According to Jeff Passan over at Yahoo! Sports, the Arizona Diamondbacks have decided to pull their offer to the sixth overall selection in the 2010 MLB Draft, Barret Loux. The junior lefty from Texas A&M failed a physical in July, preventing the Diamondbacks from signing him. Arizona will now accept the seventh overall pick in 2011 in exchange for not signing Loux, a condition of the MLB draft compensation rule.
The Diamondbacks don’t suffer much damage in this deal. Sure they don’t get their first rounder, but they receive two in 2011. Loux, on the other hand, has a slew of tough decisions in front of him.
Loux can return to Texas A&M for his senior season and hope to hear his name called in next year’s first round (probably not by Arizona), but will probably drop on some draft boards unless he can improve on a pretty good season that got him into the first round. There is a lot of risk in that, especially if he suffers another injury to his shoulder.
Another option would be to take the popular route of the Independent Leagues like Aaron Crow and Luke Hochevar did, both playing for the Fort Worth Cats. Both Crow and Hochevar were selected in the following year’s first round by the Kansas City Royals.
If Loux decides to return to school, that would make Texas A&M coach Rob Childress a happy camper. The Aggies would love to have Loux back in the lineup for a run at the 2011 Big 12 Championship.
Read more about the situation here.
