Lawrence County senior pitcher Bryce Blevins was rock solid all season long for the Bulldogs. He was 8-0 as a starter before suffering a late-season injury.
Blevins struck out 91 batters and allowed only one walk the entire year as the Bulldogs finished the season a region best 29-7. He gave up just 20 hits and allowed just five runs, finishing with an 0.30 ERA.
Bevins was honored today as Mountain Top Sports ‘Player of the Year.
Johnson Central standout Conner Lemaster is captain of the first team after leading the Golden Eagles to the 15th Region championship. He hit .314 with 14 extra base hits, including six home runs.
Shelby Valley infielder Brady Bentley was chosen captain of the second team. Bentley hit .403 with 15 extra base hits, five of those were dingers.
Pikeville head coach Shane Simpkins was named coach of the Year after guiding the Panthers to the school’s first-ever All “A” Classic state title.
Here are the 2022 Mountain Top Sports All-Area baseball teams. The Panthers finished 22-12.
Player of the Year: Bryce Blevins, Sr., Lawrence County
Coach of the Year: Shane Simpkins, Pikeville
FIRST TEAM
P – Payton Burke, Sr., Prestonsburg
P – Brady Clark, Sr., Pikeville
P – Lucas Litteral, Sr., Magoffin County
C – Keygan Pelfrey, Sr., Johnson Central
C – Blue Fletcher, Sr., Lawrence County
INF – Baron Ratliff, Sr., Paintsville
INF – Ashton Deskins, Sr., Belfry
INF – Tate Walters, Sr., Pikeville
INF – Jonah Little, Jr., Letcher Central
INF – Samuel Brown, Jr., Shelby Valley
OF – Conner Lemaster, Sr., Johnson Central (Capt.)
OF – Dawson Mills, Jr., Martin County
OF – Nick Collinsworth, Sr., Lawrence County
OF – Jonathan Banks, Jr., Belfry
UTL – Nic Kidd, So., Prestonsburg
UTL – Luke Patton, Sr., Lawrence County
UTL – Steven Banks, Jr., Belfry
UTL – Cameron Kelsey, So., Johnson Central
UTL – Jonah Porter, Jr., Paintsville
SECOND TEAM
P – Canaan Cunniff, Sr., Letcher Central
P – Isaac Duty, Fr., Pikeville
P – Hunter Blevins, Jr., Johnson Central
C – Caleb Mouton, So., Pike Central
C – Isaiah Stanley, So., Belfry
INF – Brady Bentley, So., Shelby Valley (Capt.)
INF – Chase Preece, 8th, Martin County
INF – Blake Hager, So., Pike Central
INF – Jacob Bentley, Jr., Floyd Central
INF – Sam Wright, So., Pikeville
INF – Will Lafferty, Jr., Lawrence County
OF – Max Martin, Jr., Floyd Central
OF – Seth Fitch, Jr., Prestonsburg
OF – Brayden Maynard, Jr., Lawrence County
OF – Quinton Williams, Fr., Letcher Central
UTL – Aiden Fields, Jr., Letcher Central
UTL – Andrew Kidd, So., Betsy Layne
UTL – Dylan Thompson, So., Pikeville
UTL – Talon Pollock, So., Lawrence County
UTL – Zach Taylor, Sr., Paintsville
HONORABLE MENTION: Wes Prater, Dylan Mosley, Floyd Central; Noah Browm, Belfry; Byron Tackett, Cameron Pente, Jordan Frazier, Betsy Layne; Brock Butcher, Brayden Shepherd, Johnson Central; Eli Fletcher, Lawrence County;
Bradyn Hall, Noah Jarrell, Jackson Hall, Pikeville; Gunner Collins, Paintsville; Hunter Mullins, Jaxson Damron, Shelby Valley; Jon Little, Matt Welch, Prestonsburg; Patrick Mandrell, Zac Crum, Pike Central;
Dylan Burdine, Hayden Robinette, East Ridge; Evan Crum, Greyden Proctor, Martin County; Steven Layne, Mason Prater, Melvin McCoy, Phelps; Ethan Salyer, Ian McCarty, Magoffin County; Caleb Morgan, John Addington, Jenkins; Kaleb Slone, Preston Helle, Dawson Kincer, Letcher Central.