The Stephen Strasburg Show is coming to Buffalo and it looks like Coca-Cola Field might be the

final stop on the phenom's minor-league tour.

The Washington Nationals announced Sunday that Strasburg, the megaprospect pitcher who was

the No. 1 overall pick in baseball's amateur draft last June out of San Diego State, will make

his next start for the Syracuse Chiefs against the Bisons here Thursday. The game will start

at 1:05 p.m.

The Nationals have not said what they will then do with Strasburg. But it's widely believed

Thursday's game will be the 21-year-old's final one in the minor leagues and that he will then

make his much anticipated debut for Washington against the Pittsburgh Pirates, likely June 8

in Nationals Park.

Strasburg is expected to throw six innings or 95 pitches Thursday, whichever comes first,

according to the latest plan Washington General Manager Mike Rizzo told reporters Sunday in

San Diego.

Strasburg has been dominant for both Syracuse and Double-A Harrisburg this year in his

first season of pro ball after signing a record $15.1 million contract with Washington last

August.

In 10 starts at the two levels, Strasburg has combined to go 6-2 with a 1.43 ERA and 60

strikeouts.

He is 3-1, 1.27 ERA in five starts with Syracuse but is coming off his lone loss, a 3-2

setback Saturday night against Scranton Wilkes/Barre. He allowed his first home run in that

game, a solo shot to former Buffalo catcher Rene Rivera. Strasburg went 3-1, 1.64 in five

starts at Harrisburg.

The 6-foot-4 right-hander's repertoire features a 100 mph fastball and it's produced absurd

numbers.

In 28 innings at Syracuse, he has struck out 33, walked six and given up just 15

hits. Triple-A batters have compiled a measly .152 average against him. Double-A hitters

batted .165. Overall, he has 60 strikeouts in 50 innings.

"I'd love to see him pitch," Buffalo manager Ken Oberkfell said after Sunday's 8-7 loss to

Toledo. "I've heard all the hype about him and it would be nice to see him in person."

The Bisons should be a premier test for Strasburg. Their lineup features the International

League's top hitter (outfielder Jesus Feliciano went 5 for 5 Sunday to push his average to

.403), as well as the top home run and RBI man (third baseman Mike Hessman) and several other

players with big-league time.

"It's a fun thing any time you get a chance to see a player with this much hype behind him

and one who is obviously a rising star," said Bisons General Manager Mike Buczkowski. "I'll

also love to see him face our lineup. I think it will be a great test and it will be a great

game."

"If we're all planning on playing in the big leagues for a long time, it's going to be a

free look at him," said Bisons first baseman Daniel Murphy, who spent all of last year with

the New York Mets. "From what it sounds like, it might be the last start he gets before he

gets called up. Come ready to swing the bat. He's got good stuff. Bear down or you're going to

have a very uncomfortable 0 for 4."

There are certainly plenty of good seats available in the Bisons' 18,000-seat stadium

(prices range from $7.50-$11). But they will probably start going fast now.

The numbers have been impressive at the turnstiles in Strasburg's previous starts. Syracuse

has more than doubled its normal house by averaging 11,718 for his four starts in Alliance

Bank Stadium -- including 13,115 on Saturday and an all-time record of 13,776 for his

first start on May 7. A throng of 12,590 packed Rochester's Frontier Field on May 19 for

Strasburg's only previous road start with the Chiefs.

Strasburg is also a hit with memorabilia collectors. A 2010 Bowman Chrome Superfactor

Strasburg card went for $16,403 on eBay in an auction that ended Saturday.

Thursday's game will be televised nationally on SNY and locally on Time Warner Cable

Sportsnet. By a stroke of good luck, the SNY telecast was one of five the Bisons arranged on

the Mets' network over the winter. The Mets are off Thursday.

Strasburg's start could attract the largest media throng for a game in the downtown

ballpark since its inaugural season of 1988. Back then, Opening Day, an old-timers game and

the first Triple-A All-Star Game all drew national attention.

The Washington Post has sent reporters to each of his starts and had two on hand for last

Monday's game in Syracuse. Sports Illustrated followed Strasburg in Rochester and MLB.com has

also been covering his outings. Reporters from places like Toronto, Cleveland and New York

also could be on hand.