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Indians right-hander Sturdevant suspended

Triple-A Columbus reliever, 29, tests positive for amphetamines
February 18, 2015

Indians Minor League right-hander Tyler Sturdevant was suspended for 50 games on Wednesday after testing positive for a banned substance.

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

Sturdevant, 29, split last season between Triple-A Columbus and Double-A Akron, going 2-2 with a 2.65 ERA in 46 relief appearances over 57 2/3 innings. He struck out 54 batters and walked 17, pitching in 24 Eastern League games and 22 in the International League.

Cleveland's 27th-round pick in 2009 out of New Mexico State, Sturdevant debuted in 2009 with Class A Short Season Mahoning Valley and has worked his way through the Tribe's farm system, pitching in 167 games, all in relief. He missed the entire 2013 season due to injury.

The Commissioner's Office has suspended 36 players in 2015 for violating the Minor League drug program.

Danny Wild is an editor for MiLB.com. Follow his MLBlog column, Minoring in Twitter.