Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Kevin Ross suspended 50 games

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According to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune, Pittsburgh Pirates minor leaguer Kevin Ross has been suspended for 50 games after a second positive test for a drug of abuse.

Ross, who was drafted in the eighth round of the 2012 big league draft, spent last season with the Low-A affiliate of the Pirates, appearing in 44 games as a corner infielder for the club. He batted .265/.281/.352 for Jamestown, adding 11 doubles and 24 runs batted in, as well.

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The Chicago native has seen time at all four infield positions in his first three seasons in Minor League Baseball, posting a .972 fielding percentage across 69 games – the bulk of which have been spent at third base. The position is roadblocked at the big league level with Josh Harrison, but that seems to be a small issue for Ross, who is some time away from being ready to play in Pittsburgh.

Still just 21 years old, Ross has plenty of time to turn things around and make a career of professional baseball. That being said, he’s yet to put together a complete season in the Pittsburgh organization – appearing in just 21, four and 44 games, respectively, since being drafted three years ago. His performance during that stretch has not exactly been eye-popping, as he’s batted just .241/.275/.321 across 272 plate appearances.

At the time of the suspension, Ross was on the roster of the Pirates’ Class-A affiliate – the West Virginia Power. Missing out on roughly the first third of 2015 will do him no favors and with another suspension under his belt, his days with Pittsburgh could very well be numbered.

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