Astros first-round pick Brady Aiken has elbow problem

Houston Astros 2014 first-round draft choice Brady Aiken has an elbow issue, according to Jon Heyman at CBSSports.

Heyman reports that the Astros and Aiken had initially agreed to a signing package worth an estimated $6.5 million and that the deal was virtually complete two weeks ago, but a medical examination revealed the elbow problems before the deal was officially signed. The agreement is being re-negotiated, with Heyman's sources saying that the Astros are working towards a new agreement worth about $5.0 million.

From Cathedral Catholic high school in San Diego, Aiken was universally regarded as the top high school pitcher in the 2014 draft class. The 6-4, 210 pounder drew comparisons to past high school southpaw aces like Clayton Kershaw and Cole Hamels due to his 90-96 MPH fastball, outstanding curveball, solid changeup, and smooth delivery. His command is even better than his stuff and he was expected to advance more quickly than the typical high school arm.

At this point we need to see what terms Aiken and the Astros agree to and exactly how serious the elbow problem is. The assigned slot value for the first-overall pick was $7,922,100.