Cardinals Draftee Griffin Roberts Suspended

photo: Griffin Roberts (Joe Freiday Sr.)

Pitcher Griffin Roberts, the second player selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2018 Draft, has been suspended for 50 games due to a repeat drug of abuse violation.


Major League Baseball press release

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball announced today (Friday, December 14) that five Minor League players have been suspended following their violations of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

Boston Red Sox Minor League pitcher Francisco Lopez-Soto, who is currently on the roster of the Single-A Lowell Spinners of the New York-Penn League, has received a 50-game suspension without pay following a second violation for a drug of abuse.

New York Yankees Minor League pitcher Alex Mauricio, who is currently on the roster of the Single-A Staten Island Yankees of the New York-Penn League, has received a 50-game suspension without pay following a second violation for a drug of abuse.

Cincinnati Reds Minor League catcher Hunter Oliver, who is currently on the roster of the rookie-level Greenville Reds of the Appalachian League, has received a 50-game suspension without pay after testing positive for Amphetamine, a stimulant in violation of the Program.

St. Louis Cardinals Minor League pitcher Griffin Roberts, who is currently on the roster of Single-A Palm Beach Cardinals of the Florida State League, has received an 50-game suspension without pay following a second violation for a drug of abuse.

Oakland Athletics Minor League pitcher Dallas Woolfolk, who is currently on the roster of the rookie-level Arizona League Athletics, has received a 50-game suspension without pay after testing positive for Amphetamine, a stimulant in violation of the Program.


Brian Walton’s take

Fresh from the “announce bad news late on Friday afternoon” department:

Griffin Roberts (Joe Freiday Sr.)

Roberts was selected by St. Louis with the 43rd overall selection this June as a junior from Wake Forest and received an at-slot signing bonus of $1,664,200. The pick was in Competitive Balance Round A.

Expected to be a fast riser as a potential late-inning reliever with a plus slider, the 22-year old right-hander was eased into action this summer, throwing just 9 2/3 innings after signing. Roberts has yet to appear in The Cardinal Nation top prospect list, but is assured of being in the top 20.

The only slight redeeming factor I can see in this matter is that Roberts is on a full-season team roster, rather than the Gulf Coast League, where he opened his career. This way, Roberts will be eligible to return before Memorial Day. Had he still been in the GCL, he would have been out until August.

The second violation is in recognition that under MLB’s program, first-time drug-of-abuse offenders are given help and only suspended if a subsequent test is also positive.

This is almost identical in time and reason as the suspension of Cardinals top pitching prospect Alex Reyes three years ago. Reyes missed the first 50 games of the 2016 season after admitting use of marijuana, a substance not tested for at the Major League level. Still, the rules are the rules and are emphasized with every player. Also, Reyes was allowed to pitch in extended spring training to ramp up his workload for when his suspension was complete.

Roberts is the third Cardinals farmhand to be suspended this calendar year and the 40th since 2005. The others named in 2018 are then-Memphis pitcher Matt Pearce, who sat out the first 50-games of the year, and Dominican Summer League pitcher Nathanael Heredia, who was suspended for all of 2018.


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Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com. Follow Brian on Twitter.

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