Blue Jays' Harris among four suspended

NEW YORK -- Blue Jays outfielder David Harris and Mariners right-hander Jose Santiago were among four Minor Leaguers suspended Friday after testing positive for banned substances.

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball handed down suspensions of 76 games to Harris and Santiago and also suspended Dodgers righty Sebastian Martinez and Rockies pitcher Jose Rodriguez for 72 games apiece.

Harris tested positive for Growth Hormone Releasing Peptide 2 (GHRP-2), a performance-enhancing substance in violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

Santiago tested positive for Stanozolol, while Martinez was flagged for using Stanozolol and Furosemide -- both are considered performance-enhancing substances.

Rodriguez tested positive for Boldenone, MLB said.

Harris, who is on the roster of Class A Advanced Dunedin, will begin serving his punishment immediately while the other three will start their suspensions next month when the Dominican Summer and Northwest League seasons begin.

The 24-year-old Harris was Toronto's 36th-round pick in the 2013 Draft out of Southern Arkansas and was hitting .183 with a homer and 10 RBIs in 21 Florida State League games this season. Last year, the 6-foot-1 right-handed farmhand batted .256 with six homers, 37 RBIs and a .303 on-base percentage for Dunedin and Class A Lansing. He's a career .251 hitter in 212 Minor League games since 2013.

Santiago signed with Seattle in June of 2014 out of the Dominican Republic and is 9-9 with a 4.18 ERA and 164 strikeouts and 95 walks in 170 innings over 42 career outings. Last year with Class A Short Season Everett, the 22-year-old went 2-3 with a 5.74 ERA in 13 games, 11 of which were starts.

Martinez, 20, was signed by the Dodgers last June and went 1-0 with a 5.59 ERA in eight relief outings in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League last year. He struck out five and walked eight in 9 2/3 innings. The 6-foot-2 righty is still on the roster of the DSL Dodgers, so he had yet to appear in a Minor League game this season.

Rodriguez, 20, hasn't played this year. He went 1-1 with a 3.31 ERA in 19 games out of the bullpen for the DSL Rockies in 2015 after signing with Colorado on May 29 of last year.

Stanozolol is a synthetic anabolic steroid derived from testosterone that is sometimes prescribed by veterinarians to encourage muscle growth, red blood cell production, bone density and to stimulate the appetite of weakened animals.

Furosemide, often sold by the name brand Lasix, helps prevent the body from absorbing too much salt and has been used as an anti-bleeding medication for horses. It was intended to treat edema, or fluid retention, in people with congestive heart failure, liver disease or kidney disorders, and it's also been used in horse racing to prevent or reduce pulmonary hemorrhaging. It's also used to treat high blood pressure, but side effects include dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. The Breeders' Cup prohibited the substance in 2012.

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.

The Office of the Commissioner has suspended 48 players this year for violations of the Minor League drug program.