Western Kentucky baseball coach John Pawlowski announced Monday the addition of eight future Hilltoppers who will join the program for the 2018-19 season.

The early signing class includes six pitchers, one catcher and an outfielder. The group is comprised of four junior college transfers and four high school signees:

• Reese Brewer, RHP — Walters State Community College (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
• Thomas Cessna, RHP — Lincoln Trail College (Sacramento)
• Hunter Evans, C — South Warren High School (Bowling Green)
• Jack Lambert, LHP — Parkland College (St. Charles, Ill.)
• Evan Snyder, RHP — Parkland College (Ottawa, Ill.)
• Cameron Stiglich, RHP — Sayre School (Lexington)
• Drew Strohm, LHP — Fort Zumwalt West High School (O’Fallon, Mo.)
• Jackson Swiney, OF — Parkway West High School (Manchester, Mo.)

Evans signed his National Letter of Intent last month. The 6-foot-3 catcher had a .330 batting average in 2017 as a junior, with half of his 33 hits being extra-base hits. Evans drove in 26 runs and had a .953 on-base plus slugging percentage.

As a sophomore in 2016, Evans batted .347 with 35 hits, 23 RBIs and a .968 OPS.

“Hunter is a local product who has been committed to us for a long time,” Pawlowski said in a news release. “He has become part of our family and we look forward to having him in our locker room next fall. On the field, Hunter has had the opportunity to play and compete with some of the best players in the country as his skill level has continued to improve.

“We look for Hunter to have a great senior year at South Warren for Coach (Chris) Gage and to be a huge piece in the future of Hilltopper Baseball.”

The Hilltoppers open up the 2018 season on the road with a three-game series at Memphis (Feb. 16-18), then return to Bowling Green for the home opener against Belmont on Feb. 20.

WKU posted records last season of 16-39 overall and 6-24 in Conference USA.