CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois baseball head coach
Jason Anderson and his staff signed four new members to join the Panthers for the 2022 season. The signees consist of two right-handed pitchers and an infielder and outfielder.
Anderson is excited about the newest additions to the squad as he stated, "This is a very unique time in college baseball. With the current players obtaining another year of eligibility, we wanted to be certain we were getting the right fits to continue growing our program. I believe our assistants accomplished this in landing a very talented and athletic group of players. It will be exciting to see them develop into impact players in our league."
Joey Hagan
Hagan is a left-handed outfielder that played his high school baseball for Sam Lesniak of Johnsburg High School in Illinois. Hagan is poised to be a big addition to what he brings to an already stellar outfield. He brings quick speed, a good bat and a strong arm to the table for the Panthers. At the plate, he has a good lefty frame and solid plate coverage, along with the ability to put the ball in play around all parts of the field.
"Joey was the first player of this class to commit to us after seeing him at one of our showcases. He's a physical, left-handed bat that can run and throw. His athleticism and baseball ability fit the blueprint to the type of players we are looking to bring to the program," said Coach Anderson.
Chris WorcesterÂ
Worcester is a right-handed middle infielder that played high school baseball for Jerry Stanton at Lake Park High School in Illinois. Worcester has a physical frame that allows him to drive the baseball with power. On the defensive side, he is an athletic infielder with clean movement and a strong arm. This makes him a versatile infielder that could find success at any infield positions.
"He's another very athletic player from Chicago. He comes from a travel ball organization that we are very familiar with in the Longshots. He is going to be able to compete right away due to his athleticism, speed, hitting and versatility. I expect big things as he develops at our level," said Coach Anderson.
Tyler ConklinÂ
Conklin is a right-handed pitcher that played high school baseball for Jeff Suspenzi of Kaneland High School in Illinois. Conklin's fastball is quick as it hits upwards of 91 miles per hour. He works off his fastball with an above average slurve that he can throw for strike or out pitches. He is anticipated to be a major contributor to the pitching staff for Eastern Illinois.
"I am very excited about what Conklin is going to do in our program. He's an athletic thrower with a great arm and tremendous upside. He brings a nice slider in his repertoire. We noticed him very early in the recruiting process and he was a player that I thought would be an ideal fit for our staff," said Coach Anderson.
Jackson Nichols
Nichols is a right-handed pitcher that will transfer to EIU after playing for Julio Godinez of Lake Land College. Nichols throws the ball hard, and commands the zone with all of the pitches in his arsenal. Nichols can strike batters out, and having a player like that in Eastern Illinois pitching staff could be a great addition.
"He is a local guy that I've watched grow up during my time in Charleston. He has a great work ethic and tremendous upside. It's going to be fun working with him as we develop an already impressive fastball/slider combination. I have been waiting for the day we could get him in a Panther uniform," said Coach Anderson.
