Former Colonials right-handed reliever Josh Wilkie is suspended for 50 games from the Syracuse Chiefs after testing positive for a banned substance, Byron Kerr of MasnSports.com reported. 

Kerr reported that Wilkie said he was suspended for “a spice in a type of flavored tobacco,” which is a legal spice but one that is not permissible according to Major League Baseball’s banned substance guidelines.

“I’m very disappointed and embarrassed,” Wilkie said to Kerr in a text message. “It is my responsibility to check and re-check whatever it is i put into my body and in this case i failed to do the proper research before using a product recommended to me by the store owner at the local shop where they sell hookah products and tobacco. I will rebound from this and hopefully with another opportunity i can prove myself as a competitive successful pitcher in the Nationals organization. I am going to continue to stay in shape and pitch and be ready when the suspension is up.”

Wilkie, who has not appeared since May 29, is 0-2 with a 4.76 ERA in 18 games this season for the Chiefs. In February 2011, he earned an invitation to the Washington Nationals’ spring training camp, after entering the world of professional baseball as a non drafted free agent following his 2006 graduation from GW.

He finished his career as a Colonial with a 25-12 record, making him the third-winningest pitcher in GW history. Wilkie had a career 2.97 earned-run average as a Colonials and ranks second overall in GW history for career strikeouts with 291.