MLB suspends Dominican prospect connected to Guardians for falsifying age: Source

A Dominican prospect, who was expected to sign with the Cleveland Guardians in 2029, has been suspended by Major League Baseball for falsifying his age, said a person briefed on the matter who was granted anonymity so they could speak freely about a topic they are not authorized to comment on.

An MLB investigation, first reported by ESPN on Friday, revealed an infielder going by the name David Severino had falsified birth, medical and school records to show he was 13 or 14 years old, instead of his actual age of 17.

According to ESPN’s report, Severino’s real name is Daury Severino Damaso. In 2023, the infielder’s trainer at the time, Francisco Nieves, helped the young prospect create a new identity. A fraudulent death certificate was filed for Daury, indicating he died of a respiratory illness in 2012, and a fake tombstone was created in La Romana, Dominican Republic.

The fraudulent death of Daury opened the path for Severino, under a new name, to impress MLB scouts who believed he was years younger than he actually was. This is not the first time a young international prospect has been suspended for falsifying his age. In January 2024, The Athletic reported on age fraud being on the rise in the international free-agent market.

Severino, ESPN reported, agreed to a pre-deal with the Guardians for $2.8 million in December 2025. There’s little chance he earns a significant signing bonus after his true age has been revealed. MLB’s suspension forces him to wait an extra year before entering the international amateur market to sign with teams.

The international amateur market has drawn significant scrutiny in recent years. The opportunity of financial gain for both players and trainers hoping to get players signed with big league organizations can lead to corruption and fraud. While prospects are not permitted to sign with organizations until they are 16, teams allegedly reach verbal agreements with players as young as 12. The source said that while deceit is not uncommon on the international market, this example, especially the creation of a fake tombstone, is “pretty extreme.”

In 2012, the Cleveland pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona was arrested while trying to renew his visa in the Dominican Republic. It was revealed that he was three years older than previously thought and that his real name was Roberto Hernández Heredia and he had been living under a false identity since signing with the Indians in 2000.