Strasburg Named as Davis Award Winner

Post date: Aug 20, 2009 6:02:12 PM

Highly touted flamethrowing righthander Stephen Strasburg was named as the 2009 Davis Award winner

Pitcher Stephen Strasburg today became the first player to ever win the Philadelphia Athletics organizational Lawrence 'Crash' Davis Award while having performed as an amateur. The Davis Award is given annually to the top performing prospect in the A's minor league system. Strasburg also became just the third pitcher to win the award, the first since Mark Prior in 2002.

Strasburg, who just signed a contract with MLB, is expected to challenge for a rotation spot in Philly as soon as the start of next season. He has spent the past calendar year as one of the most ballyhooed prospects in baseball history, receiving the biggest buildup of anyone ever drafted in MLB.

Much of that hype came from his outstanding season in the college ranks at San Diego State. Strasburg started 15 games there, compiling a 13-1 record with a 1.32 ERA. He stuck out 195 batters while walking just 19, and gave up just 65 hits (14 for extra bases) in 109 innings pitched, holding batters to a .172 batting average.

Strasburg joins the following list of previous Davis Award winners: 2008 - Jeff Clement, 2007 - Jay Bruce, 2006 - Billy Butler, 2005 - Russ Martin, 2004 - Casey Kotchman, 2003 - Jose Reyes, 2002 - Mark Prior, 2001 - Sean Burroughs, 2000 - Pat Burrell, 1999 - Jack Cust, 1998 - Brad Penny

NOTE: Strasburg was further honored at the league level by being named as the 2009 John Vukovich Award winner as the WFBL's Top Prospect, the first Athletic to ever win the award.