MLB prospect, 16, ‘faked his own death’, planted a TOMBSTONE and became his ‘brother’ in astonishing plot to land a $2.8M payday
Major League Baseball has suspended a top prospect from the Dominican Republic after an elaborate age-fraud plot was uncovered.
The MLB unearthed a dramatic cover-up including a fictitious death and tombstone after extreme efforts to make the player appear nearly two years younger than his real age, according to ESPN.
It is claimed the player’s handler faked a birth certificate as well as falsifying medical and school records to create a new identity.
The Cleveland Guardians even agreed to sign the player, going by the name of David Severino, in a $2.8 million pre-deal in December.
It was at that stage the dramatic plot began to unravel surrounding the switch-hitting infielder. The Guardians believed he was 13 or 14 years old and would be eligible to sign in 2029 when he turned 17 and the pre-deal was finalized.
It later emerged Severino’s real name is actually Daury David Severino Damaso, and his age was also fake: He is 16 years old with a date of birth of April 2, 2010.
A Dominican baseball prospect has been suspended after a fake-age scheme was uncovered
The Cleveland Guardians had agreed a pre-deal with the player before the MLB investigation
The astonishing report claims the MLB investigation found his former trainer, Francisco Nieves, created the new identity purporting to be his younger brother, with approval from his parents.
Daury became David after a string of falsified documents including a late-filed birth registration with a December 20, 2011 date of birth, were created.
Then, in a shocking turn of events, a fraudulent death certificate was filed for Daury two years later, claiming he had died of respiratory illness in May 2012. A fake tombstone was even created, it is alleged, in the Dominican Republic.
The Guardians declined to comment to the Daily Mail. MLB has been approached for comment.
‘You have to have [guts] to do something like this,’ John Pereyra, a trainer who worked with Severino, told ESPN in Spanish. He claims he was not aware about the false identity.
‘I’ve heard about false birth documents and stuff like that, but to put together what this guy did – that’s movie stuff. That’s the first time I’ve ever seen anything like that in the Dominican. In my life, I have never seen anything like that.’
Severino would have been eligible for the class of 2027 but will now have to wait another year due to his suspension. He will then be able to enter the international amateur market to sign with a team.
He emerged as a top prospect with evaluators but was competing against 12 and 13 year olds at the time. He should instead have been playing with 16 and 17 year olds in the Dominican Summer League.
