Matthew Fisher’s name already has been etched in the Reitz Memorial High School baseball history books. Less than a month after graduating, he became the first Memorial player to earn Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year honors.
“It’s pretty surreal,” says Fisher, a 6-foot-3, 208-pound righthanded pitcher whose fastball touches 95 mph. “When you sit down in the winter and write out your goals, that was one of them. It’s cool and a really gratifying event.”
Fisher is expected to further cement his burgeoning legacy during the Major League Baseball amateur draft July 13-14 in Atlanta, Georgia. He is projected to be a mid-to-late first round or early second round selection and is riding a roller coaster of emotions, from excitement and anticipation to anxiety as he awaits the call.
“I’ve worked hard to put myself in the best position possible to ultimately play in the big leagues,” says Fisher, who posted a 6-0 record with a 0.76 earned run average and 61 strikeouts and 11 walks in 362/3 innings for Memorial, which finished 19-4 this spring. “It’s surreal to go through this process, to see your name mentioned (in draft projections). The process is surreal, but it does create anxiety and stress approaching the big day.”
Fisher is expected to be the Memorial graduate chosen highest in the MLB draft since Steve Obenchain and John Ambrose. Obenchain was named the 37th pick, in the supplemental section of the first round of the 2002 draft, following his junior year at the University of Evansville, by the then-Oakland Athletics. Ambrose was selected by the Chicago White Sox as the 41st overall pick, in the second round of the 1994 draft after his freshman year at John A. Logan, a junior college in Carterville, Illinois. Like Fisher, Obenchain and Ambrose were right-handed pitchers. “It’s pretty special,” Fisher says. ” … Being in the company of these guys is crazy.”
Fisher was a high school teammate of Ryan Obenchain, a righthanded pitcher who is Steve’s son. Ryan will be a senior at Memorial this fall. “It was pretty special to play with Steve’s son,” Fisher says. “I don’t know John Ambrose but am familiar with him. It’s pretty rich history, Memorial baseball. I’m grateful (to be a part of it).”
One mock draft, by ESPN, listed Fisher as the 26th selection in the first round by the Philadelphia Phillies, whose general manager is Central High School alumnus Preston Mattingly. Preston is the son of Memorial graduate Don Mattingly, the former New York Yankees star, manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins, and current Toronto Blue Jays bench coach.
“Obviously you see that stuff, but I’m not going to dwell on it,” Fisher says. “It is cool to see someone of that stature come out of Evansville and do incredible things. They’re an Evansville family. They put Evansville on the map. Obviously his dad (Don) went to Memorial, which is pretty cool, too. It would be awesome, but there’s no telling what will happen.”
The Athletic website lists Fisher as the No. 43 pick, owned by the Miami Marlins. Nos. 33-43 are the Competitive Balance Round A selections, the final picks of the first round. MLB.com projects Fisher as the 44th pick, the first selection of the second round, by the White Sox. MLB released the slot values to MLB.com entering the draft. The player picked 26th should get a $3,492,200 bonus. No. 43 should receive a $2,276,700 bonus while No. 44 should gain a $2,223,600 bonus.
Fisher recently returned from an invitation to attend a MLB Draft Combine at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, June 18-21. “The combine was an awesome experience,” he says. “It was super-good hospitality, and I was able to meet a lot of people. I just participated in interviews with clubs and felt extremely good about the way that all of them went.” He did not throw for anyone and said no particular team showed special interest.
Fisher also was chosen as a member of the South team that played the North in the annual Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association All-Star Series June 28-29 at Lafayette’s Loeb Stadium. He attended the weekend but chose not to play. “This period right now is kind of my time to pause on throwing and get ramped up again here soon,” he says.
Memorial coach Matt “Rip” Collins, who calls his star player “Fish,” says the pitcher starts with his overall work ethic and intense, yet controlled preparation.
“His attention to detail and mindset of continuing educating himself on what he can do to improve goes unmatched in my mind,” Collins says. “He has great command on the mound. He controls multiple pitches at different speeds and locations.”
Collins loved the fact that Fisher continued to play football, earning all-state honors at quarterback for the Tigers as a senior. “However, many times when he broke the pocket, I was holding my breath,” Collins says. “His competitive drive and relishing in the big moments paired with his never too high and never too low attitude made him a leader and a great teammate. I hope his daily approach will permeate to the younger players. … With all that being said, there is not a more caring young man who thinks about others before himself. We are extremely fortunate that Matthew Fisher was and will always be a Memorial Tiger.”
Fisher says the velocity on his fastball has gradually ticked up throughout his high school career. “I got to 95 this year,” he says. “I’ve done a lot of work in the weight room.”
He makes sure he gets enough sleep, hydrates, takes enough nutrients, and takes care of his powerful right arm. “I make sure I give my best every time,” says Fisher, whose sharp-breaking curve also is held in high regard.
Another cool connection? Chris Schaefer, Fisher’s pitching coach at Memorial, won the Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year honor pitching for Mater Dei High School in 1986.
FAMILY PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE
Fisher’s athletic prowess is in his blood. His mother, Crystal, was a catcher on the University of Southern Indiana softball team 1996-2000, which prepared her to catch her son’s fastball in bullpen practice sessions.
“I stopped getting down to catch him two years ago as he really started getting stronger and my reactions started to slow down,” Crystal says, adding that Matthew would take it a little easy on her so he could get her to fill in again if needed. “I was definitely not his primary catcher, but there were some times when he needed me to catch rather than throw into a net,” she says.
During shutdowns related to the COVID-19 pandemic, Matthew and his grandpa, Mike Fisher, built a portable pitching mound out of wood and turf so the pitcher could work on mound drills and occasionally throw a bullpen at home when he didn’t have other options. “The mound sits in our driveway, and that is where he would throw to me,” Crystal says. “I did not wear full gear, but did wear a mask.”
Matthew says he feels fortunate to have a mother tough enough to catch him. They still play catch occasionally, “nice and easy,” he says.
His father, Jason, also caught for Matthew in bullpen sessions until his eyesight started failing him a few years ago. “It’s really great that Crystal was able to catch him,” Jason says. “He’s a mama’s boy.”
Crystal and Jason met in 1997 through sports at USI. Jason played tennis for current USI athletics director Jon Mark Hall in 1995-97, while Crystal played softball for Beth Watson. Matthew, the lone pitcher in the family, didn’t take the mound until the seventh grade.
“There’s not really any magic (formula),” Jason says. “Matthew developed a love for the game at a very young age, and that has always fueled his drive to focus and work hard to achieve his goals. From early on and continuing through high school, he has been blessed to have many great coaches to help him develop.”
Matthew has always been one to give 100% in everything he does, whether in games and team practices, or on his own when no one is watching, Crystal says.”His constant pursuit to improve has been somewhat of an addiction,” she says. “Additionally, playing other sports has been such a benefit for him as an athlete, teammate, and competitor.”
As noted earlier, Matthew also was a standout football player. But baseball always has been his first love. “I love football and that is a big reason why I am the person I am today and an athlete,” he says. “But I have a deep passion for baseball and I want to play it as long as I can.”
His mother, who had a lumpectomy to remove a breast lump in December 2024, has undergone chemo and radiation. After undergoing treatment, there currently is no evidence of disease. “Fortunately, they caught it early,” Jason says.
Although Fisher sustained a small fracture on his pitching elbow being tackled as a sophomore playing football, he has shown no ill effects from his injury. Manning third base when he did not pitch for Memorial, Fisher signed a scholarship to play baseball for Indiana University. But the big money offered to a top MLB draft choice will be awfully difficult to pass up.
“I fully intend to go to IU,” he says. “I will let the process play out. We’ll see what happens.”
OBENCHAIN, AMBROSE AMONG EVANSVILLE’S TOP MLB DRAFT PICKS
Steve Obenchain, a 6-5, 220-pound righthander, was chosen as the 37th pick of the supplemental section of the first round of the 2002 MLB Draft out of the University of Evansville by the Oakland A’s. The highest level the Memorial grad reached during his minor league career from 2002-07 was Double-A. He concluded his playing days with the Evansville Otters of the independent Frontier League in ’07.
Chosen in the second round of the 1994 draft as the 41st selection overall by the Chicago White Sox, John Ambrose lifted Memorial to the 1993 state championship. The tempestuous 6-5, 180-pounder was called up to the parent St. Louis Cardinals for a day game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in June 2000, but was sent back to Double-A Arkansas the same night. Andy and Alan Benes also were on the Cardinals’ roster, almost assuredly the only time in history that three Evansville natives were on the same MLB team at the same time. Ambrose never did pitch in the majors.
