The Washington Nationals on Tuesday promoted right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg to Syracuse of the Triple-A International League. Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Mike Rizzo and Director of Player Development Doug Harris made the joint announcement.

Strasburg is slated to make his Triple-A debut on Friday, when the Chiefs host the Gwinnett Braves at Alliance Bank Stadium.

The first-overall selection in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft went 3-1 with a 1.64 ERA in five starts with Harrisburg of the Double-A Eastern League. With 27 strikeouts and just six walks in 22 innings pitched, Strasburg posted a 4.5/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 11.05 strikeouts per nine innings (tops in Eastern League).

Strasburg, 21, ranks among the Eastern League's top pitchers in several categories: 27 strikeouts (first), 0.86 WHIP (second), 8.18 baserunners per 9.0 innings (second), .165 batting average against (third) and 1.64 ERA (fourth).