LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV baseball program has received signed national letters of intent from four student-athletes -- Zach Barnhart, Victor Chavez, Jake Lewis and Bryson Stott -- who will enroll at the University and be eligible to play for the Rebels during the 2017 season, acting head coach Stan Stolte announced Tuesday.

"We are excited that these four student-athletes have committed to play at UNLV or we, obviously, wouldn't have signed them," said Stolte. "It's a smaller class numbers wise, and we look to add to it in the spring, as we get a better feel to who we will lose to professional baseball. We have signed two big classes the previous two years, which has restricted us to an extent, but we feel very good about these guys on and off the field."

Both Barnhart and Stott are local products that will graduate in the spring of 2016 from Rancho and Desert Oasis High Schools, respectively. Lewis, like the aforementioned duo, will graduate in the spring from Hart High School in Santa Clarita, Calif., while Chavez will come to UNLV after attending Scottsdale Community College in Scottsdale, Ariz., for the 2015-16 academic year. The latter graduated from Rio Rancho High School in Rio Rancho, N.M., in 2014 and then spent his freshman campaign at Trinidad State Junior College in Trinidad, Colo.

Barnhart, who stands 6'0", hit .437 for the Rancho Rams during the 2015 season with 45 hits and nine doubles, while knocking in 33 RBI and scoring 25 runs. He's also played for the Rams American Legion squad that won the 2014 Nevada State Baseball Tournament and finished second in the West Region playoffs. In 2014, he hit .409 with 38 hits, nine doubles, 16 walks, 29 RBI and 22 runs scored. During the playoff run, he hit .550 with 11 hits, three doubles and five RBI.

"Zach is an athletic catcher that can also play the outfield. He's one of the better hitters in Las Vegas. With more reps behind the plate and with coach (Kevin) Higgins cleaning him up defensively, we feel he has a chance to be a very good player for us."

Chavez, as an outfielder, helped Rio Rancho HS to a state championship and metro championship in 2013 and a District 1 5A title in '14. He earned all-district honors each season with back-to-back first team selections in `13 and '14 following a second-team nod in '12 and honorable mention status in '11. Last year, he helped the Trinidad State Trojans to a Region IX championship behind a 36-23 overall record. He appeared in eight games with two starts and a total of 11.2 innings pitched. The 5'9" right-hander posted a 2-1 record with nine strikeouts. His older brother, Carlos, is a senior pitcher at Oklahoma City University.

"Victor developed late and flew under the radar this fall. He has a very easy and quick arm that makes him effective. He just started pitching a year ago, so we think he should develop into a solid pitcher at this level."

Lewis, a 6'3" left-hander, has played multiple positions (first base, outfield and pitcher) for the Hart Indians, who claimed a Foothill League title in 2015 before finishing as runner-ups in the CIF Southern Section DI. As a junior, he hit .286 with seven home runs for a squad that went 20-11 overall and 12-2-1 in league play. He's played travel ball for ABD Baseball the past two summers. He threw a no-hitter in 2015 and has earned all-tournament team status three times.

"Jake brings big potential to us right away; his power is a difference maker. He comes from one of the premier programs in Southern California, and has a chance to pitch for us also as he develops."

Stott helped the Desert Oasis Diamondbacks to a conference championship in 2015 with a 26-9 overall mark as a 6'2" middle infielder. During his junior campaign, he hit .336, which earned him All-Northwest League First Team and All-Sunset Region Second Team recognition. A year earlier, he claimed All-Southwest League First Team and as well as second-team regional honors with a .292 batting average. As a freshman, he hit .367 and was on All-Southwest League Second Team. He played travel ball for the Las Vegas Aces, who finished second at the Nevada State Baseball Tournament, and hit .424 with 21 doubles, six home runs and six triples. His father, Derek, played quarterback at UNLV from 1988-91 and led the Rebels in passing from '89-91.

"Bryson is one of the purer left-handed hitters on the West Coast. He can play multiple defensive positions very well. If he hits like we think he can, he'll jump right into the mix."

The 2016 season kicks off in the Lone Star State against the Texas Longhorns in a three-game series slated for Feb. 19-21 at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. The Rebels return to Las Vegas for seven straight beginning with three against the West Virginia Mountaineers (Feb. 26-28) and three more versus the San Jose State Spartans (March 4-6).