Major League Baseball has reportedly suspended a prospect from the Dominican Republic following allegations of an elaborate scheme involving a falsified identity, age, and even a death certificate. The Cleveland Guardians had reportedly agreed to a $2.9 million pre-deal with the player, who was believed to be 13 or 14 years old at the time.
According to ESPN, the player's real name is Daury David Severino Damaso, but his former trainer, Francisco Nieves, allegedly created a false identity of "David Severino" as the player's younger brother. This deception was reportedly supported by a forged birth certificate and fake medical records, with the alleged approval of the player's parents.
Further escalating the alleged deception, reports claim that two years after the fake birth certificate was created, a false death certificate was produced, stating that Daury had died of a respiratory illness in 2012. A fake tombstone was also allegedly erected as part of the elaborate ruse to conceal the player's true age and identity. These actions allowed Damaso to compete against younger players, a significant advantage given his actual age.
The suspension by MLB means Damaso will be ineligible to sign as an international amateur for an additional year. The Guardians have stated they have no further comment on the report. Major League Baseball has not yet responded to requests for comment.