Top MLB prospect gets 80-game suspension after positive PED test

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Top MLB prospect Noelvi Marte burst onto the scene for the Cincinnati Reds last year after being a late-season callup.

The infielder made his MLB debut on Aug. 19, and he gave Reds fans more of a reason to be optimistic about the team's short- and long-term futures.

Marte, 22, hit .316 with an .822 OPS in his 35 games, and entering this season, he was the Reds' top prospect and the 21st ranked in all of baseball.

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Noelvi Marte of the Cincinnati Reds walks to the dugout between innings during a spring training game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Arizona, on Wednesday. (Aaron Doster/Getty Images)

However, the Reds will need to change their Opening Day plans, as well as their plans going into this summer.

That's because Marte has been suspended 80 games after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

Marté signed with the Seattle Mariners from the Dominican Republic for a $1.55 million bonus in July 2018. He was traded to the Reds in July 2022, along with three other prospects, for All-Star right-hander Luis Castillo.

Under the rules, a first suspension is worth 80 games, while a second offense results in a full-season ban. A third positive test would lead to the player being banned permanently.

Noelvi Marte of the Cincinnati Reds reacts after being called out at home plate during the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Sept. 30, 2023. (Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

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Marte was expected to be the Reds' starting third