Texas Longhorns' ace left-hander Dylan Volantis has put up gaudy numbers in the SEC the past two seasons despite being young for the level, and he hasn't gotten enough credit. His dominance has come in large part due to the things he does on the mound — things that may not be comparable to anyone in recent memory.
It all starts with Volantis' operation and release characteristics. The craze in recent years has centered around the low-launch, flat-approach-angle fastball that carries at the top of the zone. But there are two sides to the coin with vertical approach angle, and while the low, flat angle is sexy, the other, less heralded inverse, is the high, downhill angle.
The flat approach angle lights up highlight reels, as it's built for getting whiffs on the fastball. But when done right, the downhill fastball can be effective, and Volantis may do it better …