Steroid use will always be a part of baseball. Even if they implement comprehensive anti-doping policies and stiff penalties for violators, the number of offenders is not declining. The list continues to grow both in the majors and the minor league. On Wednesday, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball announced that they issued suspensions to 5 minor leaguers for testing positive for steroids. They were using a substance known to improve performance, a clear violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

Based on the press release, the suspension will be effective immediately. The players will miss 50-games for this offense. Four of the players were pitchers and a catcher was also caught using another type of steroid. These players are part of the Dominican Summer League teams.

Right handed pitcher Joel Matos, a prospect of the Arizona Diamondbacks, is on top of the list. The test results showed that he has the metabolites of Stanozolol. This kind of steroid is more popular as Winstrol. Other pitchers were also using the same steroid. They are Kansas City Royals Minor League pitcher Freddy Rodriguez and New York Yankees Minor League pitchers Daury Aquino and Alexander de los Santos. Catcher Jhancarlos Infante, a prospect of the Tampa Bay Rays, also received a 50-game suspension for testing positive for a metabolite of Boldenone.

The good financial reward in the major league is one of the reasons why these young baseball players are tempted to use performance enhancing drugs. They are taking chances but the risks are too high. Aside from loosing the opportunity to play in the majors, they are also putting their life into health risks. Joel Matos, for example, is only 17-years old. Based on some studies, taking steroids at a very young age will affect the user’s physical growth and may affect his mental development. This is aside from the possible effects on his emotional stability.

Most of these players came from the Dominican Republic where the MLB is sourcing most of its international players. Many of these young baseball players were able to prove themselves by becoming one of the great players in the Major League Baseball. However, the use of steroids will always be associated with Dominican players. Just recently, 20 out of 40 prospects who are eligible to sign in the MLB’s international recruitment program failed the steroid tests. One of them is outfielder Edwin Moreno who was also caught using Stanozolol.

Meanwhile, Alex Rodriguez, who previously admitted to taking anabolic steroids and human growth hormone, will be attending a fundraising event on Aug. 19 at the Yankee Stadium. The fundraising event is organized by the Taylor Hooton Foundation to support its anti-steroid education program across the country. The foundation was established for Taylor Hooton, a 17-year old baseball player who committed suicide in 2003 because of depression caused by steroids.

Other players will also attend the event including Andy Pettite who was also involved in the use of performance enhancing drugs. Rodriguez started working with Don Hooton after his steroid confession. “Don Hooton is just a guy who has tremendous passion for what he’s done. There’s no secret we’ve been working together, hopefully quietly, for a while now. I’d rather not talk about it too much,” Rodriguez told the media.

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