Adam Rubin of ESPN NY is reporting that second base prospect L.J. Mazzilli has been suspended 50 games without pay for testing positive for a drug of abuse.
“Unfortunately, in life, you cannot go back on a bad decision that was made, and in my case, one that I very much regret. After everything my loved ones, supporters, and the N.Y. Mets have given me, especially an opportunity to chase my childhood dream, I couldn’t be more ashamed and sorry.”
In a separate statement, the Mets added, “We support the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. We were disappointed and sorry to hear of L.J.’s struggles. We are pleased that L.J. has sought counseling to address his issues.”
Mazzilli batted .301 this season with 11 home runs and 14 steals during 131 games for Advanced-A St.Lucie. He also impressed in the Arizona Fall League with a .306 average and a .433 OBP in 49 at-bats.
The news of the suspension is very disappointing especially since Mazzilli was just starting to gain some recognition from analysts around the league. Baseball Prospectus recently provided a scouting report of Mazzilli, which stated that he has solid raw power and all the makings of a productive everyday player.
