With the college baseball season now in full swing, two Longhorn stars are making headlines. On Wednesday, Dylan Volantis and Ruger Riojas were named to the National Pitcher of the Year Watch List. Through the first month of the season, the Longhorns duo has frustrated hitters and, at times, looked unhittable.
For Volantis, the 2026 campaign has been full of adjustments. It is his first full season as a starter, and he is making the transition seem effortless. In four games, the Texas native has posted a 1.54 ERA and struck out 29 batters. He has also held opponents to a .169 batting average and allowed four earned runs. His play has helped make the Texas pitching staff one of the best in the country.
While Volantis has thrived on Sunday’s Riojas has set the tone as the ace. The Wimberly High alum has posted a 1.23 ERA in 22 innings and struck out 42 batters. He has also made life difficult for his opponents, holding batters to a .143 batting average. Regardless of who the opponent has been, Riojas has given Texas a chance to win every time he steps on the mound.
Although the Longhorns duo is off to impressive starts, they do face competition. That includes Miami sophomore AJ Ciscar, Kansas State redshirt-senior Carson Liggett, Mississippi State’s Tomas Valincius, and Kansas junior Mathis Nayral. With the season far from over, that group should make things interesting over the next few weeks.
Regardless of how voting turns out, Volantis and Riojas have one goal in mind. That is to help the Longhorns end their title drought and bring a national title to Austin. With a talented roster, there is a high chance they will make that dream a reality.
As the season continues, the Longhorns will not be easy to face, partly because of their two-star pitchers, who are getting well-deserved national attention.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Longhorns pitching duo earns spot on national award watch list
Reporting by Jamie Gatlin, Longhorns Wire / Longhorns Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
