The first signing period for new Georgia State baseball head coach Brad Stromdahl and his staff has produced a talented class of eight student-athletes, including three junior college signees and five high school players.
 
The fall signing class features three speedy outfielders, two right-handed pitchers, two infielders and a two-way player as a catcher and pitcher. Five of the eight are from Georgia.
 
"We are very excited with the start of our first recruiting class," Stromdahl said. "We were able to address our immediate need for depth in multiple areas and build upon our foundation with experience and talent. We look forward to seeing these young men in Panther Blue.
 
"A lot of credit goes out to our staff and what they are able to do, capitalizing on the momentum of our upgraded facilities and new coaching direction and further display Georgia State University Baseball as one of the top options for baseball student athletes in the state of Georgia and the Southeast," he continued.
 
"We are thrilled to continue to build upon the energy for Georgia State Baseball on the recruiting trail and excited to see where our entire organization can go in the future."
 
2019-20 GEORGIA STATE BASEBALL SIGNEES
 
RAFAEL ACOSTA
RHP | R/R | 6-2, 215 | Santo Domingo, D.R. (Florida Prep Academy/Eastern Florida State)
 
Right-handed pitcher from Eastern Florida State College, which also produced current Panther Elian Merejo ... Posted a 2.89 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 18.2 innings as a freshman ... Played at Florida Prep Academy.
 
LAVOISIER FISHER
OF | L/R | 6-3, 190 | Suwanee, Ga. (North Gwinnett/Georgia Highlands)
 
Left-handed hitting outfielder who hit .277 with five homers and 27 RBI for Georgia Highlands last spring ... Scored 38 runs and stole 26 bases ... Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 37th round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft ... Hit .344 with three homers and 34 RBI as a senior at North Gwinnett.
 
KYLE HILTON
C-RHP | R/R | 6-0, 190 | Savannah, Ga. (Savannah Christian Prep)
 
Rated among the top 10 catchers and top 100 overall prospects in Georgia, according to Perfect Game ... Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All-American in 2018 (honorable mention) and 2019 (high honorable mention) ... Hit .459 last spring as a junior, helping Savannah Christian advance to the Class A Private state finals ... Led Savannah Christian to state title as a freshman ... Has a 30-2 record on the mound for his first three seasons ... Played for Team Georgia, an all-star team of the top 20 juniors in the state, in the summer of 2019.
 
JORDAN MILLER
INF | R/R | 6-3, 200 | Atlanta, Ga. (IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla.)
 
Rated the No. 5 third baseman in Georgia by Perfect Game ... Two-time Perfect Game Underclass All-American (honorable mention) in 2018 and 2019 ...
 
MASON PATEL
RHP | R/R | 6-1, 190 | Knoxville, Tenn. (Webb School)
 
Pitching prospect who is ranked the No. 14 right-handed pitcher and No. 40 overall prospect in Tennessee by Perfect Game ... Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All-American in 2018 (honorable mention) and 2019 (high honorable mention) ... 2019 All-District and All-Region selection at The Webb School.
 
 
DALTON PEARSON
OF | R/R | 5-11, 185 | John's Creek, Ga. (John's Creek)
 
Speedy outfielder who is rated the No. 13 overall prospect in Georgia and the No. 4 outfielder in the state by Perfect Game, which also tabs him among the nation's 200 players and the No. 32 outfielder ... Three-time Perfect Game Underclass All-American, including second-team honors in 2019 and high honorable mention recognition in 2017 and 2018 ... Honorable mention all-state selection in Class AAAAAA by Georgia Dugout Preview ... Also a standout receiver on the John's Creek football team who has 13 touchdown catches on the season, including 163 yards and three TDs in a recent win over Centennial.
 
JONATHAN PONDER
OF | R/R | 6-0, 160 | Lawrenceville, Ga. (Parkview)
 
Ranked as the No. 8 outfielder and No. 23 prospect in Georgia by Perfect Game ... Nationally, Perfect Game rates him No. 51 among outfielders and No. 310 overall ... Two-time Perfect Game Underclass All-American, including third-team honors in 2019 and high honorable mention recognition in 2018 ... Helped Parkview High School to back-to-back state titles in Class AAAAAAA, Georgia's largest classification.
 
ASHBY SMITH
INF | R/R | 6-0, 190 | Gaffney, S.C. (Gaffney/Gulf Coast State)
 
Spent the 2019 season at Presbyterian, where he started 44 games ... Hit .276 with 13 doubles, one triple and five home runs… Drove in 30 runs and scored 29 runs… Named Big South Freshman of the Week (April 8, 2019) ... All-region and second-team all-state selection at Gaffney (S.C.) High School … Hit .412 with five home runs and 41 RBI…Also played quarterback for the football team.