Phillies minor league pitcher Alec Asher suspended 80 games

PHILADELPHIA -- Phillies pitcher Alec Asher was suspended for 80 games on Thursday for violating Major League Baseball's drug agreement following a positive test for a banned performance-enhancing substance.

The 24-year-old right-hander, a 40-man roster player on option to Lehigh Valley and on the Triple-A team's disabled list, tested positive for dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, the an anabolic steroid used to increase speed and strength.

Philadelphia acquired Asher along with other players in the deal that sent Cole Hamels to the Rangers last July. Asher was 0-6 with a 9.31 ERA for Philadelphia in seven starts after the trade.

Asher was 4-2 with a 2.30 ERA in eight starts at Double-A and Triple-A this season.

Eleven players have been suspended this year under the big league drug program, including Phillies reliever Daniel Stumpf. He received an 80-game ban for using the same substance.