Though the season is still a ways away, the Eastern baseball team has already signed seven new players in its early signing period.

Coming to the Panthers from Eureka High School is utility player Matt Dunavant. Dunavant had a .319 batting average in his junior season, while also having 19 RBIs and 17 hits. Standing at 6 feet, 3 inches and 230 pounds, Dunavant is the biggest of the seven signees.

“(Dunavant) provides us with size and pop that we feel we need to become a better offensive team in the future,” head coach Jim Schmitz said in a press release.

Also joining the team will be infielder Mitch Gasbarro. Gasbarro comes to the Panthers as an All-Western Sun Conference player from Glenbard South High School, despite missing most of his junior season with a hand injury.

Jake Johansmeier of St. Charles North High School is one of two right-handed pitchers signed by the Panthers in the early signing period. Johansmeier is ranked in the top 25 players in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report and was a member of the All-Upstate Eight Conference Honorable Mention Team in his junior season.

“Jake was a guy that we had our eyes on for a long time,” Schmitz said in a press release. “He is a guy that we feel can be one of the premier players in our league down the road.”

The other right-handed pitcher signed by the Panthers ranks as one of the best players in the state of Missouri. C.J. Martin is ranked No. 4 in Missouri, as well as the No. 316 prospect in the nation.

Outfielder Derek Page of Edwardsville will join the Panthers after batting .374 in his junior season. Page hit four home runs in a season which would take Edwardsville to the IHSA Elite Eight.

Another outfielder, Trey Russell, comes to the Panthers as the team’s only junior college transfer. Russell will join the Panthers after having a .364 batting average at Joliet Junior College. In his senior season at Urbana High School, Russell was an All-Big 12 Conference First Team Selection.

Ranked in the top 60 prospects in the state of Illinois, catcher/infielder Jason Scholl will join the Panthers following a season where he scored 32 runs for Glenbrook North High School.

Dominic Renzetti can be reached at 581-7942 or dcrenzetti@eiu.edu.