Brewers' Williams suspended 50 games

Brewers Minor League left-hander Alan Williams was suspended for 50 games Tuesday after testing positive for a drug of abuse.

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball announced that Williams, a reliever for Double-A Huntsville, has received a 50-game suspension without pay after his second positive test for a drug of abuse in violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The suspension is effective immediately.

Williams is 0-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 13 games, including three starts, for the Stars. The Southern Leaguer has struck out 32 and walked 11 in 30 innings, appearing most recently on May 16 at Mississippi.

The Louisiana native, 23, signed with Milwaukee in 2011 after beginning his career with an independent team in the Frontier League. The Meridian Community College product was drafted twice by the Marlins in 2008 and 2009 but did not sign either time.

Players are typically issued a warning following a first positive test for a drug of abuse, followed by a suspension for a second offense. Substances considered "drugs of abuse" by Major League Baseball include cocaine, marijuana, heroin, LSD, ecstasy and other opiates. Minor Leaguers who test positive for a performance-enhancing substance are subjected to an immediate 50-game suspension.

Williams' suspension was the 21st this year under the Minor League program.