Hello, Big 10! Galesburg graduate will play baseball for Michigan State. Meet Noah Matheny

GALESBURG — Noah Matheny is moving on.

After two seasons as a member of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's baseball team, Matheny is heading to East Lansing, Michigan, and the 2020 Galesburg High School grad will take the mound for Michigan State University. 

Matheny, who missed out on playing for the Silver Streaks as a senior due to the coronavirus pandemic wiping out the 2020 season, was named to the Ohio Valley Conference All-Newcomer team, as a freshman, and Matheny became the Cougars' Friday night starter.

Matheny enjoyed his time while at SIUE, but performing on a bigger stage was appealing, so he entered the NCAA's transfer portal once the 2022 season concluded. He landed with the Spartans thanks to the Cougars' mentor, Sean Lyons.

"The way Michigan State got my name was actually from my old head coach Sean Lyons," Matheny said Tuesday night while sitting on a bench near Galesburg's Jim Sundberg Field. "The recruiting coordinator for Michigan State, Graham Sikes, was sitting next to Sean at a baseball game and was talking baseball and about how they needed a pitcher, and Sean gave him my name and my phone number, and he called me.

"I threw a bullpen for Michigan State and it all came about 10 or 11 days after the initial contact and me signing with them. It happened really fast. It was just crazy how it all worked out, and it really worked out well for me," added the 19-year-old. "Every kid wants to go to the Big Ten, a Power 5 school. It's surreal.

"Walking on a campus that's 15,000 people bigger than the town you grew up in is something I could have never envisioned. It's a dream."

Matheny hasn't missed a beat

As a GHS junior, Matheny appeared in 12 games. He allowed 17 runs (10 earned) on 28 hits, struck out 84 and walked 18 for a 1.37 ERA and a 7-3 record with a save in 51 innings. Foes had a meager .145 batting average against him.

And despite not being able to rep the Streaks in 2020, Matheny's mentality didn't change before joining SIUE. The loss of his final high school season only motivated him more.

More: Noah Matheny's SIUE bio

"My mindset really didn't change that much. The approach that I brought to the table and to my game stayed the same," Matheny said. "What changed was I really learned not to take anything for granted. Things had always been great for me. That team was loaded and was the dream team for Galesburg High School at the time.

"I just think having something taken away from me so quickly really just taught me not to take anything for granted," Matheny added. "If anything, it made the chip on my shoulder a little bit bigger and it made me work much harder."

Last spring, Matheny allowed 51 runs (42 earned) on 90 hits, struck out 57 and issued 24 walks for a 5.23 earned run average and 5-4 record in 72 1/3 innings of action — 15 appearances and 11 starts for the Cougars. He finished second on the team in wins, and Matheny was fourth — second among SIUE's starters — in ERA. Five of his 11 starts lasted at least six innings with three more going at least five.

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Due to an injury, Matheny pitched on just three occasions for the Cougars in 2022. He allowed six runs (four earned) on 12 hits, fanned a dozen and walked six in 13 2/3 frames of work for a 2.63 ERA and 1-1 record.

"I had some tearing in my labrum and my rotator cuff. They were both very minor. The problem wasn't so much structural damage. It was inflammation," Matheny said. "I got a cortisone shot. I did physical therapy for six weeks and thankfully it was something that didn't require surgical intervention. I'm thankful that is all it was.

"After 12 weeks of not throwing, I was able to pick up a baseball again, and it's going great now."

Matheny wants to 'take a job'

Just like he did while donning a uniform for SIUE, Matheny aims to earn a spot in Michigan State's starting rotation. He wants to pitch for the Spartans on Friday nights.

"The game plan doesn't change. I understand that I'm coming in as an injured guy from the portal as a redshirt sophomore and my goal is still to go out there and throw Friday nights," Matheny said. "I understand nothing is given to me but that's not going to make me doubt myself at all. If I have to go take a job then I'm going to and that's not a knock on anyone there. That's just my mindset and the way I handle business, and it's worked for me so far."

Indeed it has for Matheny, who plans to major in marketing at Michigan State.

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Matheny throws five different pitches

Matheny's pitching arsenal includes a four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, changeup, slider and curveball. The latter is a work in progress.

"I kind of throw a lot of pitches but when it comes to fooling somebody you kind of want more options," Matheny said. "I've always tried my best to throw and command multiple pitches because it gives you a one up on the batter and other guys around you.

"Some guys don't have that versatility to throw that many pitches for strikes, and I think that's always given me an edge. It's always worked for me."

What does Matheny love about hardball?

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As the seasons and years have gone by, Matheny's love for baseball has grown. What's he love about the game?

"I think that's a really hard question to ask because truly I love every part of it. Yeah going in a game and dominating is fun, but I only get to do that once a week. I think the thing that I love the most is just the grind," Matheny said. "I'd almost go as far to say that I love the process of it more than I love the game. Showing up to practice every day, playing catch, focusing on your fielding drills, focusing on your pitch grips, the baseball IQ, learning how to hold runners, the counts and the pitches you learn to throw in counts.

"I love the fact that you can get so deep into the analytical side of the game now. It's so much more than just going out and throwing a baseball," Matheny added. "In theory baseball is a very simple game, and I think the part of the game I love the most is the more complex it gets the more interested I get.

"I just love baseball, and I love it more and more every year."

Matheny hopes to become a Major Leaguer

Matheny began playing baseball as a 4 year old, and he dreams of playing Major League Baseball down the road.

"If it all goes well, I'll be throwing baseballs for the rest of my life. That's a lot easier said than done," Matheny said. "I've never had the mentality that a dream was too big for me to accomplish and that's what I'm going to continue to do.

"There is no dream too big to chase. The only person holding you back is yourself."

Matthew Wheaton can be reached at (309) 315-6073 or at mwheaton@register-mail.com. Follow him on Twitter @matthewlwheaton

This article originally appeared on Galesburg Register-Mail: NCAA Baseball: Galesburg grad Matheny transfers to Michigan State