CHICAGO -- Cubs Minor League pitcher P.J. Francescon received a 50-game suspension without pay on Friday after violating the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball announced.
Francescon, who turned 27 on Monday, was penalized after a second positive test for a drug of abuse. The right-hander was on the Triple-A Iowa roster. A 40th-round pick in the 2011 Draft, Francescon was 4-2 with a 1.69 ERA in 42 games at Double-A Tennessee last season and appeared in three games with Iowa, including one start.
The suspension will begin at the start of the 2016 season.