MLB bans prospect for elaborate age fraud scheme
Major League Baseball suspended a Dominican prospect for falsifying his age, according to a source. The player, known as David Severino, had presented himself as 13 or 14 but is actually 17, with a fake death certificate and tombstone created for his real identity. He had a verbal agreement with the Guardians for $2.8 million, but that deal is now unlikely.
The suspension stems from an elaborate scheme that included filing a false death certificate for Severino’s real identity, Daury Severino Damaso, and erecting a tombstone in the Dominican Republic. This allowed him to pose as a much younger prospect, attracting a $2.8 million verbal deal with Cleveland before MLB’s investigation exposed the fraud. The case echoes past incidents, such as pitcher Fausto Carmona’s 2012 identity revelation, highlighting persistent deception in the international market.
Age fraud remains a recurring challenge for MLB, as trainers and players seek larger bonuses by misrepresenting age. The league’s suspension forces Severino to wait an extra year before signing, effectively nullifying his Guardians agreement. While verbal deals with prospects as young as 12 are common, the fabricated tombstone marks an unusually extreme tactic, per the source.
This case could reinforce MLB’s scrutiny of international scouting, potentially leading to stricter verification protocols for Dominican prospects. It may also deter trainers from orchestrating such fraud, though the financial stakes—millions in bonuses—could keep deception tempting. For young players, the fallout underscores how a single fraudulent act can derail a career, while teams may grow more cautious in pre-deal negotiations, affecting trust across the market.