WASHINGTON (AP) -Infielder Bernie Castro, who played for the Nationals last season and is now at Triple-A Columbus, is serving a 15-game suspension for violating the minor league drug policy in 2005, Washington general manager Jim Bowden said Friday.
Castro was placed on the inactive/suspended list by Columbus on Tuesday.
He played at Triple-A Ottawa in the Orioles’ organization in 2005 and also spent time with Baltimore that year. After that season, he signed as a free agent with Washington and hit .227 with seven steals in 110 at-bats for the Nationals in 2006.
The Nationals sent him outright to Columbus last month, taking him off the 40-man roster.
“Once we outrighted him off the major league contract, he was now back under the minor league policy, which means the 15-game suspension he was supposed to serve a couple years ago he serves now,” Bowden said.
Home Castro serving suspension