Dodgers minor league pitcher Jose Dominguez suspended 25 games for violation of drug agreement

Dodgers minor league pitcher Jose Dominguez was suspended by Major League Baseball on Monday for 25 games for violation of the minor league drug prevention and treatment program. The suspension will begin at the start of next season.

It isn't the first suspension for Dominguez, who also served a 50-game suspension to start the 2010 campaign after testing positive for Stanozolol. Given that his suspension is not 100 games, the going rate for a second PED-related offense, Dominguez did not test positive this time for a performance enhancing drug.

Per the Joint Drug Agreement, a 25-game suspension could be for either a second violation of use of a stimulant, or failure to comply with an initial evaluation or treatment program.

Dominguez, 22, was 4-3 with a 5.25 ERA in 33 games and 72 innings with Class-A Great Lakes this season, and ended the season with a 1.29 ERA in seven innings with Double A Chattanooga. It was the first year in a full-season league for the right-hander signed out of the Dominican Republic on July 2, 2007. Dominguez struck out 79 and walked 47 with Great Lakes, but with the Lookouts he improved to nine strikeouts and no walks.

Before the 2012 season, Brandon Lennox ranked Dominguez as the 98th best prospect in the Dodgers' system.

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In other news, the St. Louis Cardinals officially moved on from Mark McGwire on Monday, as they named John Mabry as hitting coach. McGwire informed the Cardinals last week that he would not be returning in 2013, and is reportedly close to filling the vacant hitting coach position for the Dodgers.