Boss Roy Keane has praised academy head Sammy Morgan and U18s coach Chris Kiwomya after handing professional contracts to all seven of this season’s final year scholars last week.
Centre-half Tom Eastman, midfielders Luke Hyam, David Cawley, Jamie Griffiths and Billy Clark, and striker Ronan Murray have all been handed one-year deals, while full-back Seb Dunbar is contracted until September.
Keane told the club site: "It's reward for the good work that Sammy Morgan and Chris Kiwomya have done at the academy to see all seven getting contracts.
"The boys have done well, but contracts mean little to me. It's about what they do next season that counts.
"Getting a professional contract is the easy part. They will be out of the comfort zone of the academy now and it will be about how they progress next season.
"The hard work really starts for them now and we will be looking at the boys playing regularly in the reserves next season and staking their claim for a place in the first team."
Eastman is likely to be the first of the seven to make his league debut having been on the bench for the last two matches.