Reading’s Ty Mathieu Balances Baseball and Business Through Creative Design

This story was contributed by Austin Prep, a Patch Community Partner. The views shared reflect the author’s perspective and feature real experiences from the Austin Prep community.

For many high school students, balancing academics and athletics is already a demanding equation. For Ty Mathieu ’27 of Reading, that balance includes something more: building a creative business rooted in design.

Mathieu, a junior at Austin Prep and a pitcher on the school’s baseball team, has launched Mathieu Media, a graphic design venture driven by his passion for sports and design.

“I’ve always loved creative stuff, especially online,” Mathieu said. “When I was younger, I would watch YouTube videos about making graphics. I was always interested in it.”

That interest took on new direction during his first graphic design class.

“That was the first time I actually really did it,” he said. “I realized how much I enjoyed the creative process and having the freedom to experiment.”

What began as coursework quickly expanded into something more visible.

Developing a Creative Voice Across Campus

Mathieu’s work gained traction when he stepped into a need within Austin Prep’s student-run athletics Instagram account. With a graduating senior no longer producing graphics, Mathieu saw an opening.

“There was no one doing graphics for any of the games,” he said. “I thought this was the chance to put my work out there.”

He began designing regularly, creating promotional graphics for games across multiple seasons.

“I always tried to switch it up,” Mathieu explained. “I never wanted to put the same person twice. If there was a theme for a game, I tried to incorporate that.”

The consistency of his work quickly drew attention across campus.

“It was rewarding because people were responding so positively to my work,” he said. “It gave me confidence, and that inspired me to keep getting better.”

His designs eventually reached a wider audience, including a milestone graphic celebrating baseball coach JP Pollard’s 100th career win.

“That was one of my favorite ones I’ve ever made,” Mathieu said. “Getting 100 wins is a big deal. It felt important making that.”

Outside of design, Mathieu’s creative interests continued to expand. After receiving a camera, he began capturing photos and video at Austin Prep games, further developing his skills through platforms like Adobe After Effects and Lightroom.

“I kind of fell in love with everything to do with media,” he said.

When Passion Turned Into Entrepreneurship

The transition from student designer to business owner happened organically. A college commitment graphic created for teammate Bradley McCafferty, last year’s Massachusetts Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year and a University of Virginia commit, sparked interest among other students.

“A lot of people would DM me or talk to me in person,” Mathieu said. “They’d ask if they could have their own.”

What might have been an awkward conversation became surprisingly natural.

“The first question would always be, ‘How much are you charging?’” he said.

Mathieu Media was born.

“I started doing them for teammates, and it quickly turned into something people were willing to pay for,” Mathieu said. “I’ve done dozens. I don’t even know how many at this point.”

The work itself reflects significant time and refinement.

“Bradley’s took me eight to ten hours,” Mathieu said. “That was the first time I ever did a full jersey swap, where you digitally replace a player’s uniform to match their college team.”

As his skills developed, turnaround times improved.

“Now it depends on the graphic,” he said. “Some take an hour. Others can take four or five.”

While Mathieu acknowledges the growing influence of artificial intelligence in design, he views it as a complement rather than a substitute.

“I actually use AI for some things,” he said. “But I feel like it’s not going to have that personal style.”

A Student Business Meets Professional Trust

Mathieu’s entrepreneurial initiative recently intersected directly with Austin Prep’s marketing efforts. After learning about Mathieu Media, Chief Marketing Officer Brett Rudy made a deliberate decision to engage the student designer for a professional project.

“I was planning to have our graphic designer handle the baseball recruiting posters,” Rudy said. “Ty knows the school, understands the brand, and lives inside this program every day.”

The posters, designed to support Austin Prep baseball recruiting efforts across training facilities in Massachusetts and beyond reflect Mathieu’s ability to blend creative skill with institutional awareness.

“He did an outstanding job,” Rudy said. “Ty has an excellent future in business ahead of him.”

For Mathieu, the experience reinforced the tangible impact of his work.

“It’s cool seeing something you made actually being used,” he said.

Creativity, Discipline, and Long-Term Vision

Mathieu’s path reflects an intersection of creativity and discipline shaped by both design and athletics. A lifelong baseball player, he recognizes the parallels between refinement on the field and continuous improvement in his creative work.

“You’re always adjusting things,” he said. “Trying to make something better.”

Mathieu also hopes he can one day be his own client. In high school athletics, a college commitment is often marked by a ceremonial signing, where a student publicly announces their decision alongside coaches, teammates, and family. “I’d love to eventually make my own commitment graphic,” Mathieu said. “That would be a pretty cool full circle moment for me.”

Looking ahead, Mathieu sees business as a central part of his academic future.

“I want to study either accounting or economics,” he said. “I definitely want to continue growing Mathieu Media.”

For now, Mathieu Media continues to expand largely through word of mouth, fueled by a steady stream of student-athletes seeking custom designs.

“I’ve never really advertised myself,” he said.

Yet his work is already visible across campus, athletic programs, and now, regional recruiting efforts.

What began as a creative passion has evolved into something far more tangible: a student building real-world experience while still navigating high school.

And like his fastball, Mathieu’s journey remains very much in motion.

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Interested in attending Austin Prep in Reading, MA and engaging in hands-on, real-world experiences in media, design, athletics, and entrepreneurship? Learn more about Austin Prep academic programs, or complete an inquiry form to begin your journey.