A Boston Red Sox prospect got to the top of the list the easy way. Michael Chavis failed a drug test:
Chavis tested positive for Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, which is a banned performance-enhancing drug.
The 22-year-old player was a first-round pick by Boston in 2014 who struggled in each of his first three seasons in the minor leagues where he failed to hit better than .269 at any level. But in 2017 he broke out hitting .282 with 31 home runs.
His 31 home runs were 15 more than he had ever hit in a season.
He did wear a cool bow tie on draft day. It seems to me if he had been juicing for over a year, it took a long time to catch him. The PEDs almost got him to the majors.
A lot of these suspensions are due to supplements. Minor leaguers cant afford the certified supplements. Not at 5-10K per year salary.
Even certified product carries the risk of contamination since manufacturers cant control all aspects of the supply line
Players are not dumb enough to knowingly take these drugs that are easily detected. They may roll the dice on supplements out of economic necessity.
Being suspended without pay is tough, but he can make more at McDonalds now and may afford better supplements. Thats Sad
Also Judge never hit more than 23 HR at any level in a season and hit 52 last year at age 26. Yaz doubled his HR output at age 27.
A 21 year old experiencing a break out year is not proof of PED use.