Picks for All-Region, All-District and Players of the Year for Louisville-area baseball

Jason Frakes, Louisville Courier Journal
·5 min read
St. Xavier's Jacob Bennett (5) is congratulated by his coach after hitting a 2 run home run during action of their Seventh Region Championship baseball game against Trinity, Sunday, May 29 2022 in Louisville Ky. St. Xavier won 11-0 after he game was called at the end of the fifth inning, and will now play for the state championship.
St. Xavier's Jacob Bennett (5) is congratulated by his coach after hitting a 2 run home run during action of their Seventh Region Championship baseball game against Trinity, Sunday, May 29 2022 in Louisville Ky. St. Xavier won 11-0 after he game was called at the end of the fifth inning, and will now play for the state championship.

High school baseball coaches from the Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Regions have selected top players from the 2022 season in their respective districts and regions.

Fern Creek’s Ashton Prechtel has been named Sixth Region Player of the Year. The junior helped the Tigers go 27-7 and reach the semifinals of the regional tournament. He batted .510 with two home runs, 11 doubles, 32 RBIs and 29 runs scored. On the mound, he was 4-3 with a 2.74 ERA and struck out 54 batters in 53 2/3 innings.

St. Xavier’s Jake Bennett was named Seventh Region Player of the Year. The senior catcher helped the No. 3-ranked Tigers (30-10) win the regional title. He’s batting .427 with 13 home runs and 60 RBIs. He has signed with San Jacinto College in Texas.

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North Oldham’s Chase Edmonds was named Eighth Region Player of the Year. The senior catcher helped the Mustangs go 28-8 and reach the regional final. He batted .462 with 12 doubles, six triples and 42 RBIs. He has signed with Berry College in Georgia.

Here are the complete all-region and all-district teams for the Louisville area:

Sixth Region

All-Region: 1B – Brady Fentress (Pleasure Ridge Park); 2B – Riley Cook (Bullitt Central); 3B – Parker Nellums (North Bullitt); SS – Dalton Hicks (Fairdale); OF – Luke Embry (Pleasure Ridge Park), Ryan Priest (North Bullitt), Carson Bryant (Bullitt East); C – Owen Barger (North Bullitt); P – Christian Bixler (Pleasure Ridge Park), Ashton Prechtel (Fern Creek), Carson Allen (Fern Creek), William Gibson (North Bullitt), Grayson Reichert (Bullitt Central), Jayden Wood (Southern), Brayden Ernspiker (DeSales); Utility – Ezra Yi (Fern Creek), Dallas Langdon (Bullitt East), Tony Phillips (Jeffersontown); Player of the Year – Ashton Prechtel (Fern Creek); Coach of the Year – Nick Barte (Fern Creek); Assistant Coach of the Year – Larry Williams (Bullitt East).

Fern Creek's Ashton Prechtel (2) pitches in to the DeSales side during the first inning of their Sixth Region semifinal baseball game, Saturday, May 28 2022 in Louisville Ky. DeSales defeated Fern Creek 1-0 and will advance to the region championship game.
Fern Creek's Ashton Prechtel (2) pitches in to the DeSales side during the first inning of their Sixth Region semifinal baseball game, Saturday, May 28 2022 in Louisville Ky. DeSales defeated Fern Creek 1-0 and will advance to the region championship game.

21st District: 1B – Brady Fentress (Pleasure Ridge Park); 2B – Brennan Keen (Pleasure Ridge Park); 3B – Michael Trusty (Pleasure Ridge Park); SS – Dalton Hicks (Fairdale); OF – Jacob Hand (Holy Cross), Luke Embry (Pleasure Ridge Park), Austin Akridge (Holy Cross); C – Hank Burns (Pleasure Ridge Park); P – Ayden Fields (Fairdale), Christian Bixler (Pleasure Ridge Park), Nathan Kaufman (Fairdale), T.J. Ladd (Pleasure Ridge Park); Utility – Hunter Hicks (Fairdale), Cody Akridge (Holy Cross); Player of the Year – Dalton Hicks (Fairdale).

22nd District: 1B – D.J. Wright (Butler); 2B – Skyler Murphy (DeSales); 3B – Joe Nevitt (DeSales); SS – Jacob Crawford (DeSales); OF – Jackson Grissom (Butler), Matthias Conner (DeSales), Justin Wilkins (DeSales); C – Evan Hess (DeSales); P – Carter Reitz (Butler), Jacob Parker (DeSales), Brayden Ernspiker (DeSales), Evan Brite (DeSales); Utility – Nate Jones (Butler), Brody Mangis (DeSales); Player of the Year – Alex Yurt (DeSales).

23rd District: 1B – Dylan Pierce (Bullitt Central); 2B – Riley Cook (Bullitt Central); 3B – Parker Nellums (North Bullitt); SS – Richard Hernandez (Southern); OF – T.J. O’Neal (Bullitt Central), Ryan Priest (North Bullitt), T.J. Rodgers (Southern); C – Owen Barger (North Bullitt); P – Grayson Reichert (Bullitt Central), Jayden Wood (Southern), William Gibson (North Bullitt), Kevin Cruz (Southern); Utility – Shane Carnes (Bullitt Central), Alex Riquenes (Southern); Player of the Year – Owen Barger (North Bullitt).

24th District: 1B – Tony Phillips (Jeffersontown); 2B – Carson Kuebler (Jeffersontown); 3B – Trenton Creek (Bullitt East); SS – Peyton Brown (Jeffersontown); OF – Carson Bryant (Bullitt East), Andrew Beickman (Whitefield Academy), Brad Jones (Fern Creek); C – Dallas Langdon (Bullitt East); P – Ashton Prechtel (Fern Creek), Aiden Denzik (Whitefield Academy), Carson Allen (Fern Creek), Colin Knoop (Fern Creek); Utility – Ezra Yi (Fern Creek), Bryce Elder (Bullitt East); Player of the Year – Ashton Prechtel (Fern Creek).

Seventh Region

All-Region: Grayton Herron, Isaac Miller, Austyn Peak (Manual); Nolan Hood, Nic Schutte (Male); Cooper Smith, Ty Starke (St. Xavier); Jai-Michael Anderson (Atherton); Trever Geddes (Highlands Latin); Matt Klein, Robbie Reed, Korbyn Dickerson (Trinity); Jack Perdue, Michael Lynch (Christian Academy); Ethan Elmore, Jake Lind (Eastern); Ethen Revell (Ballard); Player of the Year – Jake Bennett (St. Xavier); Coach of the Year – Andy Porta (St. Xavier); Assistant Coach of the Year – Kevin O’Donnell (Eastern).

25th District: Caden Tucker, Ryan Boswell (Portland Christian); Grayton Herron, Grant Ballard, Bennett Holdener, Chase Chamberlain, Jonah Lawrence, James Cameron, Jackson Brown, Isaac Miller, Patrick Ryan, Owen Walker, Nick Ballard, Michael Williamson (Manual); Player of the Year – Austyn Peak (Manual).

26th District: Nolan Hood, Andrew Daniel, Nic Schutte, Landon Ingram, Jordan Glasscock, Bryce Felker (Male); Luke Lantz, Quinten Shewmaker, Ben Tedesco, Ben Purnell, Ty Starke, Cooper Smith, Zack Marks, Landon Akers (St. Xavier); Player of the Year – Jake Bennett (St. Xavier).

27th District: JaiMichael Anderson, Ben Hofstetter, Tom Holmes (Atherton); Trumen Neuner, Trevor Geddes (Highlands Latin); Chase Armstrong, Robbie Reed, Paul Osting, Matt Klein, Kyle Campbell, Aiden Ecken, Brady Willis, Nate Tencza, Garrett Brunstetter (Trinity); Player of the Year – Korbyn Dickerson (Trinity).

28th District: Jacob Price, Michael Lynch, Nick Britton, Jett Peterson (Christian Academy); Lavon Thomas, Sam Bevin, Ethan Revell, Dylan Ecken, Tony Byrd (Ballard); Ethan Elmore, Jake Lind, Henry Craig, Brayden Nettles, Alex Lindsay (Eastern); Player of the Year – Jack Perdue (Christian Academy).

North Oldham’s Chase Edmonds swings at a pitch during the fourth inning of their Eigth Region semifinal baseball game against Walton Verona, Friday, May 27 2022 in Louisville Ky. North Oldham won 6-1 and will play for the region championship Sunday.
North Oldham’s Chase Edmonds swings at a pitch during the fourth inning of their Eigth Region semifinal baseball game against Walton Verona, Friday, May 27 2022 in Louisville Ky. North Oldham won 6-1 and will play for the region championship Sunday.

Eighth Region

All-Region: Chase Edmonds (North Oldham), Chance Edmonds (North Oldham), Jack Willis (Shelby County), Cole Dycus (Woodford County), Kemper Whisman (Shelby County), Trent Floden (Collins), Bailey Carrier (Owen County), Hunter Cook (Shelby County), Nick Allen (Walton-Verona), Donavin Carroll (Collins), Tom Lind (Simon Kenton), Tyler Pyles (North Oldham), Dru Osbourne (Oldham County), Bradley Coulter (Spencer County); Player of the Year – Chase Edmonds (North Oldham).

Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @kyhighs.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KHSAA baseball: Players of the Year and more for the Louisville area