Lazaro Collazo to plead guilty in MLB steroid case

Authorities accuse 'Lazer' of turning aspiring baseball players into steroid clients of Biogenesis of America

MIAMI – A South Florida pitching coach charged in a drug dealing case linked to Biogenesis of America has reached an agreement with federal prosecutors.

Lazaro "Lazer" Collazo's attorney released a statement on Friday stating that Collazo will plead guilty to two misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance without a valid prescription.

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"In exchange, the government will be dismissing all charges in the superseding indictment against him," the statement said.

Furthermore, both parties will recommend to the judge that Collazo be sentenced to one year of probation on each count.

Collazo played for the University of Miami in 1985. He was known for his "eye for pitching talent," his UM profile said.  Collazo recruited for the University of South Florida. He coached UM and Florida State University staff, and the U.S. senior national team.

RECORDS show a change of plea hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m., March 16.

Collazo recruited many top names in college and professional baseball, his Miami Sports Consulting profile said. The list included Alex Fernandez with the White Sox, Joe Grahe with the Angels, and John Jay with the Cardinals.

Collazo's career as a prestigious baseball coach started its descend in 2003 when he resigned from UM after 17 years as the Canes pitching coach. The NCAA sanctioned the school for recruiting violations Collazo was involved in.

In 2005, he resigned from Gulliver Prep School after Coral Gables police accused him of dropping his pants in front of high school baseball players. The coach pointed to  his penis and testicles to ask the minors if they "had a set of these or were they equipped with a vagina," the police report said.

In 2013, Major League Baseball accused Collazo, 50, of recruiting and referring clients to Anthony Bosch's Biogenesis of America clinic in Coral Gables. Shortly after, federal authorities charged Collazo in the case.

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About the Author:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.