Astros Fail to Sign First Overall Pick Brady Aiken

Apr 1, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; General view of Minute Maid Park during a game between the Houston Astros and the New York Yankees. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

After weeks of controversy and speculation, the deadline for signing 2014 draft picks has passed and the Houston Astros have failed to reach an agreement with first overall pick Brady Aiken, Jim Callis of MLB.com reports. 

Negotiations between Aiken, 17, and the Astros went from routine to contentious in early July, when the Astros’ abruptly lowered their offer from the initial 6.5 million to 5 million dollars. Houston claimed that the switch was prompted by an abnormality in an MRI on his right elbow. Evan Drillich of the Houston Chronicle reported that the problem may have been that Aiken has an unusually small ulnar collateral ligament.

Aiken and his agent, as well as the Major League Baseball Players Union  have responded with a mixture of outrage and incredulity, crying foul play.

“We are extremely disappointed that Major League Baseball is allowing the Astros to conduct business in this manner with a complete disregard for the rules governing the draft and the 29 other clubs who have followed those same rules,” Aiken’s advisor Casey Close told Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal. Close is also the agent for Derek Jeter and Clayton Kershaw, among others. 

Refuting the Astros’ claim, Close and the MLBPA argue that Aiken, who has never missed significant time due to injury, is completely healthy.

“He has been seen by some of the most experienced and respected orthopedic arm specialists in the country,” Close told FoxSports “all of those doctors have acknowledged that he’s not injured and that he’s ready to start his professional career.”

Houston, they claim, attempted to manufacture a health concern in an effort to drive down Aiken’s value and save slot money. That million and a half in savings would have then been used to sign fifth round pick Jacob Nix, who, Close says, was originally offered a 1.5 million dollar deal. Houston later rescinded that offer, telling Nix that the money had to be reserved for Aiken’s contract. As the deadline passed, Nix also remained unsigned.

“We believe that it is a clear violation of the rules being attempted solely to avoid penalty,”  MLBPA head Tony Clark told CBS Sports. “The Astros made a deal with Jacob Nix and should honor that agreement.”

In regards to Aiken, Clark stated that the players’ union will pursue “all legal options.”

GM Jeff Luhnow and the team, meanwhile, has stated publicly that the team has acted well within the rules of major league baseball.

“As always, we approached these negotiations in good faith and with the best interests of the Astros organization in mind, both short-term and long-term,” the Astros stated in a press-release. “Throughout this entire process, we have absolutely acted within Major League Baseball’s rules and guidelines, which MLB has confirmed on numerous occasions.”

They have also been supported by the commissioner’s office throughout.

“We fully support the Astros” MLB Executive Vice President Dan Halem told the Associated Press tuesday, “We believe they have conducted themselves appropriately.

Since Houston offered at least $3.17 MM – 40% of the slot for the $7.9 MM – compensation for failing to sign Aiken, the Astros will receive the second overall pick in next year’s draft.

As the Player’s Union and the Commissioner’s Office duke this out,  Aiken will either follow up on his letter of intent to UCLA and enter the draft in three seasons, or possibly attend Junior College and re-enter in just two years.

Only two first overall picks in the history of baseball have failed to sign, but each of them – Tim Belcher and Danny Goodwin – was later selected first in a different draft. It would not be a surprise if Aiken did the same. The left-hander has precocious talent, with exceptional command of a 96-97 MPH fastball, as well as an above average, potentially plus change-up and mid-80’s curveball.