Overview
- Major League Baseball announced a suspension on Friday after investigators concluded a Cleveland Guardians prospect had used a false identity and age to secure a large pre-deal.
- The probe found an elaborate fraud that included a forged birth certificate, falsified medical and school records, a fraudulent death certificate and a planted tombstone in La Romana, allegedly organized by the player’s trainer with the parents’ knowledge.
- Cleveland had a preliminary $2.8 million pre-deal for the prospect in December 2025 that the club terminated in May 2026 when internal doubts about his age surfaced, and the team is not expected to face league discipline.
- The player’s true name is reported as Daury David Severino Damaso and he was about two years older than the identity used; his signing prospects and expected bonus have collapsed and his eligibility has been reclassified.
- The case highlights how early, nonbinding pre-deals and the role of handlers create incentives for fraud in the Dominican Republic and has intensified debate over systemic reforms such as an international draft.