How Much Will Jonathan Gray's Positive Test Impact His 2013 MLB Draft Stock?

Top MLB Draft prospect Jonathan Gray has tested positive for the medication Adderall during baseball's pre-draft drug testing program, according to ESPN.  How will this positive test impact his 2013 MLB Draft stock?

Gray, a 6'4", 239-pound right-hander pitching with the University of Oklahoma, is widely regarded as one of the best prospects in the MLB draft. Gray was ranked second in B/R MLB Prospects Lead Writer Mike Rosenbaum's final draft board. 

Many mock drafts have the Houston Astros selecting Gray with the number one overall pick, including Bleacher Report draft experts Mike Rosenbaum and Adam Wells.

The Astros need high-end talent, and Gray, who is 10-2 with 1.59 ERA, 138 strikeouts and just 22 walks, certainly fits that bill.

Will the positive test see him slide? A source told Keith Law of ESPN.com that the failed test would most likely not "harm his draft stock." That said, Law reports that Gray did not have a prescription for the drug, which does contain amphetamines and is banned by the MLB.

Additionally, NBC Sports reported that Gray will not be suspended for the failed test, but will be subjected to more testing once he starts his professional career. 

There is no indication that Gray's failed test is symptomatic of a larger problem. Still, the Astros may not want to spend the first overall pick on someone who failed a drug test, and did not have a prescription. If the Astros decided to pass on Gray, then they would likely select Mark Appel, a pitcher from Stanford, or Colin Moran, a third baseman from the University of North Carolina.

It is hard to imagine Gray sliding past the Colorado Rockies, who hold the third pick in the draft. They have long needed an ace, and Gray fits that role.

Unless more information comes out—especially information that links Gray to continued use and abuse of the drug—then it's hard to see Gray falling too far. He may not go first, but falling out of the top five seems unlikely for a relatively polished pitcher who can top 100 MPH on the radar screen and still possesses tremendous upside. 

Gray can have an immediate impact in the big leagues, especially as a reliever, before transitioning to a starter. Unless there is more information to come out, look for Gray to still be selected in first five picks.