The prospect will miss most of the minor league season with the PED suspension.
It’s no secret the Red Sox have World Series aspirations. General manager Dave Dombrowski has traded away many key prospects from the Red Sox farm system, leaving it thin with talent.
Now, one of the few legit talents the Red Sox have, has tested positive for performance-enhancing drug use, per CBS. Prospect Michael Chavis, 22, has been suspended without pay for 80 games.
On Friday, MLB announced third baseman Michael Chavis will be disciplined for violations of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. Chavis tested positive for Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (DHMCT). Chavis says he was unaware he had been taking the banned substance.
The former first-round pick from 2014 had a slash line of .251/.317/.455 with 56 home runs in 355 games over four seasons in the minors. He ranks as the No. 79 prospect in all of baseball.
The young slugger was invited to Boston’s major league spring training camp, but sustained an oblique strain and was sent to the disabled list.
Chavis is a highly coveted prospect who has been turning many heads in the Red Sox organization for his performance with the team’s minor league affiliates, Single-A Salem and Double-A Portland. With a depleted farm, this black eye comes at an inopportune time.
There haven’t been any reports of the Red Sox intending to trade Chavis anytime soon, but the suspension eliminates their most value trade asset. Chavis will have little trade value after this suspension, as teams will be hesitant to trust a PED offender as the main piece of a trade package.
Additionally, Chavis’ growth will be stunted, as he’ll miss more than half the minor league season. There was a possibility of him cracking the major league roster for a September call up, prior to the suspension. While the Red Sox have plenty of infield depth at the major and minor league level — barring injury — it would have been exciting to see Chavis’ talents on display.
Now, Chavis’ suspension likely ends any chance of a September appearance in a Boston Red Sox uniform in 2018.
With young talents like Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers and Sam Travis penciled in as infielders of the Red Sox future, Chavis only had second base as a possibility. However, with the suspension, the Red Sox may look for a backup plan to occupy second base once Dustin Pedroia‘s time is up.
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One suspension doesn’t end Chavis’ Red Sox career. He very well could end up as Boston’s starting second baseman of the future. But a PED use in baseball is no joke, and the Red Sox would be foolish to put all their proverbial eggs in one basket with Chavis moving forward.