Timberwolves’ strikeout king Cole Darnell commits to California’s Lassen College

SANDIA PARK — East Mountain High School ace Cole Darnell has officially traded the high desert for the Sierra Nevadas, signing his commitment to continue his baseball career at Lassen College in Susanville, California.

Darnell, a cornerstone of the Timberwolves’ rotation for the last four years, heads to California as the most prolific strikeout pitcher in East Mountain history. Over his four-year varsity career, the right-hander amassed a program-record 209 strikeouts, cementing his legacy as a dominant force in New Mexico’s Class 3A.

Darnell’s senior campaign has been a masterclass in efficiency. Through 18 games this season, he has posted a 2.42 ERA across 37.2 innings of work, recording 49 strikeouts against just 13 walks. His versatility has also shone at the plate, where he is batting .480 with 12 hits and 11 RBIs, helping the Timberwolves maintain their status as a postseason threat.

He joins a Lassen Cougars program that is currently firing on all cylinders under head coach Frank Avilla. The Cougars are enjoying a standout 2026 season, sporting a 27-13 overall record and an 18-7 mark in the Golden Valley Conference. Lassen enters the final stretch of their season on a seven-game winning streak, currently sitting in second place in the conference standings behind Feather River.

The Cougars have established a reputation for player development, with a 100% transfer rate for sophomores moving on to four-year universities over the last 16 years.

An added plus is Darnell is joining his Timberwolf teammate Christopher Moya who announced his commitment to the Hustling Cougs’ program yesterday.

For Darnell, the move represents the next step in a journey that saw him transform from a promising freshman starter into the standard-bearer for East Mountain pitching. He leaves the program holding a record that local observers believe could stand for years to come.

Darnell’s next goal is helping the Timberwolves win a state championship and also adding a few more strikeouts to his school-record total.