Cole Fontenelle

Los Angeles Angels - INF

At what age did you decide you wanted to play baseball beyond high school?

Playing baseball beyond high school was a goal that I've had since I was five years old. Playing professionally was always my dream and I haven't wanted to do anything else since then. 

At what point did you commit to the college you would play baseball at? What made you feel like that was the right time to do so? How did you decide that school was the best fit for you? Did you feel pressure(s) along the way? 

I committed to play at the University of Washington October of my junior year and at the time of my recruitment it was considered somewhat of a late commitment. I really wanted to make sure that I had explored every option and visited all the schools I was seriously considering. 

I felt that it was the right time to commit because I had seen all the schools and met with all the coaches. Unfortunately, schools only have 11.7 scholarships for a full team, and it would've been a disservice to them if I waited any longer. There's always going to be some pressures along the way and it's easy to get caught up in hype of people committing to schools but it's a process that shouldn't be rushed.

What has been your favorite part of your baseball career so far?

My favorite part of my baseball career so far is a tough question for me to answer. I made some of my best memories with my travel ball teams growing up. I was fortunate enough to play with the same core of players since I was 8 years old until I was 18 and a lot of these guys are still my best friends. I also loved my time at McLennan CC. It was here that I had my best confidence and it was great to be a part of such a great team. 

What did you learn about the recruiting process by going through it? What did you wish you had known sooner?

One thing that I learned about the recruiting process, and one thing I wish I knew sooner was that the coaching staff that recruits you should be the ones you commit to. It can be hard sometimes because the turnover of coaches in college baseball happens all the time but having a relationship with the head coach and your specific coach (hitters with hitting coach and pitchers with pitching coach) is very important. Another thing I wish I would've done was talk with multiple current players. Often on visits you will have time to meet with players. Ask them about the different coaching styles and their weekly schedule. Often the players (who, by the way, are also recruiting you) can give a better perspective than a coach can. 

What would be something you'd want a player who follows in your footsteps to know or consider?

For a player following in my footsteps, I'd want them to know that often coaches will talk about how their school will help you develop. All schools are going to have long practice hours dedicated to improving your defense, swing, and understanding the game. Development is going to come from playing. If you feel that you have an awesome shot to play as a freshman and there's spots open where you play then that works out great. My sophomore year of college I left UW and went to a Community College and I had a chance to play every day. In total (McLennan and summer ball) I had over 400 plate appearances and was able to make the best strides with my entire game that I have ever had. For me, going to the community college was a choice of choosing my own destiny.