Indians Update on Former No. 1 Pick Brady Aiken Doesn't Sound Good at All
The Cleveland Indians took a risk by drafting Brady Aiken in the first round in 2015. The team took him No. 17 overall one year after he received Tommy John surgery.
It was also one year after he was taken No. 1 overall in the 2014 MLB Draft by the Houston Astros, only for the two sides to fail to come to an agreement based on money and his health issues. The move once seen as a coup for the Indians may end up being a wasted pick.
Cleveland Indians No.1 pick Brady Aiken may have reached the end of the road https://t.co/dgv9KOM6Ck
— paul hoynes (@hoynsie) December 10, 2019
Aiken is rarely talked about when it comes to the big league staff and that's because he has barely pitched over the last few years. He recorded two total outs in Single-A in 2019 after missing the entire 2018 season. That is not what the Indians or Aiken had in mind when he was drafted. Now, he may be out of the game altogether.
Former 1st rounder Brady Aiken is taking time away from baseball. Indians are unsure if he’ll come back in the spring.
— Anthony Castrovince (@castrovince) December 9, 2019
Baseball draft picks not making the majors isn't uncommon. However, seeing a former top overall pick and someone taken twice in the first round fall out of baseball after a few years is alarming. It's not like he made it and failed. He never even made it past Single-A.
Aiken making a return and eventually reaching the majors would be a great comeback story. Unfortunately for the Indians, things aren't trending in that direction.