bryan Rincon (1-for-3 with two walks) and Aroon Escobar (2-for-5) doubled as the Fightin Phils tried to keep pace.

High-A Jersey Shore lost 2-0, managing just four hits and five walks. Devin Saltiban accounted for two singles, while Robert Phelps and rehabbing catcher Mark Kolozsvary each singled and walked. The BlueClaws pitching staff performed valiantly in a bullpen game, starter Ryan Dromboski lasting just two innings in his return from injury, but a lack of offense doomed them.

Single-A Clearwater swept their doubleheader to salvage the day for the Phillies’ system. Youngerman worked around five walks to put up five innings of one-run ball in the first game: the Threshers managed just four hits and one walk but managed to string them together and emerge victorious. Undrafted free agent Jack Hopko hit his first career homer in the nightcap, a two-run blast; 2026 second round pick Caden Bogenpohl logged two singles and a walk.