Recently, the New York Mets discovered that one of their players, Anthony Batist, had lied about his age when signing with the team. Batist, a left-handed outfielder, had submitted documents that made him younger than he really was, allowing him to obtain a million-dollar bonus. This case has generated outrage and concern in the baseball community.
This incident is just one of several cases of identity tampering that have recently come to light in the MLB. Some coaches and recruiters have reportedly been taking advantage of the vulnerability of institutions in Haiti to commit fraud related to the age of players.
MLB has been under pressure to strengthen its research department and address these issues more effectively. Although the league says it has plugged some of the holes in its identity verification system, cases continue to arise regularly.
In addition to Haiti, other countries also face similar challenges, as the MLB does not have as strong a structure everywhere and some teams may be more willing to risk drafting players whose actual age is not confirmed.
In a related case, the Blue Jays had to suspend a Venezuelan player, Kennew Blanco, after discovering an irregularity in his documentation. Blanco’s parents had declared his date of birth incorrect, which led to a suspension and the inability to sign until 2025.
These cases highlight the need for greater surveillance and control in the recruiting of talent in professional baseball, as identity alteration practices can have serious consequences for both the players and the teams involved.
2024-04-09 18:27:37
#tactics #alter #age #prospects #Haitian #documents
