MLB bans Dominican prospect after uncovering elaborate age-fraud scheme tied to Guardians deal

Major League Baseball has suspended a Dominican teenager after exposing a sophisticated age-fraud operation. The player, whose legal name is Daury David Severino Damaso, was presented to the Cleveland Guardians as a 13- or 14-year-old prospect called David Severino, prompting the club to sign a $2.8 million pre-agreement that would activate when he turned 17 in 2029. In fact, he was born on April 2 2010, making him 16, and his trainer Francisco Nieves allegedly obtained his parents’ consent to create a fictitious younger brother, complete with a falsified death certificate and tombstone for the older sibling.

A belated birth registration listed a birthdate of Dec. 20 2011, and forged medical and school records were also supplied. The deception let the prospect compete against much younger players, whereas his true age would have placed him in the Dominican Summer League with older teens. MLB’s sanction delays his eligibility for the 2027 international amateur class by a year, while the Guardians escape any league punishment.