Donato's back in full swing

ONCE THE initial shock wore off, Mark Donato vowed that the 50-game suspension he received last summer would neither define nor destroy his professional baseball career.

The former Neumann-Goretti star got his hand caught in the performance-enhancing drug cookie jar by testing positive for the stimulant Adderall, the same substance Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz got flagged for after last season.

"It was definitely disappointing hearing the news, but I worked hard all offseason," Donato said. "I was worried most about the setback, about the time it [would cost me]" trying to climb up the organizational ladder.

This could have been a virtual death sentence for Donato, a 26th-round draft pick who had been with the Kansas City organization only a few months. The Royals stuck with Donato, and now he's taking advantage of the second chance.

Donato joined the Lexington (Ky.) Legends, a Class A club in the South Atlantic League, on May 24 and has led the team in hitting ever since, getting four hits in his second game. He's had just 70 at-bats, but he's batting .329 and his four home runs are tied for second on the team.

Donato, 21, was the Daily News co-player of the year in 2009, the pitcher of the year in 2010 and a first-team selection of sports writer Ted Silary's all-city team of the last 35 years in 2012. He played at Indian River State (Junior) College in Fort Pierce, Fla., before the Royals took him with the 793rd overall pick last year.

He says his dalliance with Adderall was a one-time thing, a foolish submission to the grind and oppressive heat that goes with playing in the Arizona League for rookies. He made no excuses, however, and served his suspension while playing in extended spring-training games.

Now that Donato is off to such a blistering start, pitchers in the SAL probably wish that 50-game ban would have been 500.

"With a suspension or injury when you are out for an extended period of time, you don't know what to expect when you get back," said Legends manager Brian Buchanan. "But when he got here, he went 4-for-4 in his second game."

Donato's quick start gave Buchanan the confidence to move him to cleanup. He was hitting seventh when he had those four hits at Hagerstown.

"I've got good teammates, good coaches and lots of good people around me," said Donato, who is playing first base for the Legends.

"The thing I like is that when he gets to hitter's counts," his manager said, "he swings the bat and tries to drive the ball. A lot of guys tend to overswing. He's more relaxed."

Buchanan played five seasons in the majors. He hit a 10th-inning home run off Jose Mesa in a 2003 game at Veterans Stadium to help the Padres beat the Phillies.

Donato is enjoying the city of Lexington and rooming with Jin-Ho Shin, a Legends catcher and the first Korean-born player ever to play in the Royals organization. He hit his first homer in front of 5,000 home fans and had to trade an autograph to get the ball back from his second dinger.

Donato won't ever get those 50 games back, but he vows never to forget the lesson he learned while he was benched.

"I know I can't make any mistakes," he said. "I just have to keep working hard and good things will happen."