Quinn-Irons led George Mason’s charge into the baseball postseason

A subtle shift in mindset turned James Quinn-Ironsinto a force at the plate-and it made all the difference in George Mason's baseballpostseason run.

Rather than fixating on results, the junior first baseman embraced a process-driven approach, focusing on what he can control at each at-bat. This mindset allowed him to explode offensively, leading the Patriots in nearly every major offensive category, propelling the team into the Atlantic 10 Conference Baseball Tournamentat Capital One Park in Tysons, Virginia. George Mason made it to the championship game but lost 4-1 to Rhode Island.

"I don't care as much about the results of the at-bat," Quinn-Irons said. "I used to get wrapped up in stats, but now it's more about the process-whether I've been patient, worked the count, and done the little things. You can't always control getting a hit or driving someone in, but you can control your approach. It's just a mindset."

It worked.

The computer science major in the College of Engineering and Computingplayed and started in all 55 regular-season games this spring, leading the Patriots with a .419 batting average, 16 home runs, 85 runs batted in (RBIs), 101 hits, 24 doubles, a .734 slugging percentage, and a 0.523 on base percentage. He also ranks second on the team with 36 stolen bases in 43 attempts. In the A-10 standings, he ranks third in stolen bases, second in slugging percentage, and leads the conference in batting average, on base percentage, hits, RBIs, doubles, and OPS (on base + slugging percentage) with 1.257.

At 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, Quinn-Irons has played his way into professional prospect, with his name expected to be called during next month's Major League Baseball (MLB) draft. He recently participated in the 2025 MLB Draft Combine, held June 17-21 at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona. The invitation-only event features top collegiate and high school players selected by a committee of MLB and scouting executives, giving prospects the opportunity to showcase their abilities in advance of the draft.

Accolades are piling up. He was named a semifinalist for the prestigious Golden Spikes Award, bestowed annually to the nation's top amateur baseball player. He is the first player in George Mason baseball history to earn the honor and just the third from the A-10 conference to be named a semifinalist. Previous winners include former MLB stars Stephen Strasburg, Bryce Harper, and Buster Posey. In addition, Quinn-Irons received numerous conference and national honors, including:

• A-10 Player of the Year
• Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Player of the Year
• Three All-America honors:
  • American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings NCAA Division I All-America First Team
  • National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Division I All-America First Team
  • Perfect Game College Baseball Second Team All-American
• Three-time A-10 Player of the Week, the most of any player in the league

Not too bad for a player out of South Lakes High School in Reston, Virginia whose lone scholarship offer came from George Mason.

Patriots Head Coach and former MLB pitcher Shawn Camplauded Quinn-Irons for the leadership he brings on and off the field, and for his ability to inspire others around him.

"His leadership is contagious," Camp said. "He shows up every day with the same attitude. He is one of the most coachable players I've ever had, and is always working to improve."

Last season, Quinn-Irons batted .302 with 13 home runs, 43 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases. His tireless dedication to his craft has elevated every part of his game this spring.

A highlight from earlier in the season came on May 15, when he blasted a walk-off, three-run homer, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to seal a thrilling 8-6 win over Fordham, keeping George Mason's A-10 regular season title and top tournament seed hopes alive.

"I'm just playing ball," Quinn-Irons said.

With numbers like his, the game clearly played back.

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