Dylan Bundy can throw 100 mph and is likely to be a high MLB Draft pick

Dylan Bundy knew the grin. He's seen it more than a few times in his two years pitching at Owasso (Okla.). But the smirk on assistant coach Steve Holleman's face hinted at something a little different this day. Something a little special.

Bundy was on his way to his usual postgame routine April 16, first hitting the coach's office for the weight room key, when Holleman poked his head out wearing that interesting grin … "Hey, Dylan," Holleman said, in his slow, smooth Southern accent, "you hit 100 mph today."

"Cool," replied Bundy, raising a quick smile as he grabbed the weight room key.

Then off he went for a 25-minute run on the treadmill. Bundy didn't scream at the ceiling with fists clenched, or punch the walls. In fact, you wouldn't be able to tell at all that the 6-foot-1, 195-pound senior right-handed fireballer was told he hit 100 mph for the first time in his life.

It's just the way Bundy is: An exceptionally grounded 18-year-old whose maturity on the mound belies his age, as does his otherworldly pitching skills. Little fazes him — even when he's told he's done something he's waited his whole life to do — like hit the century mark.

Bundy is experiencing one of those seasons for the ages. Though that's not too surprising, considering Bundy is one of Oklahoma's high school pitchers for the ages. He's one of the best — if not, the best — high school pitcher in the country and he should go anywhere from second to 14th overall in the Major League Draft on June 8, according to some projections.

Through May 6, Bundy, a University of Texas commit, was 10-0 with an unfathomable 0.22 ERA (and 0.36 WHIP). What's even more mind boggling is that he's thrown 147 strikeouts in 64 innings and yielded just five walks - five walks.

He's surrendered two earned runs this season, given up a mere 18 hits, mostly of the bloop-find-a-safe-place-to-land variety, and has tossed one no-hitter and six one-hitters.

Bundy is a major reason why the Rams are 34-1 overall this season and ranked No. 1 in the country in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Baseball Rankings.

A transfer from 3A Sperry to 6A Owasso his junior year, Bundy has proven to be just as dominant at the largest level of Oklahoma high school baseball as he was at Sperry, which he helped win a pair of 3A state championships his freshman year along with older brother Bobby (an eight-round selection by Baltimore in the 2008 draft), and as a sophomore.

This season, Dylan has been clocked at 100 four times in one game. He's averaging just above 95 mph a game. The first fastball — and second pitch of the game — against Edmond North on April 16 broke the magic threshold. The twist is that one Major League scout charting Bundy erroneously jotted down the first pitch was a fastball, clocked at 89. A former Owasso player, who tapped the scout on the shoulder to let him know that the first pitch was actually Bundy's cutter, corrected him.

Bundy's next pitch hit the catcher's mitt with a thunderous thump! It's the pitch that caused the scouts to smile and nod approval, gave Edmond North hitters a tangible indication of the long day ahead, and put the grin on Holleman's face.

As for Bundy, he didn't mind hitting 100. He sent text messages to his brother, his family and some close friends. Then hopped on the treadmill to continue his routine.

"I think that's just me," Bundy said with a little laugh. "I don't get excited about too many things. I don't know why, I just don't. But the day I was told I hit 100, you could say that put a smile on my face. I could tell something was up by the grin on coach Holleman when I asked for the key. He just said, 'Dylan, you hit 100 mph today.' I thought about it for a second, and then went to the weight room like I usually do. I had to keep up with my routine and treat it as no big deal."

What's made Bundy such a big deal to Major League scouts is his unrelenting work ethic. He squats 500 pounds, and leg presses 1,200 pounds. He's a workout freak, dedicated to a routine that's kept him both strong and healthy.

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