Atlanta Braves minor league second baseman Mikey Reynolds has been given a 50-game suspension without pay for testing positive for a performance enhancing substance, according to a report from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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The drug Reynolds tested positive for, methylphenidate (more commonly known as Ritalin) is a prescription stimulant used to treat hyperactivity disorder, and is on the list of banned substances. The positive test violates the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
“You’ve got to be aware of what’s allowable and what’s not,” Braves assistant general manager and director of player development Bruce Manno told the AJC. “Everybody is informed and everybody knows exactly what is and what’s not permissible to take. It’s disappointing.”
“We spend an awful lot of time educating our guys (on the drug policy), and we do it over and over again,” Manno continued. “So there should be no grey area in terms of knowing what’s permissible and what’s not. It was a mistake. Got to learn from it. I hope other players learn from it.
This isn’t a huge loss in terms of personnel for the Braves, but still has to be disappointing for management. The 23-year-old Reynolds was Atlanta’s fifth-round pick in the 2013 June draft out of Texas A&M. He has been playing with the Single-A Rome team this season, hitting .188 in 18 games, with three extra-base hits, three RBIs, and four stolen bases
Last year in the Braves Rookie League Danville team, Reynolds hit 309, with two home runs, eight stolen bases and a .402 OBP in 44 games.