Twins catcher Real suspended 50 games

Elizabethton Twins catcher Alex Real was suspended for 50 games Tuesday after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance.

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball said Real received a 50-game suspension without pay after testing positive for Methylhexaneamine, a stimulant in violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The suspension will be effective at the start of the 2015 Appalachian League season.

Real, 21, was the Twins' 24th-round selection in this year's Draft out of New Mexico, where he was a Johnny Bench Award semifinalist and earned All-Mountain West first-team honors after he finished tied for third in the nation and first among catchers with 25 doubles in 2014.

With the E-Twins, the 6-foot right-hander hit .284 with a homer, 11 RBIs and five doubles in 88 at-bats over 28 games. He made a pair of errors and threw out three of 13 base-stealers in a dozen games behind the plate.

Methylhexaneamine is a substance intended to be used as a nasal decongestant but is banned by Major League Baseball. It's believed to increase focus and energy, but side effects include nausea and stroke. The drug has been linked to some Minor Leaguers over the past few years since it's an ingredient in some pre-workout supplements.

Real is the 54th player to be suspended this year for violating the Minor League drug program.