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

A subtle shift in mindset has turned James Quinn-Irons into a force at the plate—and it has made all the difference  in George Mason University’s baseball postseason run. 

Rather than fixating on results, the junior center fielder has embraced a process-driven approach, focusing on what he can control in each at-bat. This mindset has allowed him to explode offensively, leading the Patriots in nearly every major offensive category, propelling the team into the Atlantic 10 Conference Baseball Tournament at Capital One Park in Tysons, Virginia, which begins today. 

“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’s working. 

The computer science major in the College of Engineering and Computing played and started in all 55 regular-season games this spring, leading the Patriots with a .410 batting average, 14 home runs, 78 runs batted in (RBIs), 89 hits, 22 doubles, a .724 slugging percentage, and a 0.515 on base percentage. He also ranks second on the team with 28 stolen bases in 34 attempts. In the A-10 standings, he ranks second in batting average, on base percentage, RBIs, and hits, and leads the conference in doubles and OPS (on base + slugging percentage) with 1.239. 

At 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, Quinn-Irons has played his way into professional prospects, with his name expected to be called during next month’s Major League Baseball (MLB) draft. 

Accolades are following, too. He recently 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 history to earn the honor and just the third from the A-10 to be named a semifinalist. Previous winners included former MLB stars Stephen Strasburg, Bryce Harper, and Buster Posey. 

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

Patriots Head Coach and former MLB pitcher Shawn Camp lauded Quinn-Irons for his leadership 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 recent highlight 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—and a postseason still ahead—the game is clearly playing back.