This just out from Yahoo's Tim Brown:
Y! source: MLB will uphold DR OF Jairo Beras' $4.5m contract with Texas, but suspend him for a year after determining he lied about age.
— Tim Brown (@TBrownYahoo) July 12, 2012
(UPDATE -- Brown's full article is up here)
The Rangers signed Jairo Beras to a deal that included a $4.5 million signing bonus in February, 2012. Most of MLB believed at the time that Beras was 16, and he had represented to MLB that he was 16, which would make Beras ineligible to sign until July 2, 2012. However, the Rangers determined that Beras was actually 17, which would have made him eligible to be signed immediately. This was a key distinction, as new spending caps for young international free agents kicked in with this year's July 2 class, and if Beras was not eligible to be signed until after the new rules kicked in, he would not have been eligible to receive such a high bonus without severe penalties being imposed upon the signing team.
Beras is a power-hitting outfielder from the Dominican Republic who has drawn comparisons to Juan Gonzalez. While the Rangers in previous years have seemingly focused on up-the-middle talent in the international market, with the signings of Beras this year, and Ronald Guzman and Nomar Mazara last year, we're seeing more of a focus on players that profile as potential impact hitters at a corner outfield or first base spot.