Padres' Daal, free agent Fleece suspended

Padres catcher Rodney Daal and former Reds right-hander Nick Fleece both were suspended for 50 games Monday after testing positive for drugs of abuse.

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball said Daal and Fleece both received 50-game suspensions without pay following their second violations for a drug of abuse. Daal's ban is effective immediately, while Fleece will begin serving his upon signing with a Major League organization.

Signed by San Diego in 2010 out of Helen Parkhurst College in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Daal has appeared in 162 games over three seasons in the Minors. The 20-year-old, who has not played this season, hit .271 with eight homers, 39 RBIs and a .317 on-base percentage in 79 games last year with Class A Fort Wayne. 

Fleece, 24, was drafted by Cincinnati in the 13th round of the 2011 Draft out of Texas A&M and has pitched in 23 games, mostly with Rookie-level Billings. The right-hander missed all of 2012 and then made his Class A debut last summer with Dayton, finishing up at 0-2 with a 3.05 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 20 2/3 innings over 20 games between Billings and Dayton.

Players are typically issued a warning following a first positive test for a drug of abuse and 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.

Daal and Fleece are the 24th and 25th players to be suspended for violating the Minor League drug program in 2014.