‘It’s super cool here’: Andrew Fischer has not played a game for Ole Miss, yet, but is already receiving fan mail

Coming off a disappointing 2023 season the Ole Miss baseball head coach Mike Bianco knew he had to make some big swings in the offseason to get the program back to a national-contender level. Andrew Fischer was one of those swings that connected, bringing him to Oxford.

The former Duke infielder hit the transfer portal and wanted to play on that proverbial big stage. Bianco offered Fischer that with Ole Miss and he jumped at the opportunity.

Playing in the Southeastern Conference is part of the allure and an easy sales pitch when it comes to recruiting high school prospects or seasoned players in the portal. In the six months Fischer has been been a Rebel he is making an impact and also realizing the community of support that is Ole Miss baseball.

“I wanted to play at a high level, on a big scene,” Fischer said during Friday’s media day. “Obviously, it’s fun to be playing on TV and whatnot. But when you stand out here, I mean even during a scrimmage there’s 200 people here sometimes. It’s a crazy feeling when people are watching you. There’s little kids staying after waiting for me to sign jerseys and sign autographs.”

Sure, Fischer signed things for fans back at Duke but there is a difference in that and what he has encountered from the fans coming to Oxford-University Stadium to watch fall ball scrimmages and preseason practices.

Things are taken to another level with Ole Miss fans.

“It’s super cool here. Like, I got fan mail the other day,” Fischer added. “Fans don’t even know who I am, yet. Coach is just bringing in papers and papers on top of papers into the locker room, ‘Here Fischer, this stack is for you.’ I’m opening them up and it’s like, ‘Welcome to Oxford.’ I think that’s super cool. Didn’t have anything like that at my old school.”

Ole Miss transfer Andrew Fischer provides the Rebels depth they did not have in 2023. (Photo by Sophia Jaramillo/Ole Miss Athletics.)

Ole Miss fans have taken a liking to Fischer before the season is even underway but he is also earning his stripes on the field.

Bianco revealed what would be the opening day lineup next Friday at Hawaii and Fischer, as expected, found his way onto the starting nine.

The sophomore transfer will man third base to start the 2024 campaign.

Of the 17 returners from last year’s team there is plenty of motivation to bounce back and not continue the downward slide two years removed from a national championship.

Fischer coming to Ole Miss brings a “chip on his shoulder” of his own after Duke missed out on Omaha last season, losing in the deciding Game 3 to Virginia in the Super Regional.

Despite being a new guy it is Fischer that is being sought out for advice on postseason experience with a team he did not play with a year ago.

“They ask me what’s it feel like to lose in a Super Regional? Some of these guys have not lost in a Super Regional,” Fischer said. “So I’m playing with my own chip on my shoulder. Because it was at my finger tips. Woke up that day, maybe a couple things go different and find myself in Omaha instead of back home in New Jersey.

“These guys don’t really talk much about last year. It’s kind of the, ‘It’s happened. It’s over with and we move on.’”

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