FAIRFAX, Va. - With the addition of 12 freshmen and one transfer student the roster for the 2016 George Mason baseball team has been finalized, announced head coach Bill Brown and his staff this week.

The new class is composed of eight position players, five pitchers, six athletes from the state of Pennsylvania and one hailing from Venezuela.

“We are very excited about this recruiting class,” stated Brown. “Now that we're about two weeks into practice it's evident that it is a very, very deep recruiting class. I love the approach that they take at practice so far. Their makeup is outstanding and we look forward to a lot of them playing a big role for us this year and certainly the entire group playing a huge role as we move forward in the future.”

Position Players

Coming to Mason from Caracas, Venezuela, infielder Alejandro Aponte has represented his country twice internationally: in Colombia where his team finished second and the Dominican Republic where they were champions. The freshman has also represented his state of Miranda five times in national tournaments. Additionally Aponte swam and played water polo prior to attending Mason.

Freshman Jonathan Hansen joins Mason as a utility player from Cherry Hill, N.J. Hansen was named First Team All-South Jersey and First Team All-Conference at Cherry Hill East along with earning Perfect Game Preseason Honorable Mentions in 2014 and 2015. The righty was also named Third Team All-Group 4 All-State and a 2014 East Baseball Big Stick award winner.

Joining the Patriots from Salem, Mass. is freshman Bailey Klein. The catcher is a two-time Perfect Game All-American Honorable Mention and also earned Northeast Region Second Team honors at St. John's Prep.

Listed as a first and third baseman, Greg Popatak II comes to Mason after earning varsity letters in baseball, football and basketball at Sharpsville High School in Sharpsville, Pa. Popatak II was given All-State, All-District and All-Region honors as a baseball player while named a two-time team captain.

Freshman Tim Quinn attends Mason from Malvern Prep where he earned First and Second Team All-Maine Line, First Team All-Leauge, Second Team All-Southeast PA and Third-Team All-City honors over four years. Quinn was his team Co-MVP his senior season.

Frank Sturek is the lone member of the 2016 class that is not a freshman, joining the Patriots after a year of varsity baseball at Louisburg College. The Springfield, Va. native was a 2013 team captain at West Springfield High School and earned Second Team All-District and Second Team All-Northern Region honors. Sturek was also Second Team Virginia Northern Region and an All-Met Honorable Mention in 2012.

Ryan Tassone becomes a Patriot after his time as a four-year letterman at Peters Township in Venetia, Pa.

Outfielder Caleb Walls helped his team win three-consecutive AAAA district championships at State College High School He individually earned First and Second Team All-Mid Penn Conference honors and was selected to the 2013 Harrisburg Patriot News/Penn Live All-Underclass team.

Pitchers

Left-handed pitcher Brian Marconi joins Mason from Cherokee High School in Marlton, N.J. where he was a three-time Cy Young award winner and a First and Second Team All-Conference Team member over four years of baseball.

Chesterfield, Va. native Zach Mort was named First Team All-Conference, First Team All-Region, First Team All-Metro Richmond Area at Cosby High School as well as Group 6A Second Team All-State.

Freshman Jonathan Ostroff is another left-hander that twice lettered at Bethlehem Central in Slingerlands, N.Y. and earned Suburban Council Honorable Mention honors in 2014. Ostroff also spent time playing at IMG Academy.

Another Pennsylvania native, right-hander Zack Skrtich played four years of baseball and wrestled for one year at Central Mountain where he tossed two no-hitters. Skrtich was named a 2015 Pennsylvania Heartland Conference All-Star, 2015 Perfect Game Atlantic Region Honorable Mention and a 2014 Perfect Game Underclass Honorable Mention.

Right-handed pitcher Matthew Yost is the final addition from Pennsylvania and was a two-time letterman at Spring-Ford High School, winning the Pac-10 Championship his senior season.