Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Sources: MLB finds teen prospect falsified age

Written by 
Published in Baseball
Saturday, 02 November 2024 19:44

A Major League Baseball investigation recently found a top teenage prospect in the Dominican Republic who had verbally agreed to sign with the San Diego Padres falsified his paperwork and is five years older than previously believed, resulting in the agreement being withdrawn, sources told ESPN.

The teenager, who assumed the name Cesar Altagracia, verbally agreed to sign with the Padres for about $4 million, a substantial bonus that signified he was considered one of the top international prospects in his class. The transaction would have become official in January 2027, once Altagracia became eligible to sign as a 16-year-old international free agent.

But MLB discovered he is 19 years old, not 14, as his documents stated. The teenager represented the Dominican Republic at the 2022 U-12 Baseball World Cup and at the U-15 Pan American Championships this summer under the false identity, sources said.

An MLB spokesman declined to comment. The Padres also declined to comment. The Dominican Baseball Federation is investigating the matter, as well, sources said.

Players who have been found to have falsified their ages are typically handed a one-year suspension before they are allowed to reapply.

The existence of a spending cap in the international market, implemented as part of the collective bargaining agreement beginning in 2012, and the race to identify the best talent in a baseball hotbed such as the Dominican Republic have prompted teams to regularly agree to deals with players years before they become eligible to sign at age 16. Deals are struck with players as young as 12 or 13 years old, at which point those players train at the team's academy in the country, out of sight from rival evaluators, until signing day.

It is not uncommon, however, for teams to pull pre-arranged deals weeks before players would sign them, either because a prospect did not develop as expected or because turnover in the team's front office altered philosophies, sources said.

The signing of amateur players has fueled an entire economy rife with corruption. The last year has seen an uptick in high-profile players showcasing themselves with falsified birth certificates to present themselves as much as five years younger, sources said,. Many of those players have had their bonuses pulled after investigations uncovered the information.

Read 52 times

Soccer

Costa Rican club threatens FIFA suit for CWC spot

Costa Rican club threatens FIFA suit for CWC spot

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe winningest team in Costa Rica is asking FIFA for a spot in next...

Ex-Man United star Mata buys stake in San Diego

Ex-Man United star Mata buys stake in San Diego

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFormer Spain international and World Cup winner Juan Mata has joine...

New owners seek Klopp's aid to transform Paris FC

New owners seek Klopp's aid to transform Paris FC

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe Arnault family, owners of the LVMH luxury empire, plan to draw...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Knicks-Spurs to have Disney alt-cast on Dec. 25

Knicks-Spurs to have Disney alt-cast on Dec. 25

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsBRISTOL, Conn. -- Mickey Mouse and many of Disney's iconic characte...

Hartenstein set to make season debut for OKC

Hartenstein set to make season debut for OKC

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe Oklahoma City Thunder's stint without a center will end Wednesd...

Baseball

Sources: New bill seeks to protect minor leaguers

Sources: New bill seeks to protect minor leaguers

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsSen. Dick Durbin plans to introduce the Fair Ball Act, a bill that...

Manfred expecting Sasaki to sign after Jan. 15

Manfred expecting Sasaki to sign after Jan. 15

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- With uncertainty looming over when Japanese baseball st...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated