Houston dismisses left-hander Seth Romero from baseball team

— -- Left-hander Seth Romero, a potential first-round pick in the 2017 MLB amateur draft, was kicked off the University of Houston baseball team after an undisclosed incident on Tuesday, the school announced Wednesday.

"Due to an event Tuesday, along with previous conduct detrimental to the team, Seth Romero has been removed from the Houston Baseball program. I appreciate [athletic director] Hunter Yurachek's support of my decision for our program to move forward without Seth," coach Todd Whitting said in a statement.

"We wish Seth and his family the best of luck as he embarks on the next phase of his life and baseball career. We are fully focused on our remaining schedule and the current members of our program."

The 21-year-old Romero, a junior, had recently been reinstated after being suspended for a month. The Houston Chronicle reported that the suspension stemmed from Romero failing a drug test, appearing in uniform in a photo that showed him holding a bong and missing curfew.

Romero also was suspended for the first two weeks of last season for conduct detrimental to the team.

He was the Cougars' Opening Day starter this season and is 4-5 with a 3.51 ERA. He has struck out 85 batters and walked 20 in 48? innings pitched in 10 appearances (seven starts). As a sophomore in 2016, he was 6-4 with a 2.29 ERA in 94? innings pitched, striking out 113 and walking 28. In his 2015 freshman season, Romero was 7-4 with a 1.94 ERA in 83? innings, striking out 92 with just 22 walks.

Romero, who was a second-team preseason All-American, is ranked No. 18 in Baseball America's latest draft prospect list. MLB.com ranks him 20th in its list.