With the COVID-19 outbreak forcing the cancelation of all high school spring sports, local high seniors were forced to deal with the abrupt reality that their prep careers were over. A group of these student-athletes were members of the Cincinnati Reds RBI program, many of who were also regulars at the P&G Cincinnati MLB Youth Academy over the years. With our Senior Spotlight series, the Reds want to recognize these players for their efforts and wish them well in their future endeavors, both on and off the field.

While a bright future lies ahead for Roger Bacon (Ohio) High School senior Dillon Fischer, he can’t help but think about the 2020 spring baseball season as the ultimate what could have been.

In 2019, Roger Bacon made its first trip to the Ohio High School Athletic Association state baseball tournament in 51 years. While the Spartans fell short in the state semis, Fischer and his teammates knew they were losing only three seniors and had 10 returning juniors ready to make a stamp on their final high school season. Eighty-five years after the first and only baseball state championship in Roger Bacon history, Fischer and the Spartans had a team capable of adding to the school’s trophy case.

“Only losing three players, we felt like we had a great shot,” he said. “The team we played last year in the semis, they won state. But we had seven or eight errors in a span of two innings during that game. We were fine before the game but when one we got on the field, I think the pressure kind of got to us. So we felt like we were going to be ready this time around.”

Being part of a group that won more games than any team in the last half century of your school’s history is a special accomplishment. But playing with Cincinnati RBI also gave Fischer some fond memories.

Over the past two years, Fischer played in the Commissioner’s Cup. The 2019 team reached the finals before falling to New Orleans in the championship game. Fischer pitched in the team’s opening game win against Compton that helped set up its march to the finals.

“I am extremely impressed with Dillon’s toughness and his leadership abilities,” Reds RBI head coach Mark Fowler said. “Dillon demanded to be the starting pitcher against one of the toughest opponents in the MLB RBI program, Compton RBI. I gave him the ball, and he dominated the game from start to finish.

“However, his pitching performance was overshadowed by his leadership skills. During the game against Compton and the four other games we played, he graciously disseminated positive direction and discussed best strategies with his coaches and teammates. His understanding of the philosophy and messaging earned him the nickname, ‘Coach Fischer.’”

But for Fischer, it wasn’t just playing in or being a part of the actual games that was so special. What he remembers most are the things that happened off the field. There was the team’s tradition of getting a tropical smoothie before every game of the 2019 Commissioner’s Cup in Cleveland. Or the year before during the Reds RBI’s trip to Washington, D.C., for the inaugural Commissioner’s Cup, there was an especially late night that he’ll never forget.

“A couple of the kids on our team stayed up past curfew so Coach Fowler had the whole team run laps outside the hotel at like midnight and then talked to us for three hours after that about life lessons,” Fischer said.

With three years of RBI and high school ball behind him, Fischer’s sights for this fall are now set on attending Earlham College in Richmond, Ind., where he will continue his baseball career.

“Though athletics were a big factor, I also knew education mattered most,” he said.

Fischer wasn’t always confident that he would get the opportunity to play college baseball. For him, it didn’t become real until he got his first offer. But for his family and coaches, there was never a doubt. Fischer cites his dad as his biggest role model for always pushing him to play at his fullest potential and do his best on and off the field. He is also grateful for his coaches at the Reds Youth Academy putting him in the position he is in today.

“Dillon is an amazing person, player and born leader,” Fowler said. “He is self-motivated and dedicated to helping in the community. Earlham is getting a great person who will fit nicely into their academic and athletic program.”