SECAUCUS, N.J. -- The Washington Nationals selected pitcher Stephen Strasburg with the first pick in baseball's amateur draft Tuesday night.
Considered one of the most talented prospects in the event's 45-year history, Strasburg went 13-1 with a 1.32 ERA this season for San Diego State, leading the Aztecs to their first postseason berth since 1991.
Featuring a fastball that has been clocked at 102 mph, Strasburg leads Division I pitchers with 195 strikeouts in 109 innings. He was the only amateur on the U.S. Olympic baseball team that won a bronze medal in Beijing last summer.
Strasburg went undrafted out of high school, but some think he has the ability to go straight from college to the big leagues.
"It's tough to say right now," Strasburg said in an interview on MLB Network. "I'm just really enjoying the time with friends and family right now. We'll see what happens."
Signing the right-hander could be a challenge for the Nationals, however, because agent Scott Boras is sure to seek a record contract.
"We are thrilled to select someone with the special talents that Stephen possesses," Nationals acting general manager Mike Rizzo said in a statement. "Those talents have long been on our radar, and Stephen's domination at San Diego State and vast experiences gained with Team USA last summer have done nothing to change our thoughts about his abilities."
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With the 10th pick in the draft, the Nationals chose reliever Drew Storen, a right-hander from Stanford.
