2009 MLB Draft Takes Place Tuesday at 9pm, Stephen Strasburg Expected Top Pick

The 2009 Major League Baseball (MLB) First-Year Player Draft will take begin Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET on MLB Network.

The network will broadcast the first round on Tuesday from its Studio 42 in Secaucus, N.J. and those 32 selections also will be simulcast live on MLB.com.

The Draft will continue with rounds 4-30, via conference call from MLB headquarters in New York, at noon on Wednesday. Rounds 31-50 will be on Thursday, starting at 11:30 a.m.

The Washington Nationals have the No. 1 pick in the draft and it has been said for weeks that they will select San Diego State right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg, who is widely considered the top prospect in the draft. Strasburg, who stands 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, is 13-1 with a 1.32 ERA and 195 strikeouts this season for SDSU.

Strasburg, who has been clocked with a 100 mph fastball, is being advised by agent Scott Boras, who is known for making dramatic contract negotiations.

The Nationals also have the No. 10 pick, making them the only team to have two top ten picks. The Nats are not expected to draft left-hander Aaron Crow, their 2008 top pick, because mock drafts expect him to be taken earlier in the draft. Last year, Crow was unsigned by the team after they offered him $3.5 million when he wanted $4.4 million.

In addition to Strasburg and Crow, the top pitchers in the draft are: RHP Zach Wheeler (East Paulding H.S., GA), LHP Tyler Matzek (Capistrano Valley H.S., CA), RHP Shelby Miller (Brownwood H.S., TX), RHP Tanner Scheppers (Fresno State), LHP James Paxton (Kentucky), RHP Chad Jenkins (Kennesaw State), RHP Jacob Turner (Westminster Christian Academy, MO), and Kyle Heckathorn (Kennesaw State).

CF/1B Devin Ackley (UNC) is considered the top position player in the draft. He is joined by CF Donovan Tate (Cartersville H.S., GA), C Tony Sanchez (Boston College), SS Grant Green (USC), 3B Matt Davidson (Yucaipa H.S., CA), C Max Stassi (Yuba City H.S., CA), SS Jiovanni Mier (Bonita H.S., CA), CF Tim Wheeler (Sacramento State) and CF Reymond Fuentes (Fernando Callego H.S., P.R.).

The Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Orioles round out the top five picks in the first round of the draft. The Los Angeles Dodgers (No. 56), New York Mets (No. 72) and Philadelphia Phillies (No. 76) all have their first picks in later rounds. To view the entire first round draft order, please look below:

1.       Washington Nationals

2.       Seattle Mariners

3.       San Diego Padres

4.       Pittsburgh Pirates

5.       Baltimore Orioles

6.       San Francisco Giants

7.       Atlanta Braves

8.       Cincinnati Reds

9.       Detroit Tigers

10.   Washington Nationals

11.   Colorado Rockies

12.   Kansas City Royals

13.   Oakland A's

14.   Texas Rangers

15.   Cleveland Indians

16.   Arizona D-backs

17.   Arizona D-backs

18.   Florida Marlins

19.   St. Louis Cardinals

20.   Toronto Blue Jays

21.   Houston Astros

22.   Minnesota Twins

23.   Chicago White Sox

24.   Los Angeles Angels

25.   Los Angeles Angels

26.   Milwaukee Brewers

27.   Seattle Mariners

28.   Boston Red Sox

29.   New York Yankees

30.   Tampa Bay Rays

31.   Chicago Cubs

32.   Colorado Rockies

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