Real Baseball Intelligence

School: San Diego State

Class: Junior

Height: 6′4″

Weight: 220 lbs.

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

Pos: RHP

Hometown: San Diego, CA

High School: West Hills HS

Previously Drafted: None

Honors:

• 2008 Olympic Bronze Medalist
• 2008 NCBWA District IX Co-Player of the Year
• 2008 Louisville Slugger First-Team All American
• 2008 Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist
• 2007 All Mountain West Conference Second-Team

Strengths:
There is no debate about who the top prospect is in the 2009 draft. Strasburg probably would have been the first pick in the ’08 draft had he been eligible. What makes him special are two plus-plus pitches: a fastball that reaches 99 mph and sits in the upper 90s and a dominant, 12-6 hammer curve. Coaches praise his work-ethic. At the Beijing Olympics, he posted a 2.45 ERA over 11 innings, striking out 16 and walking only one while pitching against minor leaguers and ex-big leaguers. As a sophomore at San Diego State, he struck out more than eight batters for every one that he walked.

Weaknesses:
Strasburg is as flawless as any prospect in this draft class. He throws a changeup but it’s underdeveloped because he hasn’t needed to use it much in college.

The Future:
The Washington Nationals won the Stephen Strasburg sweepstakes, which means they’ll have the opportunity to select him with the first overall pick by virtue of finishing with the worst record in MLB. Unlike with their first-round pick in 2008, Aaron Crow, the Nats will lock up Strasburg and let him develop into a dominant big-league ace.

Video:

Rear angle

Side angle