Cincinnati Reds infielder Noelvi Marte has been suspended 80 games for violating Major League Baseball’s performance-enhancing drugs policy, the team announced.
Reds top prospect Noelvi Marte has been suspended 80 games pic.twitter.com/19HgHdY0rY
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) March 8, 2024
On Friday, MLB announced Marte was suspended without pay after testing positive for Boldenone, a performance-enhancing substance. He will not be in the lineup on Opening Day and won’t be playing until late June at the earliest.
Following, the team released a statement,
“The Reds fully support Major League Baseball’s drug policy and its penalties. We will have no further comment.”
Marte debuted last season batting .284/.351/.449 with eight home runs and 13 doubles in 35 games, and was set to be the Reds’ starting third baseman this season.
As per MLB.com’s rankings, Marte is the No. 1 overall prospect in Cincinnati’s system heading into the 2024 season and the No. 21 overall prospect in the league.
His 80 games suspended without pay by MLB has put a pause on his young career, it came following the violation of the league’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment program. Marte was found to have tested positive for Boldenone, a banned anabolic-androgenic steroid.
Effective at the beginning of the 2024 regular season, he will not be eligible for the 2024 postseason roster.
Reds manager David Bell shared,
“He’s gonna be greatly missed. I believe in Noelvi Marte. He’s going to get through this. When he does, it’s going to be behind him. When he does come back, he’s going to be welcomed back with open arms, and it’s going to be over.”
For the updates, possibly the first game Marte will be eligible to return from his suspension is June 21 against the Pirates.
