We Have The First Banned Substance Suspension Of The MLB Season

Major League Baseball announced Friday that top Cincinnati Reds prospect Noelvi Marte had been suspended for 80 games for violating the league's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment program.

Marte's suspension came as a result of testing positive for Boldenone, which is a banned anabolic-androgenic steroid. The 80-game suspension starts at the beginning of the regular season, meaning the Reds will be without Marte through early-July. 

This marks the first suspension for MLB under its drug prevention program since J.C. Mejia in 2023 and the biggest name to face punishment since Fernando Tatis Jr.'s suspension was announced in late 2022. 

Marte came over to the Reds in a trade with the Seattle Mariners for starter Luis Castillo at the 2023 trade deadline, and was widely viewed as the centerpiece and key return in the deal.

The Reds released a short statement after the suspension was announced, saying they "fully support Major League Baseball's drug policy and its penalties," the statement read. "We will have no further comment," it concluded.

Cincinnati Reds infielder Noelvi Marte fields a groundball during spring training workouts on Feb. 19 at the team's spring training facility in Goodyear, Ariz.

Cincinnati Reds Get Major Setback For 2024 Season

Marte is widely viewed as the top prospect in the Reds system and one of the top 20-30 in the sport. While this doesn't set his career back, the 80-game suspension does likely put his development path back a bit. As well as hurting his team's chances at making the playoffs in 2024.

Marte had an impressive 114 at-bat debut for the Reds last season, hitting .309/.371/.512 for an .883 OPS before even turning 22 years old. As an expected starter, along with exciting young players like Spencer Steer, Eloy de la Cruz, Will Benson and Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Cincinnati's been expected to compete in a wide open National League Central Division.

Reds manager David Bell said Marte's job would be waiting for him when he returns from the suspension, according to MLB.com.

"He's gonna be greatly missed," Bell said. "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."

With the gap between making the postseason and missing it razor thin for teams like the Reds, it's a major blow. But with Marte returning for the stretch run, there's still room for optimism. As long as he doesn't do it again.