Tate, Braves bullpen prospect, suspended 50 games

rico43

<B>Director of Minor League Reports</B>
From MLB.com

NEW YORK -- Braves reliever Richie Tate and fellow right-hander Koby Gauna of the A's were suspended 50 games apiece on Friday after testing positive for banned drugs.

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball said both Tate and Gauna received 50-game suspensions without pay following second positive tests for a drug of abuse in violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

Tate will begin serving his suspension on Opening Day, while Gauna's ban starts in June when short-season leagues begin play.

Tate, 22, has appeared in 83 games since the Braves selected him in the 14th round of the 2010 Draft. He debuted in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 2010, missed the entire 2011 season and reached Class A Rome in 2013. The 6-foot-6 reliever returned to the South Atlantic League last year, where he went 5-5 with a 3.68 ERA in 66 innings over 45 outings, striking out 52 batters and walking 36.
 
I coached against Tate when he was a junior at Marked Tree High School (Arkansas). HE was hitting 92-93 EASILY in the 11th grade. We didn't see a ton of that in the small school where I worked.

He was a big kid with a big fastball and a big attitude. It doesn't surprise me to see him in trouble, but I hope that he and Gauna get away from the drugs and have productive careers.
 
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