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SECAUCUS, N.J. -- The Houston Astros had the No. 1 pick again, and this time, they took a pitcher polished beyond his years. California high school left-hander Brady Aiken was the first selection in the Major League Baseball draft Thursday night. "Its the most advanced high school pitcher Ive ever seen in my entire career," Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow said. "He has command like Ive never seen before of his stuff." The 17-year-old from San Diegos Cathedral Catholic High School is just the third prep pitcher to be selected first overall, joining fellow lefties Brien Taylor (1991, Yankees) and David Clyde (1973, Rangers). The Miami Marlins made it the first time high school pitchers were the top two picks in the draft when they selected Tyler Kolek, a hard-throwing right-hander from Shepherd High School in Texas. Twenty pitchers were taken in the first round, tying the draft record set in 2001. The Astros are the first team to select first in three consecutive drafts, having picked shortstop Carlos Correa in 2012 and right-hander Mark Appel last year. Aiken is in line to receive a huge contract. The allotted slot bonus for the top pick is nearly $8 million. "Unbelievable. Its really a dream come true," Aiken said. "This is something that Ive wanted ever since I was a young kid. Im at a loss for words. This is my dream and its finally starting to come true." Aiken is also the first high school lefty to be drafted in the first five picks since Adam Loewen went fourth overall to Baltimore in 2002. The UCLA recruit, who compared himself to Clayton Kershaw and David Price, has terrific control of a fastball that hits 96-97 mph, a knee-buckling curve and a tough changeup that sits in the low- to mid-80s. The 6-foot-5 Kolek has a fastball that sits in the high-90s and touched 100-102 mph several times, causing many to compare him to fellow Texas flamethrowers such as Nolan Ryan, Kerry Wood and Josh Beckett. "How do you pass up a guy throwing 100?" Marlins manager Mike Redmond said after Miamis 11-6 win at Tampa Bay. "So, Im happy with the pick. Its a big, old, country strong right-hander." The Chicago White Sox selected North Carolina State left-hander Carlos Rodon with the third overall pick. The 6-3, 235-pound junior was widely regarded as the top college pitcher available and had been in the mix to go No. 1 overall. He followed a dominant sophomore year with a solid but not spectacular junior season. Indiana slugger Kyle Schwarber went No. 4 overall to the Chicago Cubs as the first position player selected. He is a finalist for the Johnny Bench Award as the best catcher in Division I, although he could move to third base or the outfield in the pros. "Well let that play out," Cubs senior vice-president of scouting and player development Jason McLeod said. Nick Gordon, the son of former big league pitcher Tom Gordon and brother of Dodgers second baseman Dee Gordon, went fifth overall to Minnesota. The Florida high school slick-fielding shortstop was the first of the seven prospects in attendance at MLB Network Studios to have his name called by Commissioner Bud Selig, who is retiring in January and presiding over the draft for the final time. After a few interviews, Gordon breathed a big sigh of relief and gave his father a huge hug. "This is a proud moment. Its hard to describe," Tom Gordon said. "I have nothing but pride and pure joy for my boys." Gordon, from Orlandos Olympia High School, also has some family bragging rights now: His father was a sixth-rounder by Kansas City in 1986, while his brother was a fourth-rounder by Los Angeles in 2008. "Were pretty much the same player," Nick Gordon said of the brothers. "You know, hes got a little bit more speed than I do, Ive got a little bit more pop than he does. But, you know, we model our game after each other." A few other players followed in the footsteps of famous family members. Wichita State first baseman Casey Gillaspie went 20th overall to Tampa Bay, 17 spots ahead of where his brother Conor, the White Soxs third baseman, was picked in 2008. "I cant really compare myself to him because hes in the big leagues," Casey said. "It was cool when it happened, but now Im just ready and focused." San Francisco outfielder Bradley Zimmer was taken 21st by Cleveland. His brother, Kyle, was the fifth overall pick by Kansas City in 2012. With the next pick, Detroit took California high school outfielder Derek Hill, whose father Orsino was a first-rounder in January 1982 and is now a scout for the Dodgers. California high school catcher Alex Jackson went sixth to Seattle, which intends to move him to the outfield. "Ive been playing multiple positions my whole life," Jackson said. "Its nothing extra ordinary that has been thrown my way. Im looking forward to getting out there competing." LSU righty Aaron Nola was the seventh overall selection by Philadelphia. Evansville lefty Kyle Freeland, a Colorado native, went No. 8 to the Rockies and said hes used to pitching in the thin Denver air and isnt afraid of it. East Carolina right-hander Jeff Hoffman went ninth to Toronto, which also took Kennesaw State catcher Max Pentecost two picks later. The New York Mets rounded out the top 10 picks by selecting Oregon State outfielder Michael Conforto. In the year of Tommy John surgery in baseball, two pitchers who recently had the operation were selected in the first 18 picks -- a sign that teams are confident in the success rate of the procedure. Even though theyll likely be sidelined for 12-18 months, Hoffman and UNLV righty Erick Fedde (No. 18 to Washington) remained attractive prospects. Vanderbilt righty Tyler Beede was the 14th overall pick by San Francisco, becoming the 18th player in draft history to be selected in the first round of two June drafts. He went 21st to Toronto in 2011. St. Louis wrapped up the first round of the draft, which is held over three days and 40 rounds, by selecting California high school righty Jack Flaherty at No. 34 -- seven picks after taking Florida State right-hander Luke Weaver. Gareth Morgan, from Toronto, was the first Canadian selected this year. The right-handed outfielder was drafted out of Blyth Academy by the Seattle Mariners, 74th overall. "Im honoured that the Mariners selected me and its also very special to be the first Canadian to be taken in the draft," said Morgan from his home in Toronto where he was following the draft with his family. "I have worked very hard throughout my career for this moment and Im excited for what the future holds." Cheap MLB Jerseys . Beanballs were the theme Friday night as the Red Sox and Rays had another AL East rumble, with Boston earning a 3-2 victory on A. Cheap Evan Longoria Jersey . Howard had 17 points and a career-high-tying 26 rebounds in his Houston debut, James Harden added 21 points and the Rockets cruised to a 96-83 win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday night. http://www.cheapraysjerseys.com/ .A. Happ capped a challenging season with one of his best efforts of the year. Cheap Rays Jerseys . Yet heading to New York, the Habs remain positive as it all comes down to the one main ingredient that the organization has built its team on - character. Wholesale Rays Jerseys . The 49ers, 6-2 and riding a five-game winning streak following the bye week, also waived cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and activated cornerback Eric Wright from the reserve/non-football injury list. Manningham made 42 receptions for 449 yards and one touchdown in 12 games and 10 starts last season before injuring his left knee in a loss at Seattle Dec.Paris, France (SportsNetwork.com) - Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer were among the third-round winners Friday at the French Open. Neither advanced easily, though, as both needed four sets. Djokovic came away with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (2-7), 6-4 victory over Croatias Marin Cilic and Federer earned a 7-5, 6-7 (7-9), 6-2, 6-4 triumph over Russian Dmitry Tursunov. The second-seeded Djokovic won his eighth straight match. He entered the years second Grand Slam after capturing the Italian Masters, which included a victory over Rafael Nadal in the final, and won each of his first two matches this week in straight sets. Cilic, it appeared, would meet the same fate after the first two sets, but he dominated the third-set tiebreaker. Djokovic then earned an early break for a 2-0 edge in the fourth before Cilic battled back with a break and evened the set at 4-4. Djokovic held again and Cilic was ahead in the next game before the Serb won the last three points, the final one coming on a Cilic double fault. "First two sets and beginning of the third I had some chances to break him and kind of get the job done in straight sets, but he started playing a little bit better," said Djokovic. "He played great, the end of the third, especially in the tiebreak. I complicated my own life there in the fourth. But generally it was a difficult match from different aspects." Djokovic improved to 9-0 all-time against Cilic and will next play French crowd favorite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The 13th seed cruised to a 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 win over Polands Jerzy Janowicz to reach the fourth round for the fifth time in the last six years. Tsonga was a semifinalist last year, losing to David Ferrer. Federer, meanwhile, also won his first two matches in straight sets this week before a test from Tursunov on Friday. The Moscow native fought off 17-of-21 break-point chances before finally falling. The third-round exit tied his best finish in 11 appearances at the French Open. The fourth-seeded Federer, the only French mens champion in the draw outsiide of eight-time winner Nadal, also beat Tursunov earlier this year in the third round at Indian Wells and advanced to a fourth-round meeting with Latvias Ernests Gulbis.dddddddddddd "Im pleased to be through," said Federer, the 2009 champion. "Like expected, it was not a straight-forward, easy match. I knew that Dmitry was going to try different things, play aggressive, serve well and then take big cuts at the ball. Thats kind of how it went." Gulbis, coming off a win last week at the French Open tune-up in Nice, eased past Czech veteran Radek Stepanek, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5, to reach the fourth round for the second time at Roland Garros. He made the quarterfinals in 2008 before falling to Djokovic. Sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych needed four sets to dispose of Spains Roberto Bautista Agut, claiming a 6-1, 6-2, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4 triumph to reach the fourth round for only the fourth time in 11 appearances at Roland Garros. The Czechs best finish was a run to the semifinals in 2010. American John Isner is next for Berdych. The 10th seed went more than three hours to complete a 7-6 (15-13), 7-6 (7-3), 6-7 (5-7), 7-5 victory over Spains Tommy Robredo. Isner had never beaten a Spaniard in a Grand Slam in five previous attempts and became the first American since Robby Ginepri in 2010 to reach the round of 16 in Paris. Eighth-seeded Milos Raonic outlasted Frenchman Gilles Simon in five sets, rallying for a 4-6, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2, 7-5 victory. Raonic became the first Canadian to reach the fourth round in the French capital and will next play the winner between Spains Marcel Granollers and Slovakias Martin Klizan. Darkness nearly stopped Raonic and did halt the Granollers-Klizan match after three sets. It will resume Saturday with Granollers holding a 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) advantage. Saturdays third-round action also includes the top-seeded Nadal against Argentinas Leonardo Mayer, the fifth-seeded Ferrer against Italys Andreas Seppi and seventh-seeded Andy Murray against Germanys Philipp Kohlschreiber. ' ' '