FAYETTEVILLE — Five Arkansas high school baseball players signed with the Razorbacks during the early signing period for the Class of 2016.
Bryant leads the way with two players signing with Arkansas, while Beebe, Little Rock Catholic and Rogers each had one.
Right-handed pitcher Zach Jackson (no relation to current Arkansas pitcher with the same name) and outfielder/left-handed pitcher Evan Lee will be reunited with former high school teammate Blaine Knight, a freshman pitcher for the Razorbacks.
Jackson missed most of the 2015 season after having Tommy John surgery, but came back at the end of the year to toss seven scoreless innings and strike out nine batters.
Lee split his time between the mound and outfield last season, posting a 1.29 ERA in 32 2/3 innings and batting .298 with 14 RBIs. He is ranked as the top left-hander in Arkansas and 39th best in the country by Perfect Game.
The other in-state signees are also pitchers.
Beebe's Angus Denton, a right-handed pitcher, had 96 strikeouts and a 0.41 ERA in 51 innings in 2015.
Left-handed pitchers Harrison Heffley (42 strikeouts in 30 innings as a junior) from Rogers and Dylan Thompson (2.19 ERA in 64 innings as a junior) from Little Rock Catholic round out the Razorbacks' 2016 in-state early signees.
All five players are eligible for the 2016 Major League Baseball draft, but if they aren't drafted or don't sign professionally, they'll be on Arkansas' campus for the 2017 season.