Major League Baseball announced Los Angeles Dodgers prospect Jose D. Hernandez was suspended without pay for the 2025 Arizona Complex League season due to testing positive for Boldenone and Nandrolone, performance enhancing substances that are in violation of the Minor League drug prevention and treatment program.
Hernandez is the first Dodgers Minor League player to be suspended by MLB for a positive PED test since Geremias Valencia in June 2022.
A total of 20 players have been suspended in 2024 for positive drug tests, which includes nine each under the Minor League program and for those assigned outside of the United States and Canada.
Two players have been suspended this year under the Major League drug prevention and treatment program: Cincinnati Reds prospect Noelvi Marté missed the first 80 games of the year after testing positive for boldenone, and Orelvis Martínez of the Toronto Blue Jays was suspended 80 games as well following a PED test two days after his MLB debut.
Hernandez is now on the Dodgers’ restricted list, where he will remain through the ACL season in 2025.
Hernandez signed with the Dodgers as an international free agent out of Venezuela in 2019. The shortstop prospect received a $10,000 signing bonus as part of his contract.
Jose Hernandez 2024 stats
The 21-year-old batted .302/.394/.512 with six doubles, four home runs and 21 RBI in 26 games for the ACL Dodgers this year. It was his first time playing above the Dominican Summer League level.
Hernandez appeared in a career-high 46 games for the DSL Dodgers in 2021. This past season was his best performance at the plate, but the positive PED test now casts some doubt over the merit of that production.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
