San Francisco Giants prospect, Kelvin Pichardo, tested positive for a performance enhancing drug and has been suspended 50 games for violating MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
Pichardo has never appeared in a major league game but was on the Giants 40-man roster and therefore subject to the major league portion of the drug agreement. He becomes the third player suspended in 2009 after Philadelphia Phillies reliever, JC Romero, and Florida Marlins pitcher, Sergio Mitre. Pichardo had already been optioned to Triple-A during spring training when the suspension was announced.
The Giants released a fairly typical statement that included the following.
“The Giants were disappointed to learn that one of our players, Kelvin Pichardo, has failed a test for a performance enhancing drug. Our organization fully supports Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program”
