In the second episode of this six-part look back to the 2009 Draft, Full Account takes you behind the scenes of Stephen Strasburg's origin story. How did a once undrafted high school kid wind up becoming the No. 1 overall pick?

Stephen Strasburg: Reluctant Superstar

In a first-of-its-kind podcast, MLB.com reporters will take deep dives into some of baseball's best-untold stories. Beginning with a six episode mini-series on how the 2009 Draft changed the face of modern baseball, followed by an inside look at how Mariano Rivera discovered his legendary cut fastball, the Full Account podcast takes baseball storytelling to a new level.

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Cleatless and with a borrowed glove, that’s how Mariano Rivera showed up to his tryout with the New York Yankees. In this first episode of a four-part look into Rivera’s illustrious career, we take a trip to his hometown of Puerto Caimito, Panama and find out how the son of a fisherman unexpectedly received an offer to play professional baseball after a tryout that lasted fewer than 10 pitches.

      
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Mariano, Episode 1: Panama

Considered a fringe prospect at best, Mariano Rivera, who at the time spoke no English and had never left Panama, journeyed to the United States to begin his professional baseball career. In this second episode of a four-part look into Rivera’s career, we explore his initial experiences in the Yankees farm system and how in his first year managed to post a microscopic 0.17 ERA.

      
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Mariano, Episode 2: The Minors

Mariano has called it his “gift from God.” In the third episode of a four-part series, we delve into the discovery of one of the most famous pitches in the history of the game, Rivera’s cut fastball -- including the moment it came to him, how he learned to control it and ultimately how he dominated opposing hitters with it.

      
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Mariano, Episode 3: Cutting Edge

In the fourth episode of a look at the life and career of Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera, we examine his rise to baseball immortality through many highs and occasional lows, and explain how a song he wasn't all that interested in became a part of his persona.

      
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Mariano, Episode 4: Exit Sandman

In the sixth episode of this six-part look back to the 2009 Draft, Full Account takes you behind the scenes of Jeff Luhnow's days as scouting director for the St. Louis Cardinals. What role did analytics play in building a championship-caliber team and how have Luhnow's draft methodologies translated to his current role as Astros' GM?

      
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Stephen Strasburg: Reluctant Superstar

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