Stephen Strasburg

Bio

School: San Diego State University
Drafted: 1st Overall in 2009 by the Washington Nationals
Scouting Report: Strasburg is the best player in this draft class and the best college pitching prospect of at least the past 20 years, if not in the history of the draft. His college statistics are otherworldly; he has struck out more than half of the batters he's faced, which is rare even for a college reliever but almost unheard of for a starter. Strasburg works primarily with two pitches: a fastball that will sit 94-98 mph (watch scouting video) and that has touched 100 (reports of 103-plus are apocryphal and almost certainly bogus) and a hard curveball. The fastball has hard run to his glove side, and he'll hold his velocity for 100 pitches without any difficulty. The pitch he calls a curveball functions more like a slider, with a sharp late tilt that he'll bury down and in to left-handed batters. He has barely used his changeup this spring, but he does have one; he turns it over well and gets a hard screwballish fading action on it. Strasburg is in great shape and has unbelievable arm speed; he takes a long stride toward the plate and can wait to start his arm because it is so quick, which adds deception to his absurd velocity. His mechanics are clean and repeatable and he shows above-average command of his stuff, which is part of what separates him from past college flamethrowers like Bobby Witt (who couldn't hit the broad side of a barn in college). Strasburg could pitch in a major league rotation right now and has little or nothing to learn from facing minor league hitters who will struggle to catch up to his fastball, let alone adjust to his breaking ball.

Rumors

Mike Minor Joins Braves (8/9/2010)
The seventh pick of the 2009 draft, pitcher Mike Minor has been called up by the Braves and will pitch Monday.

2010 MLB Mock Draft: First Round (6/7/2010)
Baseball Rumor Mill's shot at how the first round will play out.

Stephen Strasburg Rumored to Make ML Debut June 8th (5/28/2010)
Washington Nationals phenom Stephen Strasburg will likely make his major league debut on June 8th against the Pittsburgh Pirates

Rating: 8.5 / 10

Pictures

Video