Hendershot Finds Future Home At Eastern Michigan

Fischer Hendershot RHP / 3B / Powers Catholic, MI / 2024

FLUSHING - An impressive performance at the PBR Border Battle gave Eastern Michigan a good look at what Fischer Hendershot can do on the mound. It was not long after when the Powers Catholic senior made his college commitment.

“I came out of the bullpen and had a great outing,” Hendershot reflected on his accomplishment at the event in Toledo in late summer when he faced nine batters in three innings. “I reached out to (head) coach (Robbie) Britt a week after and we had a phone call. He gave me pitching coach (Craig) Prince’s number and we talked. After that I went on a visit. I knew as soon as I went there it was right for me.”

There were other visits and offers, all but one from schools in Michigan, but the 34th-rated 2024 right-handed pitcher in the state realized that EMU was the perfect fit.

“I felt a connection with the coaches,” Hendershot explained. “Coach Britt talks about making you a good person first and then baseball and I really like that. I feel the facilities and school will make me the person I want to be. I just felt it was best for me as a person and as an athlete.”

Eastern found a lot to admire about the 6-4 200-pounder, who turned 18 on Sept. 4.

“They really like how I project on the mound with my size,” Hendershot said. “They felt my arm slot was a little different. They also felt I was a competitor, they really like the way that I compete.”

The idea of going on to play at the next level in the sport of baseball is only a recent development.

“I always loved playing baseball but never thought about college baseball until I got to high school,” Hendershot admitted. “I just lived in the moment. But once I got to high school I saw teammates getting recruited and thought that’s what I wanted to do. I did a PBR my sophomore year after I saw a friend getting recruited, so I wanted to do that.”

It was the beginning of a “stressful” recruiting process according to Hendershot.

“I started doing camps the summer before my junior year,” Hendershot related. “That got me in conversations with coaches. In the fall I joined USA Prime and that was a difference-maker. Every tournament had coaches there. We did a lot of PBRs and coaches are there, they know good players will be at PBR tournaments.”

Ironically, before college entered his thoughts Hendershot was only a position player.

“I never pitched until high school,” Hendershot said. “But I played for one of my high school assistant coaches almost my whole life and he always told me I was going to be a pitcher.”

Improvement came once he began pitching more.

“Last summer I only topped out at 82 with a flat fastball and wasn’t consistent with my offspee,” Hendershot explained. “But I’ve learned about mechanics and what it takes to be a pitcher. I learned baseball is a sport of ups and downs, you’ve got to realize that. Developing through USA Prime, I feel I know how to pitch now.”

With a top velo of 89, Hendershot gives credit to Adam Bodary, Travis Wysocki and Brandon Reed with helping his pitching development along with high school coaches Dan Garman and Tom Dutkowski, while also pointing to Nick Swanson, Griff Green and Aaron Wilson for recruiting assistance in becoming an Eastern Michigan commit.

“The first visit I made to Eastern my mom was unable to make, so I visited a second time with the whole family where I committed in person,” Hendershot related. “I felt coach Britt was excited for me and I wanted to have everyone there. I know I’m going to be happy to call Eastern home for the next four years. It’s like family to me.”

The 122nd-ranked 2024 in Michigan is confident about what he can provide the Mid-American Conference program in Ypsilanti, an hour from his home in Flushing.

“I believe I’ll bring a competitor,” Hendershot pointed out. “I love baseball and I love to win. Losing is part of the game and I understand it’s going to happen, but I’ll bring a competitor that really wants to win.

“I think I can be a dominant pitcher in the MAC,” Hendershot added. “And I would love to win some MAC championships.”

That is just part of what Hendershot is looking forward to when it comes to a future at Eastern Michigan.

“Playing baseball and going to school, it’s going to determine my whole life,” concluded Hendershot, who carries a 4.13 GPA at Powers Catholic and is considering a major in business management. “I’m excited to play baseball, but academics come first. I’m just very blessed to be able to do this and can’t thank the people in my life enough for it.”