NEW YORK (AP) Free agent catcher Dusty Brown, who appeared in 25 major league games with Boston and Pittsburgh from 2009-11, has been suspended for 50 games under baseball's minor league drug program following a second positive test for a drug of abuse.
Brown will start the suspension when he signs with another big league organization.
The 32-year-old played in 10 games for Oakland's Arizona Rookie League team last year, and then signed with Cleveland in August and hit .185 in 17 games at Triple-A Columbus. He became a free agent in November.
He appeared in seven games for Boston in both 2009 and '10, became a free agent, and then was in 10 games for Pittsburgh the following year. He has a .163 big league average with one homer and three RBIs.
The suspension, announced Monday, was the 42nd this year under the minor league program, including 23 for drugs of abuse.
