Trevor Harden is easy to spot on the field.

He’s the New Mexico Junior College player with the long, blond locks.

“I’ve heard some people say, ‘There goes that pitcher with the long hair,’ ” Harden said.

New Mexico pitching coach Cory Hall would give him a hard time about his long hair.

“We were kidding around in the dugout,” Hall said. “Then he told us what he was growing it for. If he’s not, he’s doing a good job pulling our legs.”

The freshman right-hander isn’t trying to pick up girls. He’s got a girlfriend.

In fact, Kendall Castles, Harden’s high-school sweetheart, inspired him to grow his hair long for the Locks of Love organization.

Locks of Love is public, non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical hair loss, including cancer.

“My girlfriend cut her hair and donated it to Locks of Love,” Harden said.

“She’s just one of those people always thinking of others. She grew her hair and gave it to someone else.”

Castles encouraged Harden to do the same.

“I don’t know anyone with cancer, but hopefully I can get to know someone with it,” Harden said. “I thought about doing it in high school, but our coach would not let his players grow their hair long.”

So Harden decided to grow it this year. He hasn’t cut his hair since he enrolled in college.

It’s six inches now and needs to grow another 1-3 inches before it can be cut and donated.

Harden said he has tried to get his teammates to do the same.

“A couple of them thought about it, but the weather was too hot,” he said.

“It doesn’t bother me. I like the hot weather. I’m from Florida.”

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Allen Gemaehlich can be reached via e-mail at agemaehlich@gjds.com.