Denver — A day after top Braves prospect Jordan Schafer was suspended 50 games for using human growth hormone, his father said it was killing his son not to be able to tell his side of the story.

Jordan Schafer changed his cell phone number Tuesday and was instructed by an attorney not to talk about the charge that he used HGH or about the suspension handed down by commissioner Bud Selig's office.

"I want so bad to clear things up, and I want so bad for Jordan to clear things up," said David Schafer, a Florida businessman. "But unfortunately the powers that be say not to say anything. I want so bad to straighten this thing out, I just can't say. ... I don't know what to do. He's in a bad spot. It's not the way it seems.

"I never thought it would come to this."

Jordan Schafer, 21, already has a Nike contract and a projected center-field spot with the Braves in 2009.

However, this is a bad incident at the beginning of his career. Schafer was playing for Class AA Mississippi after a breakthrough 2007 season in Class A that lifted him to the organization's No. 1 prospect.

There are questions, but even team officials have not been able to get complete answers. Schafer was advised not to discuss matters with anyone.

This much is known: Schafer was targeted in an investigation that began in spring training. It was conducted by baseball's new investigative department, which was created after the Mitchell Report on performance-enhancing drugs came out in December.

A baseball official confirmed the investigation. There was no positive drug test — baseball doesn't recognize any test for HGH as reliable (though the World Anti-Doping Agency says there is one).

The official would say only that there are other "non-analytical" means of establishing guilt, including possession of a drug.

"He was willing to take a blood test, give them hair samples, willing to do anything he could," David Schafer said.

Jordan Schafer is represented by the SFX Sports Group, and one of its attorneys is handling the matter. SFX would not comment and has announced no plans for a lawsuit or appeal.

Because Schafer is not yet on the Braves' 40-man major-league roster and not a member of the Major League Baseball Players Association, he doesn't have the powerful union for support.

There is a suspension appeal process in the minor leagues. It's not like in the majors, where cases go to an independent arbiter.

It is unclear whether Schafer will remain in Mississippi with the M-Braves. "We're checking on the specifics of what he can and can't do," said Kurt Kemp, Braves director of player development. Kemp said Schafer was not currently with the team.

Schafer gained a great deal of attention last season when he led minor-league baseball with 176 hits and batted .312 with 49 doubles, 10 triples, 15 home runs and 23 stolen bases in 136 games at Class A Rome and high-A Myrtle Beach. In four games at Mississippi this season, Schafer had one hit in 11 at-bats (.091).

In the Braves' prospect rankings, he jumped from No. 27 to No. 1. Despite being aware of an investigation for at least part of spring training, he hit .316 (12-for-38) in Grapefruit League games.

The 50-game suspension could slow Schafer's rise to the major leagues, though the Braves have indicated no plans to penalize him.

In a prepared statement Tuesday, general manager Frank Wren said the Braves were "extremely disappointed" that Schafer violated the minor-league performance-enhancing drug policy, but added, "During his suspension, we will continue to support and counsel Jordan."

"Jordan loves playing for the Braves," David Schafer said. "He loves all the things about Atlanta. Everybody has treated him with just ridiculous kindness. The fans have been great to him. He wants to play for the Braves his whole career, and doesn't want anyone to think lesser of him now."

So why won't he come out and say that? Or say something?

"I just got off the phone with him," David Schafer said. "The worst part of this whole thing is, he loves nothing more than to go to the field. He hates not being able to play. ...

"I just know it's killing him not to be able to say anything. It's killing me. I don't even go online because I don't want to read it. He said the same thing — he usually goes online, but he said, 'Dad, I don't even want to read that stuff.' "

— Staff writer Carroll Rogers contributed to this report.