Mets' prospect Ricky Jacquez suspended 50 games for drug use
Major League Baseball suspended New York Mets' prospect Ricky Jacquez Friday for 50 games for violating the league's drug policy, NJ.com reported.
The violation is Jacquez's second such violation, according to the report.
In 2012, Jacquez was dismissed from the University of Texas baseball team as a freshman after multiple unspecified violations of the team's code of conduct.
He was drafted in 2011 by the Chicago Cubs but did not sign with the team. The Mets drafted Jacquez in the 25th round of the 2013 MLB draft and assigned him to Kingsport of the Rookie-level Appalachian League.
He did not pitch in 2014, but in 2013 Jacquez appeared in 16 games for Kingsport, striking out 33 in 20 1/3 innings and logging a 1.74 ERA.
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If Jacquez remains on the Kingsport roster, his suspension would keep him out of baseball until late August at the earliest. The Appalachian League's season begins June 23.
Two other members of the Mets farm system were recently suspended for the same duration of games for a failing drug tests. Pitcher Brandon Welch and second baseman L.J. Mazzilli, the son of former Mets great Lee Mazzilli, both received 50 game suspensions in January and December, respectively, after each testing positive for a banned substance a second time.
