Major League Baseball has suspended Dominican prospect Daury David Severino Damaso after uncovering an elaborate age-fraud plot orchestrated by his former trainer, Francisco Nieves. The scheme involved creating a false identity — "David Severino Damaso" — complete with a fake birth certificate listing a Dec. 20, 2011 birthdate, falsified medical and school records, a fraudulent death certificate for the player's real identity, and even a staged gravesite with a tombstone in La Romana, Dominican Republic.

The Cleveland Guardians had agreed in December to a $2.8 million pre-deal believing the switch-hitting infielder was 13 or 14 years old, with the contract to finalize in 2029. In reality, Severino was born April 2, 2010, making him 16 at the time. Trainer John Pereyra, who worked with Severino for two years, said he was unaware of the deception and called the scheme "movie stuff" unlike anything he had seen in nearly 30 years in the business.

MLB and Guardians president Chris Antonetti declined comment. Nieves and Severino's father did not respond to requests. The suspension forces Severino to wait an extra year to enter the international amateur market. Scouts noted he dominated against 12- and 13-year-olds but would have been "barely hanging on" against age-appropriate competition in the Dominican Summer League.