
Head Coach Darin Thomas	Assistant Coach Jay Sirianni	Assistant Coach K. J. Hendricks	Volunteer Assistant Coach Fuller Smith

ARLINGTON, Tex. - UT Arlington coach Darin Thomas announced Thursday that the team has signed five players to National Letters of Intent. The Mavericks landed three position players - infielder Michael Guerrero, shortstop Stewart Hill and outfielder Brandon Lawrence - and two pitchers - Chad Nack and Blake Perkins.

Thomas said that while UTA didn't sign a high quantity of players, he is pleased with the quality of the prospects his team signed. For that, Thomas credited assistant coaches K.J. Hendricks and Jay Sirianni.

"Jay and K.J. did an unbelievable job of getting out all summer and all fall," Thomas said. "We didn't need a whole lot of guys, but we got a great pool of kids. I think this is one of our better early signing classes even though there aren't a lot of numbers. We've got a lot of kids coming back, but the quality of kids we got is outstanding. Jay and K.J. did all the hard work. Going out and finding talent and getting them on campus and closing the deal - I can't say enough about the work both of those guys did. They are responsible for this class."

Guerrero, a 5-foot-11, 170-pound infielder, comes to UTA from Georgetown (Tex.) High School where he was Honorable Mention All-District each of the past two years for the District 16-5A champions. He is a member of the National Honor Society and has earned a 3.9 grade point average.

"I think he has a lot of upside," Thomas said. "He hasn't reached his potential yet, which is really exciting. He's an extremely hard-worker with great makeup. The biggest asset he's got right now is his bat. We think he's got the ability to come in right away and get in the lineup with his bat."

Hill, a transfer from North Central Texas College, will have two years of eligibility remaining. Along with Lawrence, Hill played in the Junior College All-Star Game held in Waco.

A product of Nacogdoches (Tex.) High School, Hill was an All-State shortstop and the District Defensive MVP as a senior. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound infielder also made All-District as a sophomore and as a junior.

"We think he's one of the better ones in the Texas junior colleges," Thomas said. "He'll be a mature guy that comes in and can step in and play right away. We feel fortunate to get him. He comes from a good program and we know he will have been well-coached."

Another junior-college transfer, Lawrence, comes to the Mavs from Blinn Community College. Lawrence led the Region XIV Athletic Conference in home runs last year and earned a spot on the All-Conference team.

Lawrence played football and track in addition to baseball while at Hay High School in Austin. The 6-foot, 185-pound outfielder made All-State and All-District as a senior and made All-District as a sophomore and as a junior. Lawrence's father, Terry, played baseball at Texas A&M and was drafted by the San Francisco Giants. His sister, Britni, was a pole vaulter at Texas Tech and Texas State.

"K.J. saw him early and really liked him," Thomas said. "He's a talented kid who can run and throw and hit. He has all the tools to be really good. We feel fortunate to get him in here. With him and Stewart Hill, we feel like we got two of the best junior-college players in the state that can helps us at key positions."

A potential two-way player, Nack has made a name for himself as a strong-hitting third baseman and a powerful right-handed pitcher at Liberty Christian School in Denton. Thomas signed Nack primarily as a pitcher, but thinks he has the makeup to be able to play both ways at a high level.

"He's a kid that definitely fits what we're looking for in terms of what kind of kid he is, what type of student he is and he's a two-way player," Thomas said. "He's a hitter-pitcher. Right now he's a third baseman and pitcher. I know he can help us right away. That's a quality guy immediately. I saw him pitch a couple times and I know he can handle himself on the mound."

Nack, who is 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, helped his team to a state championship as a sophomore, earning All-Area Second-Team and First-Team All-District in 2009. He was named Area Pitcher of the Year last season as a junior and made First-Team All-District last year as well.

Perkins also has four years to play at UTA, coming from Burleson High School in Fort Worth. As a junior last year, Perkins made First-Team All-District, First-Team All-County and Academic All-District.

Thomas said the 6-foot-2, 220-pound right-hander has the stuff to come in and help the Mavericks immediately.

"That's an arm we feel can be a power right-handed arm," Thomas said. "Jay saw him throw a lot this summer and really liked him. He has a hard breaking ball and he's an upper 80s guy capable of being a power arm. Blake was our first commitment and one of the first guys Jay really liked."