MLB Suspends Dominican Prospect for Age Fraud Involving Fake Death
A Dominican baseball prospect, anticipated to sign with the Cleveland Guardians in 2029, has been suspended by Major League Baseball for age falsification. This decision follows an investigation that uncovered the player, known as David Severino, had manipulated his identity to appear significantly younger than his actual age of 17.
The investigation revealed that Severino, whose real name is Daury Severino Damaso, had falsified various documents, including birth and medical records, to claim he was 13 or 14 years old. His trainer, Francisco Nieves, assisted in creating a new identity, which included filing a fraudulent death certificate stating Damaso died in 2012 from a respiratory illness, along with a fake tombstone in the Dominican Republic.
This deception allowed Severino to attract the attention of MLB scouts under false pretenses. He had previously reached a pre-deal agreement with the Guardians worth $2.8 million in December 2025. However, with the revelation of his true age, his chances of receiving a significant signing bonus have diminished. The suspension also delays his entry into the international amateur market by an additional year.
