Centre Athletics Photo
All Ben Prather did last season was become the first All-American in Centre College baseball history, helped the Colonels win the Southern Athletic Association regular season and tournament titles, and got Centre into the Division III NCAA Tournament for the first time.
He played outfield, third base and designated hitter in 2024 when he ranked in the top 10 in 13 statistical categories in the SAA and drove in a school-record 57 runs. On the mound, he tied for the SAA lead with eight wins, was second in earned run average and fifth in strikeouts.
It was not surprising that Prather, the SAA Newcomer of the Year in 2023, was named a preseason All-American at the utility position by d3baseball.com.
However, what probably would surprise many is the offseason training program he had, especially since he’s 2-0 in four starts with a 0.44 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 20 2/3 innings and has allowed just one hit. Last week he threw a seven-inning shutout against Rhodes to earn SAA Pitcher of the Week honors. After 12 games he was also hitting a team-high .412 with 13 runs scored, 10 RBIs, four doubles and 10 stolen bases in 11 tries.
Not bad for a player who spent January in New Zealand as part of Centre’s study abroad program. He stayed active — but not with baseball.
“I didn’t touch a bat over there. I was just mainly relaxing, I did throw a lot, but not many swings. Just visualization stuff,” Prather said. “I never like taking a break like I did for about three weeks. When I got back I could tell I had not been swinging the bat and there was some catching up to do to make sure I was ready to go when the season started.”
He does think the three-week break was good for his body physically since he calls himself a “workaholic” but he did think a lot about baseball and this season since Centre lost a lot of seniors off last year’s 36-13 team.
Centre has just two four-year seniors, Perry Nadreau and Cameron Tegge, while other seniors have transferred to Centre or joined the team after getting to Centre to play other sports.
“Last year we had seniors who did not even play who impacted the team with their leadership,” Prather said. “Younger players have had to step up and be leaders. “
Prather certainly leads by example even though coach Drew Briese might not recommend his January training regimen in New Zealand to other Colonels.However, Briese is all-in with his players studying abroad and did the same thing himself in 2000 when he went to Hong Kong and Vietnam to study.
Prather is a finance major but admitted he signed up for the chemistry class for a “chance to go halfway across the world” and see volcanoes. Thirty Centre students, including teammate Ethan McGriff, and three professors made the trip,
“We were never in a classroom. We hiked. I loved being outside on volcanoes all day,” the junior said. “We had an ice storm here (in Danville) and we had beautiful weather (in New Zealand). The toughest thing was the flight there was 16 hours and it was 13 hours coming back but the flight back was basically empty and it was easy to sleep.”
While he didn’t swing a baseball bat, he did try bungee jumping and skydiving,
“My coaches didn’t know I did that until I got back,” Prather said. “Our pitching coach (Ryan Gaines) said he was an adrenaline junkie like me and understood why I did it. I had never done something like that before and probably would not do it again. I just wanted to say I did it one time for the rush and fear factor.”
He had to jump off a platform over a river to bungee jump after watching a fraternity brother “dip half his body in the water when he jumped” before him.
“Watching him go was terrifying,” Prather said. “Skydiving was crazy but bungee jumping was probably the most scared I have ever been. I will never feel that much pressure on the (baseball) field ever.”
He also went rafting with friends which was tame compared to bungee jumping and skydiving for the first time.
Prather had a minor arm injury before the season started but obviously that has not impacted his production.
As good as he has been the two previous years, he thinks he can be better this year and his start certainly indicated the former Lexington Lafayette standout could be right.
“I am a self motivator. I work on my own for the most part,” Prather said. “Last summer I got a hitting coach, Anderson Miller. Last year I was just naturally hitting. This year I know more about how to hit and what I am doing. I am in a way better place to put numbers up. I had the best fall (season) I’ve ever had.
“Last year I would argue that I was a better pitcher than hitter. Over the summer I worked on hitting and pitching about 50-50. This fall with the arm issues I had I did a lot of hitting. I am still pretty good at pitching and don’t want to give that up, so I’ll just go out all I can and go as long as I can.”
Ben Prather Baseball
Photos by Centre Athletics
2 Responses
I think Ben Prather was born with the gift of being competitive. I saw it when I came in every summer from Dallas and spent a lot of quality time withy 4 grandsons. Ben was a natural at almost everything he did including pushing his older brother Berkley iv out of the wagon and easily getting him from their small motor car. This is not to say that Berkley 4 doesn’t have his own gifts because he does. They don’t make many Ben’s but again he has excelled in so many things outside of baseball. He made an award and played in an incredibly good jazz band at Lafayette HS. He was the drummer. Then he had to make a decision whether to put his all into baseball or basketball. Obviously he chose baseball even though there r no cute cheerleaders in baseball. Lol. Thank u so much for the time his parents gave to support and encourage Ben for many years. My last comment would be that Ben is so humble and always has been. This is his grandmom speaking but I didn’t exaggerate even one word. I am extremely proud of all of his accomplishments. The last thing I would like to say is that he has grown up active in Porter Memoral Baptist Church in Lexington Ky.
Thank you Karol for taking time to share with us. Agree that Ben is special in so many ways