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Brady Aiken, the #1 overall pick in the 2014 MLB draft who went unsigned after he and the Houston Astros couldn't agree on a contract, made his first appearance of the year yesterday for the IMG Academy.
However, Aiken's appearance was cut short after just 12 pitches -- he was scheduled to throw 40 pitches, but he was pulled in the midst of his first inning with no explanation.
Twitter was abuzz with folks who cover amateur ball tweeting that Aiken being possibly injured has been a topic of discussion among scouts lately, and obviously, this most recent outing is just going to fan those flames.
The Aiken saga was one of the weirder stories of last season, with Houston and Aiken agreeing on a deal, only for the Astros to lower their offer after a physical reportedly revealed a "thin" UCL. Aiken refused to drop his asking price, and the stalemate ended with no deal being made.
Aiken opted to attend the IMG Academy this year and re-enter the draft. If healthy, he's a top-5 pick, and someone the Rangers would likely be very interested in if he's available at #4.
If Aiken isn't healthy, well...he could drop a long ways, and could end up having to spend 2015-16 rehabbing and pitching at IMG Academy again before re-entering the 2016 draft.