Head coach Brad Stromdahl and the Georgia State baseball program welcome an impressive recruiting class of 16 highly-regarded newcomers that could be the most talented and impactful class in program history.
 
This is the first full recruiting class for Stromdahl and his staff, who took over last summer and produced a very promising start, including a 9-7 record in the abbreviated 2020 season.
 
The class includes nine junior college transfers, one four-year transfer and six freshmen. Twelve of the 16 are from Georgia.
 
The focus of the class is on the mound. The Panthers have added nine pitchers, led by hard-throwing Dawson Sweatt from McLennan JC, the No. 4 junior college lefty in the nation and a top 25 JC prospect overall. Other pitchers with potential to make an immediate impact include right-hander Dylan Matela, a transfer from Furman, and junior college righty Jacob Riordan from Western Oklahoma State.
 
Speed is another hallmark of this recruiting class, led by outfielders Dalton Pearson (John's Creek HS), Lavoisier Fisher (Georgia Highlands JC) and Jonathan Ponder (Parkview HS).
 
"We are extremely excited about our incoming class and feel we have a great mix of experience and athleticism," Stromdahl said. "I want to thank our coaches for the hard work they have put into the recruiting process and the players for trusting in the transformation underway. With the returning talent, together we are redefining success at Georgia State and in the Sun Belt."
 
This talented group joins a roster of 26 returnees, led by one of the top hitters in the Sun Belt Conference in outfielder Elian Merejo, along with third baseman Griffin Cheney, Freshman All-Americans Will Mize and Chad Treadway, and starting pitchers Ryan Watson and Seth Clark.
 
GEORGIA STATE BASEBALL NEWCOMERS
 
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 Panthers Elian Merejo and Pablo Barquero ... Posted a 1-3 record with one save and a 3.60 ERA in 2020 … Struck out 32 in 25 innings with just six walks … Compiled a 2.89 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 18.2 innings as a freshman ... Played at Florida Prep Academy.
 
RYAN ALLEN
1B | L/R | Waxahachie, Texas (Waxahachie/Redlands CC)
 
Left-handed hitting first baseman from Redlands (Okla.) CC ... Hit .327 with 17 RBI in 18 games in 2020 ... Had eight extra-bases hits, including one homer and seven doubles, and scored 11 runs ... Hit .273 as a freshman with five homers, eight doubles and a triple ... Drove in 34 runs, scored 25 and drew 31 walks ... Had a .994 fielding percentage with just one error in 163 chances ... Prep standout at Waxahachie (Texas) High School.
 
BRANSON BOWLING
INF | L/R | Woodstock, Ga. (River Ridge/Chattanooga State)
 
Left-handed hitting infielder from Chattanooga State ... Played in 17 games as a sophomore and hit .333 ... Had one homer, six doubles and eight RBI ... Hit .358 in 47 games as a freshman in 2019 ... Had 11 extra base hits and drove in 33 runs while scoring 45 ... Had more walks than strikeouts in both seasons ... Played at River Ridge High School … 2018 Rawlings-Perfect Game Preseason All-Southeast Region (honorable mention).
 
LAVOISIER FISHER
OF | L/R | 6-3, 190 | Suwanee, Ga. (North Gwinnett/Georgia Highlands)
 
Left-handed hitting outfielder with outstanding speed … One of the fastest junior college players in the nation who single-season and career records for stolen bases at Georgia Highlands College … In two seasons, he compiled a .430 on-base percentage with 37 stolen bases, 55 runs scored and seven home runs … Played in 19 games in 2020 and hit .298 with 11 stolen bases and 17 runs scored … As a freshman, he hit .277 with five homers and 27 RBI... Also scored 38 runs and stole 26 bases in 2019 ... 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.
 
DANNY GRILLO
C | R/R | 5-11, 190 | Milton, Ga. (Milton/Florence-Darlington Tech)
 
Junior college catcher who brings a strong arm and defensive skills … Catcher for Team Israel … Spent two seasons at Florence-Darlington (S.C.) Tech … Attended Milton High School … 2018 Rawlings-Perfect Game Preseason All-Southeast Region (honorable mention).
 
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 ... Named to 2020 Rawlings-Perfect Game Preseason All-Southeast Region (honorable mention) … Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All-American in 2018 (honorable mention) and 2019 (high honorable mention) ... Hit .459 as a junior in 2019, 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.
 
PRESTON JOYE
INF | S/R | Roswell, Ga. (Fellowship Christian)
 
Switch-hitting infielder who can play multiple positions … Helped Fellowship Christian to back-to-back appearances in the state playoffs (GHSA Class A private) ... Named 2020 Rawlings-Perfect Game Preseason All-Southeast Region (honorable mention).
 
JET KERN
RHP | R/R | Roswell, Ga. (Roswell/Georgia Highlands)
 
Right-handed pitcher from Georgia Highlands College who has the ability to pitch in multiple roles ... In seven appearances in 2020, he allowed ZERO runs and collected five saves ... Struck out 15 in 7.2 innings ... Also hit .455 with two doubles, seven RBI and six runs scored in just 11 at-bats ...Spent his freshman season at Chattanooga State and went 2-0 with one save and 12 strikeouts in 11.1 innings ... At the plate he was 5-for-13 with two doubles and four RBI at the plate ... Played at Roswell High School … 2018 Rawlings-Perfect Game Preseason All-Southeast Region (honorable mention).
 
JOHN KIRCHNER
RHP | R/R | Suwanee, Ga. (North Gwinnett)
 
Right-handed pitcher from North Gwinnett High School ... Closer for nationally-ranked prep program … Rated No. 224 prospect in Georgia by Perfect Game ... Named 2020 Rawlings-Perfect Game Preseason All-Southeast Region (honorable mention).
 
DYLAN MATELA
RHP | R/R | 6-3, 215 | Alpharetta, Ga. (Milton/Furman)
 
Talented right-handed pitcher who is expected to be an immediate contributor after transferring from Furman, which discontinued its program following the 2020 season ... Has four seasons of eligibility at GSU ... Rated the No. 4 prospect in the Southern Conference for the 2022 MLB Draft by Perfect Game ... Made just three appearances in the abbreviated 2020 season … First-team All-Region 5-AAAAAAA at Milton High School in Georgia's largest classification ... Helped Milton win the region title .... Collected 70 strikeouts in 46 innings ... Also earned Academic All-Region accolades ... Top 100 prospect in Georgia by Perfect Game ... Named to 2019 Rawlings-Perfect Game Preseason All-Southeast Region (honorable mention) … Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All-American in 2018 (high honorable mention).
 
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 ... Named to 2020 Rawlings-Perfect Game Preseason All-Southeast Region (honorable mention) … 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 ... 2020 Rawlings-Perfect Game Preseason High Honorable Mention All-America and All-Southeast Region first-team … 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 ... Dynamic athlete who was an all-state football player, earning first-team honors in 2019 by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as an athlete and by the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association (GACA) as a receiver … All-area and all-region honoree who caught 13 touchdown catches in 2019, including 163 yards and three TDs in 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 rated him No. 51 among outfielders and No. 328 overall ... 2020 Rawlings-Perfect Game Preseason High Honorable Mention All-America and All-Southeast Region second-team … 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.
 
JACOB RIORDAN
RHP | R/R | Marietta, Ga. (Walton/Western Oklahoma State)
 
Right-handed pitcher who throws in the mid-90s with developing command … Spent the 2020 season at Western Oklahoma State but made just one appearance ... Played at Pensacola State as a freshman and posted a 2-2 record in 15 outings ... As a senior at Walton High School, he was rated the No. 18 right-handed pitcher in Georgia and No. 55 overall prospect by Perfect Game … 2018 Rawlings-Perfect Game Preseason All-Southeast Region (honorable mention).
 
ASHBY SMITH
INF | R/R | 6-0, 190 | Gaffney, S.C. (Gaffney/Gulf Coast State)
 
Infielder with a strong bat … 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.
 
DAWSON SWEATT
LHP | L/L | 6-3, 190 | Fayetteville, Ga. (Starr's Mill/McLennan JC)
 
The No. 4 ranked junior college left-handed pitcher in the nation and a top 25 JC prospect overall …Expected to be an immediate contributor in the weekend rotation … Spent the 2019-20 season at McLennan (Texas) JC, where he posted a 3-1 record with 16 strikeouts in 15 innings … Originally signed with Auburn and took a redshirt year there in 2018-19 … Played at Starr's Mill High School, where he was rated the No. 7 left-handed pitcher in Georgia and the No. 66 overall player in the state … Also rated a top-500 player nationally … 2018 Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American … Underclass Honorable Mention and 2017 Underclass High Honorable Mention … 2017 Prospect Select team member … Earned All-Region honors as a junior.