Three Astros prospects suspended

Astros prospects Jose Fernandez, Michael Martinez and D'Andre Toney received 50-game suspensions Friday for violating the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

The suspensions were announced by the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball, which said the trio tested positive for an amphetamine. All three suspensions are effectively immediately.

Fernandez, a 20-year-old shortstop, started the year with short-season Tri-City and batted .174 with one RBI and one stolen base in seven games. He was hitting .258 with a homer, seven RBIs and three steals in 16 games in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League.

Martinez was the Astros' 36th-round pick in last year's Draft. The 23-year-old first baseman is tied for second in the New York-Penn League with 11 homers and was hitting .225 with 35 RBIs in 59 games with Tri-City.

Toney, the Royals' 14th-round pick in the 2011 Draft, was traded to Houston in May 2012 in the deal involving outfielder Jason Bourgeois. The 21-year-old outfielder was hitting .219 with two homers, 12 RBIs and 13 steals in 47 games for the ValleyCats.

The Commissioner's Office has suspended 50 players in 2013 for violations of the Minor League drug program.