The Cleveland Guardians’ $2.8 million agreement with a teenage international prospect has unraveled into one of the strangest identity fraud cases the game has seen.
Back in December, the Guardians reportedly reached a handshake deal with a switch-hitting infielder they believed was David Severino. Like many international free agent agreements, it was not set to become official until 2029, when he would have been eligible to sign. But according to ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez, the player Cleveland thought it had lined up was not actually David Severino - and he was not the 13- or 14-year-old the club believed it was evaluating.
Instead, MLB’s investigation found what Gonzalez described as “a series of extreme efforts by the player's handler to make him appear nearly two years younger than he actually is, including faking a birth certificate to create a new identity, falsifying medical and school records, filing a fraudulent death certificate, and even creating a gravesite scene, according to sources,”
Severino’s real name is Daury David Severino Damaso, and Gonzalez reported that his trainer, Francisco Nieves, was behind the false identity setup. The name the Guardians thought they were dealing with - David Severino Damaso - was part of that fabricated version of the player’s background.
The most jaw-dropping detail may be the fake death record. Gonzalez reported: “Two years after the birth registration had been made, according to sources, a fraudulent death certificate was filed for Daury,” Gonzalez reports.
“It said he had died of a respiratory illness on May 5, 2012, two years after he was born. A fake tombstone was created and planted in a gravesite in La Romana, a municipality in the southeastern part of the Dominican Republic, 75 miles from the capital of Santo Domingo.”
MLB suspended Severino over the false identity case, and Gonzalez noted the Guardians will not face discipline. The player’s future in pro baseball is now uncertain, and one scout told Gonzalez he is believed to be looking at a deal worth around $10,000 - a massive drop from the $2.8 million agreement that once appeared to be in place.
In Other News...
Guardians Playoff Push Suddenly Has A New X Factor
The Guardians came home from an undefeated road trip with a month left before the postseason, and the timing only sharpened the sense that this stretch could define their year. Steven Kwan and Chase DeLauter have helped drive a high on-base percentage in August, giving the lineup more traffic and more chances to turn tight games into wins. At the same time, Parker Messick has settled in as a reliable starter, providing stability in a rotation that needed it.
Clevelands biggest edge, though, may still be the pitching staff as a whole. The bullpen has been lights out since Aug. 10, posting a 1.52 ERA while leading in several key metrics, which gives the Guardians a different kind of late-season momentum than a club usually brings into September. If that relief group keeps missing bats and protecting leads, it could become the kind of weapon that changes the shape of the playoff race. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Lineup Suddenly Looks Like A Problem For Everyone
A week ago, the Guardians still looked like a team trying to patch together enough offense to keep pace in the American League. Since adding Jo Adell and Nathaniel Lowe, the lineup has taken on a different feel, and the results have followed with a seven-game winning streak that has changed the mood around the club. What stood out most was not just the added power, but the way the order has started to look more balanced from top to bottom.
Steven Kwan has been right in the middle of it, continuing to set the tone with a high batting average and on-base percentage, while Jose Ramirez and Angel Martinez have helped give Cleveland a more complete attack. It is the kind of stretch that forces opponents to pay attention beyond the usual threats, because the Guardians are no longer leaning on one or two bats to carry the night. The real question now is whether this version of the lineup is a hot streak or the start of something more durable. [Read more 🡒]
Chase DeLauters Health Has Become A Serious Guardians Concern
Chase DeLauters recent stretch has been less about production and more about preservation, with the Guardians trying to navigate a left hamstring injury that has already pushed him into pinch-hitting duties. Cleveland has been careful not to overextend him, and for a club trying to keep its young talent moving forward, the priority now is making sure a manageable issue does not turn into something much more disruptive.
Hamstring injuries have a way of lingering, which is why the Guardians are handling DeLauter with a limited workload and a cautious eye on the bigger picture. If he cant get back to everyday action soon, the roster could start to shift around him, a reminder that even in a season full of moving parts, health remains one of the biggest variables. [Read more 🡒]