Johnson Central senior Ryan Sartin-Slone’s love for the game of baseball is second to none.
He wrapped up his senior season hitting .468 while helping the Golden Eagles reach the state tournament for the first time since 2017. He had 51 hits, scored 34 runs, and drove in 33 runs. Twenty of his hits were for extra bases.
Sartin-Slone walked 19 other times at the plate and struck out only nine times in 109 plate appearances.
The University of Pikeville signee was named Mountain Top Sports’ Player of the Year on Monday.
He edged out Lawrence County pitcher Bryce Blevins. The junior finished 8-0 on the mound, allowing just 20 hits in 47 innings. His ERA was 0.30. He also hit .500.
Blevins was named captain of the first team. Other pitchers selected were Johnson Central’s Cameron Kelsey, Belfry’s Ashton Deskins, and Paintsville’s Ashton Miller.
Lawrence County’s Blue Fletcher and Pikeville’s Logan Windle were named as catchers.
Infielders included Pikeville’s Tait Lakin, Belfry’s Steven Banks, Floyd Central’s Brant Potter, Prestonsburg’s Payton Burke, sand Belfry’s Gage Fields.
Outfielders are Letcher Central’s Sam Little, Pike Central’s Keegan Bentley, Johnson Central’s Conner Lemaster, and Lawrence County’s Nick Collinsworth.
Utility players chosen were Pike Central Bryce Adkins, Floyd Central’s Caleb Hager, and Prestonsburg’s Nick Kidd.
Paintsville senior catcher Cory Jefferson was named captain of the second team.
Johnson Central mentor Shawn Hall was named Coach of the Year after leading the Golden Eagles to a 26-14 record.
Player of the Year: Ryan Sartin-Slone, Sr., Johnson Central
Coach of the Year: Shawn Hall, Johnson Central
FIRST TEAM
P – Bryce Blevins, Jr. Lawrence County (Capt.)
P – Cameron Kelsey, So., Johnson Central
P – Ashton Deskins, Jr., Belfry
P – Ashton Miller, So., Paintsville
C – Blue Fletcher, Jr., Lawrence County
C – Logan Windle, Jr., Pikeville
INF – Tait Lakin, Jr., Pikeville
INF – Steven Banks, So., Belfry
INF – Brant Potter, Sr., Floyd Central
INF – Payton Burke, Jr., Prestonsburg
INF – Gage Fields, Sr., Belfry
OF – Sam Little, Sr., Letcher Central
OF – Keegan Bentley, Sr., Pike Central
OF – Conner Lemaster, Jr., Johnson Central
OF – Nick Collinsworth, Sr., Lawrence County
UTL – Bryce Adkins, Sr., Pike Central
UTL – Caleb Hager, Sr., Floyd Central
UTL – Jonah Porter, So., Paintsville
SECOND TEAM
P – Connor Fugate, So., Paintsville
P – Parker Hall, Jr., Belfry
P – Brady Clark, Jr., Pikeville
P – Mason Kestner, Sr., Johnson Central
C – Cory Jefferson, Sr., Paintsville (Capt.)
C – Caleb Mouton, So., Pike Central
INF – Dawson Mills, Sr., Martin County
INF – Brayden Slone, Sr., Prestonsburg
INF – Matthew Dudleson, Sr., Betsy Layne
INF – Sam Brown, Jr., Shelby Valley
INF – Aiden Fields, So., Letcher Central
OF – Evan Crum, So., Martin County
OF – Hunter Damron, Sr., East Ridge
OF – Ethan Whitt, Sr., Lawrence County
OF – Ashton Miller, So., Paintsville
UTL – Riley Dotson, Sr., Phelps
UTL – Caleb Howard, Sr., Magoffin County
UTL – Nick Kidd, So., Prestonsburg
SPECIAL HONORABLE MENTION:
Josh Slone, Johnson Central; Brayden Maynard, Lawrence County; Jonah Porter, Paintsville; Cameron Kimbler, Blake Hager, Pike Central; Ryan Meade, John Little, Prestonsburg; Jake Varney, Devin Jude, Belfry; Dylan Thompson, Wade Hensley, Blake Birchfield, Pikeville; Lucas Litteral, Ethan Salyer, Magoffin County; Jacob Bentley, Max Martin, Floyd Central; Chase Preece, Greyden Proctor, Dylan Fitch, Martin County; Hunter Mullins, Brady Bentley, Shelby Valley; Brady Robinson, Andrew Kidd, Byron Tackett, Betsy Layne; Caleb Dotson, Dawson McCoy, Dominick Francis, Phelps; Keegan Bentley, Jenkins; Canaan Cunniff, Letcher Central.