Noelvi Marté, a 22-year-old infielder considered the top prospect for the Cincinnati Reds, received an 80-game suspension on Friday after testing positive under Major League Baseball’s drug program.
Marté’s test detected the presence of the performance-enhancing substance Boldenone, marking the first suspension under the MLB program since Milwaukee right-hander J.C. Mejía received a 162-game ban on Sept. 20 for testing positive for Stanozolol. This was Mejía’s second suspension under the program.
Expected to take on the role of the Reds’ starting third baseman this season, Marté was set to join Cincinnati’s youthful core of players, including Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, Spencer Steer, and Christian Encarnacion-Strand.
The suspension is unpaid. Marté’s anticipated salary for this season was expected to slightly exceed the league minimum of $740,000.
Marté, who hails from the Dominican Republic, inked a contract with Seattle in July 2018, securing a $1.55 million signing bonus. He was then traded to the Reds in July 2022 as part of a deal that included three other prospects in exchange for All-Star right-hander Luis Castillo.
Marté entered the major leagues on August 19 last year, boasting a .316 batting average with three home runs, 15 RBIs, and six stolen bases across 35 games. In the minor leagues last year, he maintained a .279 batting average with 20 doubles, 11 home runs, 45 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases across three different levels.
So far this year, four players have faced disciplinary action under the minor league program.
