O's Breen, Cunningham suspended 80 games

NEW YORK -- Orioles prospects Jared Breen and Nick Cunningham were suspended for 80 games Thursday after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance.

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball said Breen, a shortstop, and Cunningham, a right-hander reliever, received 80-game suspensions after positive tests for Growth Hormone Releasing Peptide 2 (GHRP-2), which is considered a PED by the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

Both suspenions are effective immediately. The pair is currently with the Orioles' Class A affiliate, the Delmarva Shorebirds.

Breen, 24, was hitting .242 with a homer, 22 RBIs and a .349 on-base percentage in 198 at-bats over 62 South Atlantic League games this season before going on the Shorebirds' 60-day disabled list on July 4. The right-handed infielder was Baltimore's 24th-round pick in the 2013 Draft out of Belmont and has hit .226 with a homer and 64 RBIs in 195 career games over three seasons.

Cunningham, 24, was 4-3 with a 3.23 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 53 innings over 20 games this season for the Shorebirds. The 6-foot-2 right-hander, who also made two spot starts, has one save and has allowed just one home run while holding opposing batters to a .239 average. He was Baltimore's 20th-round pick in 2013 out of Arizona, and in three seasons, is 7-10 with a 5.55 ERA and 71 strikeouts in1 23 1/3 innings.

GHRP-2 is believed to stimulate the body to create more Human Growth Hormone (HGH). According to GHRP2.com, the substance increases energy and endurance, accelerates recovery from injuries, enhances the immune system, improves protein synthesis and eyesight and strengthens bones, among other benefits.

Major League Baseball has issued 76 suspensions to 75 players this year for violations of the Minor League drug program.