Reinhardt's Phelps Drafted by the Phillies in Day Two of MLB Draft

(Story provided by Reinhardt Sports Communications)

ATLANTA, Ga. - On the eve of the Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star game, Reinhardt Baseball's Robert Phelps found out he was selected to continue his baseball career past the collegiate level. MLB started their draft on Sunday, July 13th, where they got in the first three rounds.  On Monday, they continued with day two of the draft, where they knocked out rounds 4-20, deciding on the future pro careers of six hundred and fifteen athletes.

Phelps was taken in the nineteenth round by the Philadelphia Phillies as the 581st pick in the draft. The standout shortstop for the Eagles had an outstanding year for the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) regular season champions. Phelps was a big part of making this happen as he provided speed and power at the top of Coach Jonathan Burton's lineup all season.  The 5'10", 180-pound junior hit 11 home runs and knocked in 47 total RBIs while hitting .350 for the Eagles.

Phelps is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and played a year of baseball at Hartford Community College before heading to the University of West Virginia.  Reinhardt Baseball was able to snag Phelps off the transfer wire during the fall of 2024, and he instantly became a top performer for the Eagles.  He had a hot start to the 2025 NAIA Baseball season and made his way to an All-AAC performer by the end of the season.

Former Reinhardt Baseball Head Coach and current Executive Director of Athletics had this to say about Phelps, "We are ecstatic for Rob! His ability to help elevate our team was obvious and a big reason for our success this year. When we left for Christmas, we did not have a shortstop that we felt like could play that position every day. Fortunately for us, Coach Brett Lindsey found a lead, and we brought Rob in at the right time. His baseball knowledge and instincts speak for themselves, but he is also one of the best teammates around. He is a winner and he is driven, the Phillies got a good one."

Phelps was a favorite on the Eagles' squad last season and instantly proved his worth as an everyday starter.  He plays the game very smoothly at one of the toughest positions on the field and makes difficult plays look ordinary. In 2025, he recorded 75 putouts and assisted on 151 outs for the Eagles.

Phelps will have some decisions to make over the next few weeks as he has options now on his future. He still has another year of baseball that he could play with the Eagles, or he could report to the Phillies, where he would likely start off in A ball in the minor leagues.  Phelps can be followed on Instagram @robertphelpss to keep tabs on his career path.