Former top draft pick Phil Bickford suspended 50 games


Save Story
Leer en español

Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

NEW YORK (AP) — Milwaukee right-hander Phil Bickford, the 18th overall pick in baseball's 2015 amateur draft, has been suspended for the first 50 games of next season following a second positive test for a drug of abuse under the sport's minor league drug program.

Bickford, 21, is on the roster of Milwaukee's Class A Carolina Mudcats of the Carolina League. He signed with the San Francisco for a $2,333,800 bonus and was traded at this year's Aug. 1 deadline to the Brewers along with catcher Andrew Susac for left-hander Will Smith.

Bickford was 7-7 with a 2.93 ERA in 22 starts and one relief appearance for three Class A teams this year, striking out 135 in 120 innings. He pitched in the All-Star Futures Game in San Diego.

In addition, Toronto right-hander Pedro Loficial was suspended for 72 games following a positive test for metabolites of Stanozolol and Miami outfielder Casey Soltis was banned 50 games following a second positive test for a drug of abuse.

Loficial, 21, was 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA in three relief appearances and 6 2/3 innings for the Dominican Summer League Blue Jays.

The 21-year-old Soltis, a fifth-round pick in 2014, hit .190 this year in 52 games at Class A Greensboro of the South-Atlantic League.

Major League Baseball announced the discipline Friday. There have been 95 suspensions this year under the minor league drug program and 13 under the major league program.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Most recent National Sports stories

Related topics

MLBNational Sports
The Associated Press

    ARE YOU GAME?

    From first downs to buzzer beaters, get KSL.com’s top sports stories delivered to your inbox weekly.
    By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

    KSL Weather Forecast