Another season, another reason to believe Twins first baseman Henry Sanchez will not be able to fulfill his prodigious power potential.

The 2005 supplemental first-round pick—drafted 39th overall and signed for $900,000—was suspended Friday for 50 games for testing positive for a drug of abuse, in violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment program.

Sanchez, 22, played high school ball with 2004 No. 1 overall pick Matt Bush at Mission Bay High in San Diego. He has had injuries throughout his career but also has just never hit. In four seasons he has just 310 at-bats and has hit .216/.297/.358, with eight home runs. He was 3-for-13 for low Class A Beloit this season prior to the suspension.

In our 2005 Draft Preview, Sanchez ranked as the No. 6 prospect in California, and his potential was summed up like this:

"At 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds, Sanchez could become the biggest first-round pick in draft history. He physically resembles a larger Andres Galarraga, and naturally draws comparisons to Brewers prospect Prince Fielder, who was a more compact 5-foot-11 and 250 pounds when he was the seventh overall pick in 2002. Sanchez isn’t quite as athletic as Fielder but has the same explosive, raw power and ranks as the top power prospect in this year’s draft. Exceptionally strong, he can crush balls with a short stroke that generates bat speed well beyond his years. Sanchez first drew national attention for his slugging in 2004, when he hit .557-11-52 as a high school teammate of No. 1 overall pick Matt Bush. Last summer, he went 11-for-20 at the Area Code Games and put on a power show rarely seen in that showcase’s nearly 20-year history. Not all scouts are sold on Sanchez as a first-round pick, however. The prevailing thought is that he could hit 35-40 home runs in the big leagues or just as easily flame out in Class A. His weight, which has reached nearly 300 pounds in the past, is a concern. It limits him to first base, though he has decent mobility around the bag and adequate arm strength for the position. He’s a below-average runner. He would be more appealing to an American League club. He hasn’t put up the numbers he did last year in part because he broke the hamate bone in his hand at the start of the season and was slow to come around."