Today, Bronco baseball announces the fourth member of its incoming class of freshman for 2014-15, Austin Fisher. The shortstop currently attends Acalanes High School in Lafayette, Calif., about one hour north of the Mission Campus.
"I chose Santa Clara University because of the coaching staff, great baseball facilities and exceptional academics," Fisher said. "I first met the coaches at a prospect camp and I liked their philosophies and their old-school style of baseball. I also liked how they stress the fundamentals of baseball and playing the game the right way along with their emphasis on the team being a family and playing for each other."
Under head coach Justin Santich-Hughes in 2013, the Acalanes Dons finished 21-7 en route to their third consecutive North Coast Section tournament championship. During the season, Fisher was named to the 2013 Willie Stargell Easter Classic All-Tournament Team. He also won the Diablo Foothill Athletic League Gold Glove Award at shortstop.
The 5-foot-9, 165-pound prospect went 8-for-12 with four doubles in the 2013 Reebok NorCal World Series, and in fall 2013, hit .400 for the Seattle Mariners scout team.
"Every time we saw Austin play, he would do something that was totally electric either offensively or defensively and after seeing him a bunch we realized it wasn't a fluke," pitching coach/recruiting coordinator Gabe Ribas said. "He plays with an extremely high motor and pairs great feet and hands with a big-time arm. Austin is a coach's son, and it reflects in his baseball IQ. I think we were lucky to get a guy like Austin when other schools were passing on him."
Fisher's hobbies and interests include baseball and golf. He will begin with an undeclared major in the College of Arts & Sciences.
"I was also attracted to Santa Clara because of the quality education and smaller classroom sizes," Fisher said.
His father, John, played baseball and coached at UC Santa Barbara and also played minor league baseball in the California Angels' system.
Bronco baseball will introduce its next player, catcher Braden Frankfort, on December 30.