Las Vegas minor leaguer Valdespin reportedly accepts suspension for connection to Biogenesis

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Monday, Aug. 5, 2013 | 11:49 a.m.

Jordany Valdespin, one of the Las Vegas 51s top players the past three weeks since being demoted to Triple-A from the New York Mets, was one of 12 players Monday reportedly accepting 50-game penalties from Major League Baseball for their connections to Biogenesis.

Valdespin hadn’t previously been linked to the Biogenesis drug investigation for performance enhancing drugs, reports The Star-Ledger. Cesar Puello, a Mets system slugger in Double-A, also accepted a suspension.

The 25-year-old Valdespin is batting .463 with three home runs and 24 RBIs in 16 games with the 51s. He has 27 hits, 14 runs scored and has a .759 slugging percentage, helping the 51s (61-53) climb into first place of the Pacific Southern Division.

He was optioned to Las Vegas July 13 after batting .188 in 144 at-bats with the Mets, immediately impacting the Las Vegas lineup. On July 26 against Sacramento, he went 4-for-4 with three RBIs, then went 3-for-3 with three runs scored the following day in helping Las Vegas move past Sacramento into first place.

On July 29, Valdespin was named the Pacific Coast League’s Player of the Week. He batted .550 with 10 RBIs in six games, scoring seven runs and totaling 19 bases.

This won't be his first suspension with the 51s. He recently served a three-game suspension for his role in a benches-clearing brawl.

The Associated Press reports other players accepting suspension are: New York Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli and outfielder Fernando Martinez; Philadelphia pitcher Antonio Bastardo; Seattle catcher Jesus Montero; Houston pitcher Sergio Escalona; San Diego pitcher Fautino De Los Santos; and free agent pitcher Jordan Norberto.

Ray Brewer can be reached at 990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21.