Stephen Strasburg accepts coaching role with his alma mater

Injuries may have created physical limitations that shortened the career of former Washington Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg, but his love of pitching never faltered. 

Now 37 years old and more than three years after pitching in his last game, Strasburg is returning to where he got started. San Diego State University's baseball team, Strasburg's alma mater, announced on Monday that he would be joining the team as a special assistant to the head coach. 

Strasburg's role will be two-fold: "lending his support to all aspects of the Aztecs baseball program, including fundraising and special events, along with alumni and donor relations," while also assisting with pitching development and coaching. 

Stephen Strasburg's dominance started in San Diego

Strasburg spent three years with the Aztecs, from 2007 to 2009, with MLB Hall of Fame outfielder Tony Gwynn as his head coach. He was among the most dominant pitchers in the NCAA during that time, going 22-7 with a 1.59 ERA over 243.1 IP during his collegiate career. 

His 2009 season was particularly dominant. Stras was 13-1 on the year with a 1.32 ERA over 109.0 IP with 195 strikeouts, while helping lead San Diego State to the NCAA Tournament. He easily won the Golden Spikes Award and then was the first overall selection by the Nationals in that June's MLB Draft. 

Stephen Strasburg continued to impress in Washington

Less than a year after being the top pick in the draft, Strasburg made his debut in Washington and never looked back. He'd spend 13 seasons with the Nationals, finishing his career with a 113-62 record, 3.24 ERA (127 ERA+) and 1,723 strikeouts. 

The three-time All-Star was crucial to Washington's 2019 World Series run, starting and winning Games 2 and 6. Now, he'll look to impress his knowledge onto the next generation of pitchers, much like he learned about hitters from Gwynn.