Cole Fenton has been telling Roaring Fork head coach Marty Madsen about his dreams of playing college baseball since kindergarten. On Wednesday, that dream took a big step forward.

Fenton, a Carbondale native and the 3A Western Slope’s strikeout leader, signed a letter of intent to pitch for the Mesa Community College Thunderbirds, a Division II junior college program in Arizona known for developing talent. He was joined at Roaring Fork High School by family, friends, coaches and teammates for the signing ceremony.

“I’m always focused on the next step, and the next step for me is finding success in college,” Fenton said. “I’m trying to better myself every day. Training has become part of my routine, and on days I don’t train, I feel like I’m doing something wrong.”

Located in the Phoenix metro area, Mesa Community College is led by longtime head coach Tony Cirelli. According to the program’s website, 60 of Cirelli’s players have gone on to be drafted or signed by professional teams — five of whom reached Major League Baseball.

“I looked at other schools, but there was no better fit than Mesa,” Fenton said. “The coach has been around the game for more than 40 years and sends a lot of guys to the next level. I wanted a warm place where I could develop year-round, and Mesa was the perfect fit.”

Madsen called Fenton a “cage rat” for the countless hours he spends refining his skills. Fenton doesn’t disagree.

“The work is my favorite part of the game,” he said. “I enjoy the grind of trying to get better and seeing progress on and off the field.”

He also said he was drawn to baseball because of how deeply failure is embedded in the game — particularly on the mound.

“Baseball is different from other sports because failure is part of it,” Fenton said. “It’s harder to succeed every time in baseball, so when success comes, it’s much more rewarding.”

That relentless drive has paid off. Now a senior, Fenton regularly throws in the high 80s and occasionally touches the low 90s, Madsen said.

“He’s always had great control and has always been a good pitcher,” Madsen said. “But when you add velocity, it becomes really tough to hit — and everybody saw that this year. He also looked closely at his mechanics and how to better use his frame to generate power.”

Fenton didn’t need the added velocity to dominate early in his high school career. In his first three seasons, he posted 224 strikeouts across 155.1 innings. By the end of his senior season, he had compiled 378 strikeouts through 210 innings and finished with a 2.90 ERA.

As a junior, he tied for the most strikeouts (130) in the entire state, regardless of classification. His 103 strikeouts this season led the 3A Western Slope and ranked eighth statewide.

But Madsen said Fenton’s impact extends beyond the diamond.

After leading Roaring Fork to its first Trent Goscha Memorial Tournament title — tossing a three-hit, 12-strikeout performance in the opening game — Fenton was awarded the Trent Goscha Scholarship.

The tournament is held annually in memory of Goscha, a former Roaring Fork player remembered for his love of baseball and good-natured mischief. The scholarship, funded by sales of “Be Kind” and “Stay Ornery” merchandise, goes to a player who exemplifies Goscha’s character. Recipients are free to use the money however they see fit.

“The scholarship means so much to me,” Fenton said. “It’ll help cover a good part of my tuition and housing, but it’s more than just money. It’s a reminder to honor Trent every step of the way — and that’s my goal as I move on to the next level.”