GLEN CARBON - Scott Phelps, who is an outfielder for the highly successful Father McGivney Catholic High School baseball team, has signed a letter of intent to play for Kaskaskia College in Centralia.
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Phelps had a successful junior season with the Griffins in 2025, hitting .398, with no homers and 41 RBIs, many in key situations, drawing 14 walks while striking out only 10 times, in helping the Griffins to a 38-4 record, losing in the IHSA Class 1A state final to Ottawa Marquette Catholic 6-5 on June 7, 2026, at Illinois Field in Champaign-Urbana.
Phelps is a Byron, Carlson, Petri & Kalb Male Athlete of the Month for the Griffins.
Phelps decided to take the JUCO route and sign with the Blue Devils for a practical reason.
"I just need a little extra time for some physical development," Phelps said, "and I think I can really develop my mental and physical game at Kaskaskia. It's a good opportunity for me to get bigger and better before I go on to the next level."
He's not sure about making it to the Major Leagues one day, but wants to go as far as possible in baseball before he hangs up the glove.
"I'm working to take it as far as I can, and I would love to go play for a four-year school afterwards, and just continue to have as much fun as possible in playing a kids game," he said.
There was also a practical reason for Phelps, an avid outdoorsman, to choose to attend Kaskaskia.
"Well, when I was out on campus, it was really close to my duck hunt," Phelps said with a smile, and it felt like family when I got on campus there. So, just a lot of little factors, a lot of things fell right in my heart and my gut, my family felt the same, and so, it's somewhere I could really go and strive."
Phelps considered other schools in the area, but felt Kaskaskia was the right fit almost immediately. He'll major in business, with looking at becoming a salesman for Dive Bomb Industries, an outdoors performance tech gear company based in Hazelwood, Mo., in north St. Louis County, or somewhere in the outdoors industry.
His favorite memory of playing for the Griffins involves a game against Effingham St Anthony Catholic last season, an 8-4 regular season win on the road, and going on to last year's state final against Ottawa Marquette.
"We played at St Anthony," Phelps said. "Issac Wendler and Drew Klieinheider both hit a home run. I think that I got a few hits in the game. It was a really high-energy contest; it was probably the most tired I have ever been. Also, the super-sectional (a 4-2 win over Jacksonville Routt Catholic at Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield), and then obviously, the state championship. It's hard to beat."
Phelps and his teammates are definitely looking ahead to possibly playing - and taking - the IHSA Class 2A championship this coming spring, as the Griffins were promoted to the higher class this season.
"We are definitely striving for another big trophy," Phelps said, "and we're just going to keep playing. We're one big family, and this senior group is really special, so I think we're closing in; we're really excited to see what we can do. I'm just really proud of my teammates, and I'm really proud of these brothers I've been working hard with."
