Houston Astros minor-league pitcher Forrest Whitley, one of the top pitching prospects in baseball, has been suspended 50 games for violating the league’s drug prevention and treatment program, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred’s office announced Wednesday morning.
Whitley will be suspended without pay beginning with the first game of the Double-A Texas League’s upcoming season.
The 17th overall pick in the 2016 MLB draft, Whitley is rated the No. 2 pitcher and No. 10 overall prospect by Baseball America. (Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels is rated the No. 1 pitching prospect, though he will also play outfield and likely start the season with the big-league club.)
🔥🔥🔥 #DSTathlete and #Astros RHP @ForrestWhitley setting a facility record of 99mph today in a velo pen! #DSTfuego #DSTstrong💪🏼 pic.twitter.com/UD68qhffQQ
— DST Performance (@DST_Houston) February 20, 2018
Whitley was also rated the No. 36 overall prospect in baseball by MLB.com.
“We do everything we can to educate our guys and keep them from making decisions that result in suspensions,” Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow told reporters. “In this case, obviously, as an organization we’re going to suffer a little bit. But we’re still hopeful and optimistic that Forrest is going to be a big part of our future.”
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