On January 13, Major League Baseball announced six Minor League players received 50-game suspensions due to positive drug tests.

A former West Michigan Whitecaps player was among those suspended.

MLB said, Detroit Tigers Minor League right-handed pitcher Tommy Collier, who is currently on the roster of the Double-A Erie SeaWolves of the Eastern League, was suspended for 50 games following a second positive test for a drug of abuse.

The suspension of Collier will be effective at the start of the 2017 Eastern League season.

Collier was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 22nd round (677th overall) in 2011. After a season in Connecticut, he spent all of 2012 with the West Michigan Whitecaps.

In 2012, Collier started 24 games for the Whitecaps. He went 9-8 with a 2.74 ERA and had 84 strikeouts in 124.2 innings. He has spent part or all of the last four seasons at Double-A Erie in the Tigers farm system.

After Collier's season with the Whitecaps he was ranked the 20th-best prospect in the minors for the Detroit Tigers. Bless You Boys said he, "has the ceiling of a back end starter with the ability to eat innings and get lots of groundballs due to his heavy fastball...has a pretty good shot to pitch in the majors."

Also suspended 50-games for a second positive test for a drug of abuse was free agent Minor League infielder Kal Simmons. The suspension of Simmons will be effective immediately upon signing with a Major League organization.

Cincinnati Reds Minor League right-handed pitcher Carlos Gonzalez received a 50-game suspension after testing positive for Methamphetamine. Gonzalez is currently on the roster of the Triple-A Louisville Bats of the International League.

The following three players each received a 50-game suspension after testing positive for Amphetamine:

· New York Mets Minor League right-handed pitcher Gary Cornish, who is currently on the roster of the Single-A Brooklyn Cyclones of the New York-Penn League.

· Houston Astros Minor League right-handed pitcher Makay Nelson, who is currently on the roster of the Single-A Tri-City ValleyCats of the New York-Penn League.

· Boston Red Sox Minor League outfielder Tyler Spoon, who is currently on the roster of the Single-A Greenville Drive of the South Atlantic League.

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