Former No. 1 overall draft pick Brady Aiken signs with Indians

There will be no signing drama with pitcher Brady Aiken this season. The 18-year-old first-round pick agreed to a deal with the Cleveland Indians on Friday, according to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com.

Aiken's signing is significant considering the hurdles he dealt with last year. After being selected by the Houston Astros as the No. 1 overall pick in 2014, Aiken could not come to terms on a deal due to a dispute about his health.

Houston initially offered Aiken $6.5 million, but lowered that figure after issues arose during a post-draft physical. Aiken insisted he was healthy, believed the Astros should have honored the first offer and refused to sign with the club.

In order to maintain his draft value, Aiken attended IMG Academy's postgraduate program in Florida. In his first start with the team, Aiken blew out his elbow. A few days later, he underwent Tommy John surgery.

While the injury impacted his draft stock, Aiken was still selected in the first round. The Indians took him 17th overall. The recommended slot value for that pick this season is $2,393,600. Cleveland has signed a number of draftees under slot value thus far, though, so there's a chance Aiken will receive more than the recommended value.

Still, it's a far cry from $6.5 million. Given Aiken's current elbow woes, he doesn't really have the negotiating power to ask for anything near that. While the official figure has yet to be released, it's probably safe to assume the club offered him a deal slightly over slot value and he accepted.

In the end, if Aiken can stay healthy, the loss of $3 million or $4 million won't really matter. Years from now, he'll hit free agency and will be set to make a significant amount.

At the same time, Aiken has already shown how risky it can be to depend on a young pitcher. Pitchers get hurt, and sometimes those injuries can derail a once-promising career.

Right now, though, Aiken shouldn't be concerned about that. After going through a difficult situation last year, he's finally ready to begin his pro career. Though his bonus won't be as lucrative, it's probably great to finally put the past behind him.