Two Chicago Cubs prospects issued 72-game suspensions for steroids

It was recently reported by Danny Wild of MiLB.com that two Chicago Cubs prospects and one Minnesota Twins prospect were issued 72-game suspensions for testing positive for steroids.

So far over the past decade, the sports world has been pelted with over a handful of negative headlines regarding specific topics which resulted in players either being suspended, banned and or arrested.

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While the world of professional football has had to deal with multiple players being involved in domestic violence related arrests, baseball has been cracking down hard on performance-enhancing substances such as steroids in hopes of cleaning up the game.

Now, before we move any further, I’m by no means trying to compare these two issues and I’m aware of other professional organizations trying their hardest to eliminate the use of these drugs.

So let’s continue.

In case you missed it, or just so happened to forget – New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez just recently came back this season after he was suspended for the entire 2014 campaign for being involved in the infamous Biogenesis Scandal which listed a handful of Major League Baseball players.

Guys such as Nelson Cruz, Everth Cabrera, Ryan Braun, Jhonny Peralta, Antonio Bastardo, Francisco Cervelli, and Rodriguez were key names in the list that was revealed to the public. All the men involved were handed suspensions aside from Rodriguez were issued 50-to-65 games suspensions as punishment for being involved in the scandal.

The two players within the organization are 22-year-old right-handed pitchers Assael Aquino and Luiz Escanio who are members of the Dominican Summer League Chicago Cubs.

Escanio has been on the team since 2013, recording posting a 3.62 ERA with 12 saves, 68/13 K/BB ratio, across 54 2/3 frames in two and a half years prior to being suspended. Meanwhile, Aquino joined the DSL Cubs in 2014 and finished with an impressive 2.11 ERA, 39/30 K/BB ratio, 1.43 WHIP and was charged with only 10 earned runs in 42 2/3 innings of work.

He’ll carry a 6.00 ERA in only two appearances as the suspensions without pay were made effective immediately as Wild reports in his recent article about the announcement.

Hopefully, these two will learn their lesson and stay away from trouble or else they could find themselves being cut loose altogether.

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