Denver — Braves top prospect Jordan Schafer's career just hit a troubling detour: drug suspension.

The 21-year-old center fielder was suspended 50 games for the use of human growth hormone (HGH) in violation of the minor-league drug policy.

Paul Connors/AP (ENLARGE)

Center fielder Jordan Schafer was playing at AA Mississippi.

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The suspension was handed down Tuesday by commissioner Bud Selig's office and took effect immediately.

Schafer was 1-for-11 (.091) in four games for Class AA Mississippi, after impressing the Braves and manager Bobby Cox with a strong showing during spring training with the major league club.

"We are extremely disappointed that Jordan has violated the Commissioner's Performance Enhancing Drug Policy," Braves general manager Frank Wren said in a two-paragraph prepared statement. "We are supportive of the program and will continue to educate all of our players."

Wren, in Colorado with the Braves, declined to comment beyond his written statement. He wouldn't say whether Schafer had tested positive or if he was caught in some other manner.

There isn't believed to be a reliable test for HGH, but several major-league players have been penalized for being linked to the substance without testing positive.

"Earlier today Jordan asked to speak to his teammates to apologize for the mistakes he has made and for letting the organization and his team down," Wren said in the final paragraph of his statement. "During his suspension, we will continue to support and counsel Jordan."

Schafer's stock soared after last season, when he led all of minor-league baseball with 176 hits and batted a combined .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 the Braves' prospect rankings, he jumped from No. 27 to No. 1 in one year.

In Grapefruit League games this spring, Schafer hit .316 (12-for-38) with four doubles, six RBIs, a team-high three sacrifice flies and a .421 on-base percentage.

When the Florida native was cut from the camp roster March 22, Cox said he would be comfortable with Schafer in center right away, if necessary, despite no experience above Class A before this season.

"He's a good looking player," Cox said at the time. "If anything happens to [Mark] Kotsay, he'd be back in the mix."

The Braves traded for veteran Kotsay to bridge the gap between former 10-time Golden Glove center fielder Andruw Jones and Schafer, who was expected to be ready no later than the 2009 season.

Wren wouldn't say whether the drug suspension would affect his status in any way, or alter his projected major-league arrival.

The organization has not added its own supplemental punishment to suspension of Braves minor leaguers who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in the past, including catcher/first-base prospect Tyler Flowers in 2006.