Brewers' Jeffress suspended 100 games

NEW YORK, June 29 (UPI) -- Milwaukee Brewers minor league pitcher Jeremy Jeffress has been suspended 100 games after a third drug policy violation, Major League baseball said Monday.

The Brewers said Monday that Jeffress, the 16th overall selection in the 2006 draft and assigned to Single-A Brevard County, will begin his suspension immediately and will be out into the 2010 season.

"We are obviously disappointed because Jeremy has such great Major League potential, and this is a setback in his career," Brewers General Manager Doug Melvin said. "We support Major League Baseball's drug programs and as an organization we will continue to assist Jeremy."

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported last week that Jeffress admitted to testing positive for marijuana at the tail end of the 2007 season, when he was suspended 50 games. The paper also reported he tested positive for marijuana again in a test administered by the Brewers, and then disciplined.

Another positive test, the report said, will result in a lifetime ban.