Pro Baseball News

Nationals prospect lied about age, name (AP) (sports.yahoo.com)

A top baseball prospect from the Dominican Republic who received a $1.4 million signing bonus from the Washington Nationals lied about his age and name in what team president Stan Kasten is calling "an elaborate scheme." In July 2006, the Nationals held a news conference to announce they signed a 16-year-old shortstop named Esmailyn "Smiley" Gonzalez.