Former University of Miami star and eight-year minor league veteran Cesar Carrillo has received a 100-game suspension without pay for his violations of the minor league drug program, Major League Baseball announced in a press release Friday.

The 28-year-old Carrillo, a first-round pick by the Padres in 2005, has pitched for three organizations (and one independent team) in the past three seasons, finishing last year with six appearances at Double-A Erie in the Tigers system.

Carrillo's name surfaced in an offseason Miami New Times report that linked him—and other former Hurricanes—with Biogenesis, a South Florida anti-aging clinic that reportedly sold performance-enhancing drugs to players. [...] Continue Reading »

Kolby Copeland, the Marlins' supplemental third-round selection last June, refused to take an offseason drug test and will be suspended for the first 50 games of 2013 without pay. The commissioner's office made the announcement on Tuesday afternoon.

The 19-year-old outfielder spent the bulk of his 2012 debut in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, batting .286/.331/.406 with 14 doubles in 217 at-bats. Copeland attended Parkway High in Bossier City, La.

Free agent righthander Mark Hamburger, released by the Astros on Feb. 13, must serve a 50-game suspension if he latches on with a new organization. He failed two tests for recreational drugs as defined by the minor league drug prevention and treatment program.

Signed as a nondrafted free agent by the Twins in 2007, Hamburger reached the big leagues briefly in 2011, making five appearances for Texas. The 26-year-old reliever pitched at the Triple-A level for the Rangers, Padres and Astros last season, notching 7.2 strikeouts and 4.1 walks per nine innings for three Pacific Coast League clubs.

The fifth and sixth drug suspensions of 2013 hit the newswire late Friday afternoon. Both minor league players affected will receive 50-game suspensions without pay.

Athletics righthander Gary Daley tested positive for the stimulant Methylphenidate. The 27-year-old made 34 appearances (18 starts) for Double-A Midland last season, going 10-10, 5.11 with 79 strikeouts and 71 walks in 118 innings. Oakland signed Daley in August 2010, following his release from the Cardinals, the organization that made him a third-round pick out of college in ’06.

Former Dodgers first baseman Austin Gallagher tested positive for the stimulant Methylhexaneamine. His penalty will take effect only if he signs with another organization, however, following his release from Los Angeles on Jan. 13. The 24-year-old Gallagher, the older brother of Royals prospect Cameron, hit .283/.383/.481 with 15 homers in 374 at-bats for high Class A Rancho Cucamonga last season, his third straight in the California League.

Blue Jays minor league reliever Alan Farina missed half of the 2012 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, and now the righthander will miss at least the first two months of this season after failing multiple drug tests administered by Major League Baseball.

The 26-year-old Farina must serve a 50-game suspension without pay before he can appear in a minor league game, his penalty for twice testing positive for an unspecified "drug of abuse." He actually began the season on Toronto's 40-man roster, but a July 2 outright to high Class A Dunedin made him subject to the minor league drug testing program.

The Blue Jays drafted Farina out of Clemson in the third round in 2007, though injuries have slowed his climb to the big leagues. To this point, he's topped out at Double-A New Hampshire, appearing in 34 games for the Fisher Cats in 2010-11 and recording ratios of 10.8 strikeouts and 3.9 walks per nine innings to go with a 1.47 ERA and 1.01 WHIP over 37 innings.

The commissioner's office announced a pair of 50-game suspensions for two minor league players who tested positive for the stimulant Methylhexaneamine. The suspensions will take effect this season.

Free agent catcher Bryan Henry finished the season with high Class A Visalia, the Diamondbacks' California League affiliate, going 5-for-29 (.172) in eight games. Arizona released him on Oct. 5.

Rays catcher David Wendt also finished last season in high Class A, playing for Charlotte of the Florida State League, where he batted .185/.214/.210 in 81 at-bats. He's a 50th-round pick in 2009 from Dowling (N.Y.) College.

The Astros' Jonathan Singleton finished last season in Double-A and ranks as the top first-base prospect in the minors, but his flight to Houston has been delayed with the revelation Wednesday that he failed multiple drug tests administered by Major League Baseball and must serve a 50-game suspension at the outset of 2013.

The 21-year-old Singleton twice tested positive for marijuana, which is classified as a "drug of abuse" in the minor league drug prevention and treatment program. “I accept the penalty and take full responsibility for my actions," Singleton said in a statement. "I apologize to my parents, the Houston Astros and (general manager) Jeff Luhnow."

Singleton hit .284/.396/.497 with 21 home runs in 461 at-bats for Double-A Corpus Christi in 2012, leading the Texas League in runs (94) while ranking second with 88 walks and fifth with 52 extra-base hits. He put up a .939 OPS in the second half and, he probably would have made his big league debut near the midpoint of the 2013 season, assuming he didn't fall flat in Triple-A.

Given that he won't get going until June this season, Singleton may have to wait until August or September before receiving a callup to Houston. The Astros may be tempted to add him to the 40-man roster at an earlier point, however, seeing as they'll promote the 2009 draft pick at some point this season, regardless, to shield him from the Rule 5 draft. Houston's 40-man is at capacity now, but included in that count are two big league Rule 5 picks, reliever Josh Fields and first baseman Nate Freiman, who could be waived during spring training.

Other prospects who will begin the 2013 season on the sidelines due to failed drug tests include Ryan Brett (Rays), Josh Sale (Rays) and Marcus Stroman (Blue Jays). Padres catcher Yasmani Grandal flunked a test while with San Diego, but with just 192 big league at-bats to his name, he's not so far removed from being a prospect.

Braves minor league righthanded reliever Billy Bullock failed two tests for a drug of abuse and received a 50-game suspension without pay from Major League Baseball. He'll serve the suspension at the outset of 2013.

The Twins drafted Bullock out of Florida in the second round of the 2009 draft, but they traded him during spring training ’11 in the deal that allowed them to retain the rights to Rule 5 pick Scott Diamond.

The 24-year-old Bullock has spent the bulk of his two seasons with Atlanta at the Double-A level, where last season he logged 39 relief innings for Mississippi and struck out 9.4 and walked 7.6 batters per nine innings.

Rays minor league outfielder Cody Rogers refused to take an offseason drug test, a violation of the drug prevention and treatment program, and must serve a 50-game suspension at the outset of 2013.

A seventh-round pick in ’09, Rogers batted .244/.312/.343 with four homers and 22 steals in 112 games for high Class A Charlotte this season. The 23-year-old lefty hitter is a product of Panola (Texas) JC.

Former Giants minor league righthander Rafael Martinez faces a 50-game suspension if and when he signs with a new organization. He refused to take a test, which is a violation of the drug prevention and treatment program.

Martinez qualified for and was granted minor league free agency a week ago. Signed by the Giants in October 2005, he spent four seasons in the Dominican Summer League, one in the Rookie-level Arizona League and this season with short-season Salem-Keizer, for whom he made 13 relief appearances.

Major League Baseball has announced that Padres' catcher Yasmani Grandal has been suspended for 50 games after testing positive for elevated levels of testosterone, which is a violation of Major League Baseball's performance enhancing drug policy. The suspension will begin at the start of the 2013 season.

Grandal is the sixth major leaguer in 2012 to test positive and be suspended for PED use, the most in a season since 2007. [...] Continue Reading »

The commissioner’s office announced three drug-related suspensions on Monday.

• Dodgers righthander Jose Dominguez has been suspended 25 games without pay for violating the program. Dominguez spent most of the 2012 season in low Class A Great Lakes, going 4-3, 5.25 with 78 strikeouts and 47 walks over 72 innings. He finished the season with five solid outings in Double-A Chattanooga.

• Two minor league free agents—righthander Emerson Martinez and shortstop Luis Valenzuela—will be suspended 50 games without pay for testing positive for Stanozolol.

Journeyman center fielder Joey Gathright has spent at least part of the past three seasons in independent baseball, with his only big league time coming as a pinch-runner/defensive replacement for the Red Sox in September 2011. The 31-year-old Gathright, whom the Reds released in July, will have an even longer road back to the majors following news that he tested positive for an amphetamine, a performance-enhancing substance in violation of the minor league drug program.

Gathright must serve a 50-game suspension before he can suit up for another affiliated minor league club. Even if the free agent signs a minor league deal with an organization this offseason he won't be able to take the field until late May or early June. 

In his youth, Gathright's top-of-the-line speed and crazy athleticism made him one of the Rays' top prospects. He reached Triple-A Durham at age 23 in 2004, then jumped to Tampa Bay late that June, a mere three years after being a 32nd-round draft pick out of La Place, La. Though Gathright hit just .244/.312/.291 in parts of three seasons with some terrible Rays teams, the Royals perceived growth potential, so in June 2006—in one of general manager Dayton Moore's first trades—Kansas City dealt lefty J.P. Howell to Tampa Bay to acquire the speedy 25-year-old. [...] Continue Reading »

Rays minor league lefthander Brett Blaise will sit out the first 50 games of 2013 without pay after testing positive for an amphetamine, a performance-enhancing substance. Tampa Bay signed the 22-year-old as a nondrafted free agent from Belhaven (Miss.) in June, and he made eight relief appearances in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, striking out 16, walking 12 and running up an 8.36 ERA in 14 innings.
 

The commissioner's office announced one drug-related suspension on Monday.

• Reds minor league lefthander Mitch Clarke received a 50-game suspension without pay following a second violation for a drug of abuse. Cincinnati signed Clarke out of high school in Kitchener, Ontario, in the 19th round of the 2009 draft. The 22-year-old made one appearance in the Rookie-level Arizona League this season on June 24, allowing a run on a hit in two innings.

The office announced a trio of 50-game suspensions on Sept. 10:

• Reds minor league second baseman/third baseman Niko Vasquez and righthander Jamie Walczak tested positive for an amphetamine. Both players finished the season with high Class A Bakersfield. The 23-year-old Vasquez, who signed with Cincinnati after being released by the Cardinals in May, batted .235/.323/.378 with four homers in 238 at-bats for the Blaze. Walczak, a 15th-round pick in 2009 from Mercyhurst (Pa.), logged 100 innings for Bakersfield (13 starts, 26 relief appearances) and posted a 5.65 ERA and 1.55 WHIP.

• Free agent righthander Frank Diaz tested positive for metabolites of Stanozolol and will begin serving his suspension if and when he signs with another major league organization. The Diamondbacks signed him on July 2 this year and released him on Sept. 7, though he never actually pitched for the organization.

The minor league regular season may be over, but the commissioner's office has been busy this week handing out suspensions to minor league players that will take effect in 2013.

Sept. 6

Cardinals third baseman/corner outfielder Alan Ahmady will sit out 50 games without pay following a second violation for what the joint drug agreement deems a drug of abuse. The ’09 11th-round pick from Fresno State batted .295/.386/.445 in 254 at-bats for high Class A Palm Beach this season. The 24-year-old spent the first half of August with Double-A Springfield before returning to the Florida State League on Aug. 18. He's been suspended once before for amphetamine use.

Giants catcher Leo Rojas tested positive for metabolites of Nandrolone and must serve a 50-game suspension. The 22-year-old signed out of the 15th round of this year's draft (Miami Dade JC) and hit .239/.321/.348 in 46 at-bats in the Rookie-level Arizona League. [...] Continue Reading »

Less than a week after the commissioner's office announced the penalty for Rays prospect Ryan Brett's failed drug test, the league handed out three more 50-game suspensions, two of them to prospects selected in the first round of recent drafts.

• Rays minor league left fielder Josh Sale, a teammate of Brett's with low Class A Bowling Green, tested positive for methamphetamine and an amphetamine, the same substances that triggered Brett's failed test. The 21-year-old Sale bashed six home runs in May, but he had cooled in the second half (.737 OPS), dragging his season line to .264/.391/.464 with 10 homers in 239 at-bats. The Rays selected him out of a Seattle high school with the 17th pick in the 2010 draft.

• The second of two Blue Jays first-round picks in June, righthander Marcus Stroman tested positive for the stimulant Methylhexaneamine. The former Duke standout and 22nd overall draft pick signed on July 3 and advanced to Double-A New Hampshire a month later after a brief stopover in the short-season Northwest League. In 15 pro relief appearances he had struck out 23, walked nine and allowed 16 hits (including one homer) in 19 1/3 innings.

• Royals minor league first baseman Mark Donato tested positive for an amphetamine. A 26th-round pick from Indian River (Fla.) JC in June, he batted .253/.305/.435 with three homers in 154 at-bats in the Rookie-level Arizona League.

The number of minor leaguers serving 50-game suspensions grew by three today when the commissioner's office announced that a trio of players—including one with more than two years of major league service—had violated the game's joint drug agreement.

• Mariners minor league righthander David Pauley incurred his penalty following a second violation for a drug of abuse. The 29-year-old veteran made a total of 10 relief appearances this year for the Angels and Blue Jays prior to electing free agency on July 6 and signing a minor league deal with Seattle. Pauley enjoyed his only measure of big league success as a reliever for the Mariners in 2010 and ’11, though that success proved fleeting after he joined the Tigers in July of last year as the other pitcher Detroit received in the Doug Fister deal.

• Tigers minor league right fielder D.J. Driggers batted just .160/.240/.234 in 94 at-bats for the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League club following his selection in the 22nd round of the year's draft. The 20-year-old Middle Georgia JC product tested positive for a metabolite of Drostanolone and will sit for 50 games without pay, assuming Detroit doesn't release him.

• White Sox minor league shortstop Carlos Gonzalez of the Dominican Summer League tested positive for metabolites of Stanozolol. He signed for $50,000 out of the D.R. last October and batted .215/.329/.251 in 191 DSL at-bats this year.

Three Rays minor leaguers will miss the conclusion of the season, including the low Class A Midwest League playoffs, following a Major League Baseball announcement that each has tested positive for methamphetamine and an amphetamine. All three Bowling Green players received 50-game suspensions without pay, effective immediately.

Second baseman Ryan Brett, who headed the organization's depth chart at the position coming into the year, is the most notable name on the list. The 20-year-old batted .285/.348/.390 with six homers and 19 doubles in 410 at-bats for Bowling Green. A 2010 third-rounder out of high school, Brett ranked second in the MWL with 48 stolen bases in 56 attempts.

A pair of Hot Rods relievers also face 50-game suspensions: righthander Charlie Cononie (24th round, 2011, Towson) and lefty Justin Woodall (26th round, 2010, Alabama).

Bowling Green clinched a MWL playoff spot by virtue of capturing a first-half wild card.

Aug. 24 Update

According to Brett's agent Nik Lubisich, the Rays prospect claims the positive test could only have been triggered by a "single incident in which the evening before this random drug test he took an energy pill that was described to him as caffeine-like, but which apparently turned out to be a common form of attention-deficit disorder medication Adderall." [...] Continue Reading »

The commissioner's office announced today that three minor league players have been suspended for 50 games without pay following their violations of the drug prevention and treatment program.

• Nationals minor league catcher Mike Albaladejo tested positive for the stimulant Methylhexaneamine. Signed as a nondrafted free agent from Florida Atlantic in July, the 22-year-old batted .234/.294/.234 in 47 at-bats in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League.

• Rays minor league outfielder Deshun Dixon failed two tests for a drug of abuse. A 2010 10th-round pick out of high school in Jackson, Miss., he batted .193/.283/.264 in 140 at-bats for short-season Hudson Valley this season.

• Free agent righthander Vince Payne also failed two tests for a drug of abuse. The Pirates released the 21-year-old, a 12th-round selection in 2010 from Cypress (Calif.) JC, after he logged a 9.00 ERA and 2.13 WHIP over 23 relief innings for low Class A West Virginia. Payne's suspension takes effect if and when he signs with another major league organization.