Astros drafted Aiken because he was a can't miss prospect based on talent.  Even Sports Illustrated listed the Astros as Favorites for a World Series in 2017 based on Aiken as an Ace.  What Aiken did as a high school, was far an beyond what is the norm.  As polished as a high school pitcher could get.

Who would have thought the physical would go as bad as it did?  Astros still offered him a decent contact, but I think a lot of that was to maintain their hold on the #2 pick the following year.  I guess they figured that Marshall and Nix would be a consolation price (they really liked Marshall and Nix, but I think they liked Marshall more).  I heard they upped their offer at the last minute, but that might have been because Marshall might have agreed to take a little less to make it happen.  Either way, it seems that Marshall was disappointed (bailing on LSU after all the loyalty tweets was surprising, I wont' be surprised if Marshall improves his stock high enough to go in the top of the 2015 draft).

However, I am glad that the Astros get a do over.  Getting the #2 pick is considerable better than getting a pitcher whom their own doctors said they would not sign off on his bill of health.  Botching a # 1 pick is unacceptable.  Given how Appel struggled last season, the possibility of botching 2 in a row would have been detrimental for the franchise, even with all their above average depth, with lack of superstars beyond Carlos Correa.

Glad Appel has bounced back, and I think all signs point to him being on the MLB team as a September call up.  :)

A deep minor league system is about to get deeper with the #2 and #5 picks in the 2015 draft.

Aiken may always be tied to the Astros.  He may at one point win a CY Young, because he has that level of talent.  But, with the level of doubt the phyical, left, I hope he does with the Texas Rangers, as they draft before the Astros and # 5.