World Cup betting players will be looking for the next big thing in this month's tournament, but in the major leagues, we already know who the next big thing is, and his name is Stephen Strasburg.

Strasburg will make his debut on Tuesday for Washington when they take on Pittsburgh at home, which is a smart move as the Pirates are dead last in the National League in runs and batting average. He tore through the minors, racking up a 7-2 record with a 1.30 ERA, striking out 65 batters while walking only 13 in 55.1 innings of work. Strasburg has a fastball that, more often than not, touches 100 on the radar gun, and it's complimented by a curveball that buckles knees. Some major leaguers who have been down in the minors on rehab assignments have said that Strasburg may be even better than the hype.

There will be an extraordinary amount of pressure on Strasburg, and that is the only thing that will get in his way of being a star. He seems to be a level-headed kid, and Strasburg has handled it all very well right off the bat. He's joining a staff that could use some quality starts, and the Nationals may protect him to get some confidence going (his next starts should be against Cleveland, and possibly Kansas City). If he hasn't been picked up in your league yet (and quite frankly, if he hasn't, you should leave that league), grab him. While Strasburg won't boost the Nationals' online sports betting odds, he'll at least be an exciting pitcher in the nation's capital.