Phil Bickford, Two Others Hit With Drug Suspensions

Phil Bickford, twice a first-round pick but who tested positive for marijuana use in 2015 while at JC of Southern Nevada, has been suspended for 50 games for a second positive test for a drug of abuse, meaning a recreational drug.

Bickford was drafted in the first round out of a Southern California high school by the Blue Jays in 2013 (10th overall), but didn’t sign and headed to Cal State Fullerton. After one year at Fullerton he transferred to the Junior College of Southern Nevada. In June 2015, he tested positive for marijuana, sources told Baseball America, but still ended up getting taken by the Giants at 18th overall.

After a solid year and a half in the Giants organization, Bickford was sent to Milwaukee with catcher Andrew Susac in August for lefthanded reliever Will Smith. Bickford ranked No. 50 in the Midseason Top 100 rankings and pitched in the Futures Game, but his stock already had fallen a bit as his fastball velocity continued to waver.

“We are very disappointed to learn of Phil’s suspension, but we fully support the Minor League Baseball Drug Prevention and Testing Program and its enforcement by the Commissioner’s Office,” Brewers general manager David Stearns said in a statement. “Phil understands he made a mistake, and we fully anticipate that he will learn from this experience.”

His suspension begins at the start of the 2017 season.

Also suspended Friday were Marlins outfielder Casey Soltis, the Marlins’ fifth-round pick in 2014 out of high school in California, and Blue Jays righthander Pedro Loficial.

Soltis, who had signed for $450,000, in 2014, was hit with a 50-game suspension for a drug of abuse, while Loficial, who pitched in the Rookie-level DSL, got a 72-game penalty for testing positive for metabolites of Stanozolol.