Cincinnati' Hamblen Named Second Team All-Region

CINCINNATI, Ohio — Cincinnati junior catcher Chris Hamblen has been named to the All-South Region second team by the American Baseball Coaches Association.

Hamblen (Fort Thomas, Ky./Highlands H.S.) was a second-team all-Conference USA choice this year after surpassing almost all his career highs by hitting .340 with 15 home runs and a .622 slugging percentage. He added 14 doubles, 50 runs scored and 43 runs batted in.

The 15 home runs was fourth in C-USA and the fourth-most ever hit by a Bearcat. He ranked fifth in the league in slugging percentage, 10th in runs scored, fifth in total bases (130) and fourth in walks (38). Hamblen is also one of 10 semifinalists for the Johnny Bench Award, given annually to the top collegiate catcher in the nation.

Hamblen was taken in the 13th round of this year's Major League Baseball Amateur Draft by the Texas Rangers, the third time he'd been drafted. He has signed with the Rangers and been assigned to the Pulaski (Va.) Rangers of the Appalachian League.

In three seasons, Hamblen climbed near the top of UC's career rankings in home runs (3rd, 38), runs batted in (4th, 171), hits (6th, 220), doubles (6th, 47) and runs (8th, 148).