Breaking News: Cesar Puello Mentioned in Biogenesis Documents

According to ESPN’s “Outside The Lines”, they have obtained documents that link five new players to Biogenesis of America, the South Florida clinic run by Anthony Bosch and suspected in connection with the distribution of performance enhancing drugs. Included in that list is Cesar Puello, the N.Y. Mets 21 year old outfield prospect. Also named on the list are former Met Fernando Martinez, (currently with the Houston Astros) Padres shortstop Everth Cabrera, A's reliever Jordan Norberto and Padres reliever Fautino De Los Santos.

The Mets immediately released a statement on Tuesday concerning Cesar Puello. "Because of the ongoing investigation, we have no comment. We refer all questions to Major League Baseball," the team said. Puello is currently listed as the Mets’ #14 prospect by Jonathan Mayo, mlb.com’s draft and prospect expert. In his description of Puello, Mayo says “From a pure raw tools standpoint, no one stands ahead of Puello in the Mets’ organization. He just hasn’t been able to translate those tools into consistent performance just yet.” Puello was injured in 2012 and played in only 66 minor league games, although he came back and was able to play in the Arizona Fall League. It is unknown whether Puello’s injury has any connection to his purported involvement with Biogenesis

Three of the five new named players, Puello, De Los Santos and Martinez, are clients of ACES, the sports agency owned by brothers Seth and Sam Levinson. The other two, Cabrera and Norberto, are former ACES clients. Five additional players identified as Biogenesis clients also have ties to ACES, and most have been connected by sources or documents as having worked with Juan Carlos Nunez, who worked for ACES as a liaison to players. ACES is the same agency that represents Melky Cabrera, (no relation to Everth) who was suspended for 50 games last year due to the use of PEDs. Seth and Sam Levinson have said they had no knowledge of Nunez's extensive work with Biogenesis, and said he was temporarily employed by them as a contractor. An investigation last year cleared the Levinsons of any involvement in the PED scandal related to Cabrera.