Philadelphia Phillies agree to terms with first round pick Aaron Nola
By Mike Lacy
Jun 7, 2013; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers pitcher Aaron Nola (10) pitches in the fourth inning against the Oklahoma Sooners during the Baton Rouge super regional of the 2013 NCAA baseball tournament at Alex Box Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports
Apparently, the Phillies are really in a hurry to get some help for their major league team.
The Phillies went into the 2014 first-year player draft eager to come away with some players who would help the big league team sooner rather than later. Their first pick was spent on college pitcher Aaron Nola, who many pundits predicted would be the first player from this year’s class to make the major leagues.
If Nola wanted to fulfill that prophecy, it would be of utmost importance that he sign quickly. That much has been accomplished:
RHP Aaron Nola, selected 7th overall by the #Phillies in the 2014 draft, has agreed to terms, Marti Wolever announced today.
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) June 10, 2014
Unfortunately, even though Nola might be relatively close to the majors, it will still be at least a little while before we see him at Citizens Bank Park. Even the best prospects require some adjustment to the world of professional baseball. Matt Gelb speculates that Nola might start out at Williamsport to start out:
Phillies sign Aaron Nola, the No. 7 overall pick. Williamsport’s season starts Friday. We’ll see if he goes right there.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) June 10, 2014
Is it unreasonable to think that we could see Nola in a Phillies uniform for the 2016 season? For a franchise that hasn’t developed many quality players lately, that would certainly be a welcome sight.