HOUSTON – Former top Astros prospect Jon Singleton and Houston pitcher Dean Deetz have been suspended after testing positive for banned drugs.
Deetz became the first player penalized this year under the major league drug program. Singleton was the eighth under the minor league program.
The commissioner's office announced the penalties Tuesday.
Deetz drew an 80-game ban for a positive test of Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, a performance-enhancing substance.
Deetz has never played in the majors but is on Houston's 40-man roster. The 24-year-old righty was 7-6 with a 4.25 ERA last year as a starter and reliever at Triple-A Fresno and Double-A Corpus Christi.
In a statement released by the players' union, Deetz said, "I have no idea how I could possibly have tested positive."
Singleton was banned 100 games after a third positive test for a drug of abuse. The 26-year-old first baseman played 114 games for Houston in 2014-15, hitting .171 with 14 home runs. Singleton spent last year at Double-A, batting .205 with 18 homers.
Prior to reaching the majors, in an interview with The Associated Press, Singleton spoke of his battle to overcome marijuana and alcohol abuse.
Singleton, 26, is a first basemen who played in 114 games with the big-league club in 2014 and 2015. Singleton was removed from the Astros 40-man roster following the 2016 season. He hit just .202 in 2016 with Fresno (AAA).
Deetz is a 24-year-old pitcher who was drafted by Houston in the 11th round of the 2014 draft. He was added to the Astros 40-man roster following the 2017 season. During the 2017 seasons, Deetz posted a 1.82 ERA with Corpus Christi (AA), earning a promotion to Fresno (AAA). He has not made his big-league debut.
Here's the #Astros statement on the 2 suspended players. Singleton has long been off the prospect list. Deetz, though, had 1.82 ERA in AA, earned promotion to AAA, then after the season was added to 40-man roster. Was 11th rd pick in '14. pic.twitter.com/JIbzJEYFX4
— Adam Wexler (@KPRC2AdamW) January 23, 2018