Petal's Fischer Howell staying home to play for Diamond Dawgs

Shortly after his visit towards the beginning of this month, Fischer Howell explained that he didn’t know exactly when his commitment would come, but it would come when he just felt right.

On Monday afternoon, Howell felt it. It was time to make the call and he knew exactly where he wanted to be. His heart was in Starkville and playing for Mississippi State baseball.

“It was tough, but Mississippi State was always number one in my mind. When you’re in the SEC, everything is going to be nice. At the end of the day, a facility is not going to make your decision. It would have been hard to tell this staff no for all that they’ve done for me and my family.”

The Petal standout made his decision after getting pushed by other SEC schools like Tennessee, Georgia and Ole Miss and also from nearby Southern Miss. He visited USM, State, Tennessee and Ole Miss his final visit coming this past weekend at Oxford. A visit to State back in the first of September really set the tone for him as he had a chance to see campus and the facilities for the first time as a recruit.

As a kid that grew up in a family that frequented Dudy Noble Field during his childhood, having an opportunity to wear the M over S was somewhat of a dream. Now he’s made that dream a reality.

“It’s hard to beat that stadium and that coaching staff. That’s the best staff in the country and that’s really what sold it for me,” Howell said. “That staff has the most big leaguers which speaks for itself. I don’t think there’s been a week that’s gone by where I haven’t talked to at least one person on that staff. I talk to pretty much one of them every single day and that says a lot about who they are. Everything is really genuine and honest and honesty is a big thing.”

Culture under O’Connor already showing for recruits like Howell

One of the things that impressed Howell on his visit to State earlier this month was the camaraderie of the team.  He spent a lot of time getting to talk to players like Bryce Chance and got a feel of how things are in the locker room.

The sense of a brotherhood within this State team was something that stuck out to him as he said that a team with several new faces had meshed with the veterans in an uncommon way. That speaks to the nature of the program under O’Connor and the type of players that the coach and his staff have gathered.

“I can tell that the guys love being with each other. If I didn’t know that certain players were transfers, I would just assume they’ve all been playing ball together for years,” Howell said. ”If that’s how it is when they haven’t been there for a year, I can only imagine what it’s like when they’re there for two years. That was a big part of the decision for me.”

 Last season with Petal, Howell had a breakthrough sophomore campaign as he mashed for the Panthers. He batted .425 in Class 7A with 31 hits, 35 runs, 15 RBI, 10 doubles, four home runs and two triples over the course of 25 ball games.

He was third baseman for the Panthers but will be playing shortstop for his team this season as a junior. The plan for him on the next level is not yet settled, but the coaching staff likes his versatility and can use him in a multitude of ways.

“Me and coach O’Connor actually had dinner last Monday and talked. They want me to play all three infield spots except for first base. If that doesn’t work out, they can move me to outfield,” Howell said. “They like that I’m athletic, I can move, swing from both sides and that helps. I’m a competitor, really.”

Now that his commitment is made, Howell has a chance to have a special two years with his high school teammates. He’s the second Petal Panther to join the Maroon and White the last two years as his former teammate Tanner Beliveau is currently taking part in fall ball with the Bulldogs as a two-way player.

The opportunity to potentially play with Beliveau again is intriguing, but Howell is also just excited to join a program with the rich tradition of the Diamond Dawgs.

“It’s awesome. I wouldn’t say that’s why I chose Mississippi State, but it’s a major perk,” Howell said of Beliveau. “That’s like my brother. He’s been texting me every day since I left and was asking when I was going to commit. Now that I’ve committed, it’s like a breath of fresh air but there’s work to be done. I still have to keep working.”