2014 MLB Draft & Day 1 Recap: Houston Astros Draft Pitcher with First Overall Pick
With the first overall selection of the 2014 Major League Baseball draft, the Houston Astros selected Brady Aiken out of Catholic Cathedral High School in San Diego.
The city of Houston is no stranger to No. 1 overall picks lately. The Texans just had the first pick in the NFL draft and have had the top pick three times in the last 13 years. The Rockets had the top pick in 2002 and selected 7'6 Yao Ming. As for the Astros, this is their third consecutive year picking No. 1 overall. Combined, Houston teams have had seven No. 1 overall picks in the last 13 years.
Aiken is a 6'3, 210-pound pitcher who had a great senior season. In his final season at San Diego, he posted a 1.06 ERA and struck out 111 out of the 228 batters he faced. He didn't lose a single game his senior season. This pick comes as no surprise to MLB experts and analysts.
The New York Yankees, on the other hand, did not make a selection until No. 55. With the pick, they chose left-handed pitcher Jacob Lindgren. It's a safe selection because most of the high powered players were already taken and the Yankees have a lot of injuries and issues with pitching. C.C. Sabathia isn't getting any younger either. Lindgren most recently played for Mississippi State and was selected by the Chicago Cubs back in 2011, but chose to attend college instead. The 21 year old has started and relieved games while at Mississippi, however he was a full time reliever this past season.
The Toronto Blue Jays made what many believe is a steal at the No. 9 with pitcher Jeff Hoffman out of East Carolina. He's a great player, but Tommy John surgery had some general managers and owners skeptical about picking him earlier. Blue Jays could always use more pitching. Bradley Zimmer is also an interesting player that may have been a steal. The outfielder out of San Francisco wasn't selected until No. 21 by the Cleveland Indians.
According to most, there weren't many surprises, but there's still talented players remaining. One of the most notable players still left is Jakson Reetz, who is a great catcher out of Nebraska. He's a good hitter with a powerful arm. Rounds 3-10 are scheduled to be completed Friday.
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