Nats prospect Stephen Strasburg makes his MLB debut

Stepen Strasburg. The greatest pitchest prospect ever, or so they say. Will he live up to the hype? Well, it all starts tomorrow night in his major league debut.

Strasburg started the 2010 season with the Double-A Harrisburg Senators. He went 3-1 with a 1.64 ERA and 27 K's in 5 starts and 22 IP before being promoted to the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs. With Syracuse, Strasburg went 4-1 with a 1.08 ERA and 38 K's in 6 starts and 33.1 IP. So, overall this year in the minors, Strasburg went 7-1 with a 1.30 ERA and 65 K's in 11 starts and 55.1 IP. Now let's look at some other stats. Strasburg allowed just 5.0 hits, 0.2 homers and 2.1 walks per 9 innings, while posting a 10.6 K/9. His K/BB ratio was 5.00. His K/H was an incredible 2.1. He was ridiculous in the minors this year.

Will those stats translate to the majors? Well, obviously not quite at his current level, but he definitely has the ability to post great stats in the majors. I hate to do this to Strasburg, but let's compare his minor league stats to Mark Prior's minor league stats. Prior is the most comparable case to Strasburg because he only made 9 starts in the minors before going to the majors as a top pitching prospect. I hope Strasburg doesn't get injured like Prior did.

Strasburg 2010: 7-1, 1.30 ERA, 65 K's, 5.0 H/9, 0.2 HR/9, 2.1 BB/9, 10/6 K/9, 5.00 K/BB, 2.1 K/H in 11 starts and 55.1 IP.

Prior 2002: 5-2, 2.29 ERA, 79 K's, 6.9 H/9, 0.2 HR/9, 3.2 BB/9, 13.9 K/9, 4.39 BB/9, 2.0 K/H in 9 starts and 51 IP.

The difference between Strasburg and Prior is that while Prior was a much better strikeout pitcher than Strasburg (not that Strasburg isn't a great strikeout pitcher), Strasburg is a much better all-around pitcher who is harder to hit and who has better control. Still, Prior is closest comparable player to Strasburg.

Prior's rookie year (2002): 6-6, 3.32 ERA, 147 K's, 7.6 H/9, 1.1 HR/9, 2.9 BB/9, 11.3 K.9, 3.87 K/BB, 1.5 K/H in 19 starts and 116.2 IP.

Prior finished 7th in the NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2002.

Prior 2003: 18-6, 2.43 ERA, 245 K's, 7.8 H/9, 0.6 HR/9, 2.1 BB/9, 10.4 K/9, 4.90 K/BB, 1.3 K/H in 30 starts and 211.1 IP.

Prior finished 3rd in the NL Cy Young award voting in '03.

Will Strasburg follow Prior's numbers and not put up great numbers until his second year? I think yes. Just like Prior, Strasburg will be under so much pressure his rookie year and although he will do well, he won't be the NL Rookie of the Year. Then, when some of the pressure is off of him, Strasburg should be able to put it all together and have a Cy Young-type year.