The Boston Red Sox and the Houston Astros reportedly had five players from the Dominican Republic who did not tell the truth about their age, USA TODAY has learned amid a reported signing scandal in the Caribbean nation, per Diario Libre.
There have been more than 170 kids who lied about their age in a Dominican Republic signing scandal, according to Diario Libre. There were more than 50 international prospects who had their contracts rejected, including at least 22 players with future deals worth more than $1 million. One player had a handshake agreement for $6 million. Another claimed he was 14 years old when he actually turned out to be 21.
Red Sox, Astros victimized by multiple players who did not tell real age
Although no player who was at one point signed by the Red Sox or the Astros system was named in the report, it's nevertheless surprising to realize the scope and the prevalence of the fraudulent act.
MLB investigators believe the actual count of kids who lied about their age far exceeds the current estimation, an alarming detail that could be hurting the process of prospect hunting abroad. With baseball viewed by many kids and families in the Dominican Republic as a way to vastly improve their economic conditions, it's not hard to imagine why many commit a seemingly uncomplicated form of deceit.
“In several of these recent cases, kids and their trainers were informing teams they are only 13 or 14 years old, negotiating deals that would be officially consummated when they were 16. In reality, they would already be 18 or 19 years old.”
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