Pitcher Jeff Allison leaves without permission.

MIAMI (AP) – Pitcher Jeff Allison, the Florida Marlins’ top draft pick last June, left the team’s minor-league training camp without permission for undisclosed reasons less than a month after reporting late.

Allison was placed on the restricted list, the Marlins said Thursday, meaning he’s inactive and not being paid. The team declined further comment.

The 19-year-old right-hander from Peabody, Mass., reported to spring training on April 6, a month late. Team officials said he was excused because of a “personal problem.”

The Boston Herald, quoting anonymous baseball sources, reported on April 25 that Allison had voluntarily entered a substance abuse program before spring training.

In an interview with the Miami Herald on April 14, Allison said that he was upset because a former teammate had died from substance abuse. The paper asked Allison if the delay had anything to do with substance abuse.

After a long pause, Allison replied, “People are saying whatever they want anyway.” Allison said in the story that he has never failed a drug test.

Allison was the 16th pick in the draft and signed a month later for a $1.85 million bonus. He pitched just nine innings in the Gulf Coast League last season before being sidelined with what the team said was tendinitis.

Allison was named the high school player of the year by Baseball America in 2003 after a senior season at Peabody High School during which he didn’t allow an earned run and struck out 142 batters in 64 innings.

Phone calls to Allison’s father, Robert Allison, mother, Noreen Allison, and agent, Casey Close, were not immediately returned on Thursday.

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