Nationals Officials Knew of Prospect's Fake Identity

In a published report this morning by Melissa Segura of SI.com, the Washington Nationals top instructor in the Domincan knew all about the trail of deceit following Carlos Alvarez, a heralded shortstop prospect who claimed to be Esmailyn Gonzalez, four years younger than his actual age.

Alvarez testified in June in a Dominican appeals court that Jose Baez, the Nats' Domincan academy coordinator under Jim Bowden and Jose Rijo, was fully aware of his true identity and age and that Rijo knew of the fraud as well.  The report does not say that Bowden himself knew of the deceit.

Baez is involved in a labor dispute with the Nationals for wrongful termination.  He won in a lower court, and the Nationals launched "an aggressive and costly appeal," according to the report.  Alvarez' testimony came during a hearing in the appeal process.

It's the first time that actual testimony has connected a Nationals employee to the fraud.