MLB NEWS

No. 1 draft pick Aiken has elbow surgery

The Sports Xchange

March 26, 2015 at 8:15 pm.

Because Aiken was unsigned, he could have been the No. 1 overall pick again in this year's draft before the injury.

Left-hander Brady Aiken, the No. 1 overall pick in the June 2014 draft who went unsigned, underwent Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery on Wednesday.

The 18-year-old had experienced tightness in his elbow a week ago while pitching for IMG Academy. He announced Thursday in The Players Tribune that he had the surgery.

“I know the road ahead will be full of patience and hard work, and I’m ready for that challenge,” Aiken wrote.

Aiken was drafted by the Houston Astros last June, but a contract agreement was never reached. At the time, the Astros expressed concerns about the health of Aiken’s elbow.

Because Aiken was unsigned, he could have been the No. 1 overall pick again in this year’s draft before the injury. There is still a chance he could be selected in the first round in June, but he’s expected to be sidelined for at least a year in his recovery and rehab from the surgery.