MLB amateur draft: Brady Aiken is No. 1 pick by Houston Astros

Left-hander Brady Aiken, a senior at San Diego Cathedral Catholic High who signed with UCLA, was taken No. 1 overall by the Houston Astros on Thursday in Major League Baseball’s amateur draft.

Aiken has been committed to UCLA since 2011. He’s a hard-throwing 6-foot-4, 205-pounder who throws strikes.

UCLA Coach John Savage sure knows how to spot a good pitcher. Since 2011, when former UCLA pitcher Gerrit Cole was taken No. 1 by the Pittsburgh Pirates, five pitchers who either played for Savage or had signed to play for the Bruins have been first-round picks.

They include Cole and Trevor Bauer in 2011 and Lucas Giolito and Max Fried from Studio City Harvard-Westlake in 2012. Giolito and Fried signed with the Nationals and Padres, respectively.

Aiken is likely to pass up UCLA for the pros.

Right-handed pitcher Tyler Kolek (6-5, 230) of Shepherd (Texas) High was the No. 2 overall selection in the draft by the Miami Marlins while another left-handed pitcher, junior Carlos Rodon (6-3, 235) of North Carolina State, was selected third by the Chicago White Sox.

Indiana catcher Kyle Schwarber (6-0, 240), a left-handed-hitting slugger who could move to the corner infield or outfield positions, was chosen fourth overall by the Chicago Cubs.

Orlando (Fla.) Olympia High shortstop Nick Gordon (6-2, 170), the brother of Dodgers second baseman Dee Gordon and son of former big league pitcher Tom Gordon, was selected fifth overall by the Minnesota Twins.