(SportsNetwork.com) – Pitching prospect Brady Aiken, the top overall selection
in the 2014 draft, underwent Tommy John surgery on Wednesday.
Aiken was selected No. 1 overall by the Houston Astros, but the two sides
could not agree on a contract before the mandated deadline, thus giving Aiken
another chance to enter the draft.
Houston, which had concerns of Aiken’s elbow during the negotiation process,
reduced its original offer of $6.5 million down to $3.1 million before making
one last effort with a $5 million deal that Aiken declined.
“Yesterday, I had Tommy John surgery to fix my left arm,” Aiken wrote on The
Players’ Tribune website on Thursday. “I’m obviously extremely disappointed. I
wanted to let my pitching speak for itself, but now there are going to be new
distractions. For that reason, I wanted to be the one to tell people what’s
happened and make this a fresh start.”
Aiken was pitching at the IMG Academy last week when the injury first
occurred. He attended the academy rather than a four-year college so he can
remain eligible for the 2015 draft, and he is considered to once again be a
strong choice early in the first round.
