2015 MLB Draft is adding strength via junior colleges.

There has been a lot going on with the draft that is unique and a lot of it is fallout from the 2014 MLB Draft. Since Brady Aiken was taken 1-1 and did not sign, the Astros failed negotiation caused a multi-layered shockwave. In the fallout, Jacob Nix was left floating along with Aiken. Both were UCLA recruits and at this moment, no one that is talking knows what the plan is with the two high end arms. Classes at UCLA don't start until October 2nd, so they could still attend, or they could head to a junior college and make this the strongest JuCo class that I've ever seen.

Dating back to 1990, there has only been one season where there have been two JuCo players taken in the first round. That was in 2000 when Phil Dumatrait and Robert Stiehl were taken 22nd and 27th. In 2011, three JuCo players were taken in the supplemental round and in 1997, three players were taken in either the 1st round or the supplemental round. So this is a rare scenario.

The second player highly effected in the Aiken negotiation was Mac Marshall. Marshall has left LSU and will attend Chipola JC in Florida. Marshall was my #33 ranked prospect in the 2014 draft and I expect him to be in the same range in this draft. His stock could go up if he pitches well or fall if something goes wrong but his skills are requisite of a high pick.

The third level of fallout from the Aiken non-signing came from Cal State Fullerton arm, Phil Bickford. He had an excellent freshman season at Cal State Fullerton after being the 10th overall pick in the 2013 draft after a meteoric rise the spring before the draft. He followed up the stellar season at CSF by pitching well in the Cape Cod League out of the bullpen. His velocity was up out of the pen but his breaking ball and change still aren't what they need to be to be a 1-1 pick, but I think he sees an opening in the tumultuous 2015 draft. He is going to attend the JC of Southern Nevada and hope to be in that 1-1 mix.

I can't say that Bickford is directly tied to Aiken but either way, it makes this draft class extremely JuCo heavy if Nix and Aiken decide to head to JuCo. Even if they don't and it's only Bickford, Marshall, it is rare.