Scandal-Plagued MLB Prospect and Family Targeted With Death Threats After $2M Mets Deal Collapses

Age falsification has long cast a shadow over international baseball signings. Especially in regions where young talent often sees the sport as a pathway out of poverty. While MLB has implemented stricter regulations in recent years to curb the practice, this time, actions taken against a Mets prospect for falsifying age have put his family’s safety at risk.

We are talking about Josue Chacoa, a Venezuelan third baseman and the Mets’ top target for the 2026 international signing period. Just as the organization was preparing to lock in a deal reportedly worth over $2 million, the agreement was abruptly canceled. The reason? Chacoa was caught falsifying his age.

But the fallout didn’t end with a lost contract. According to reports, the exposure has also put his family’s safety at risk, underscoring the dangerous stakes involved.

“Venezuelan prospect Josue Chacoa, suspended for age falsification, receives death threats. He owes the full $2 million signing bonus he received. His parents are immersed in financial problems due to the debts they acquired through loans that they thought they would pay off with the bonus their son would receive,” MLB insider Hector Gomez wrote on X. It was reported by swingcompleto.com as well.

It’s a devastating blow that has not only shaken Chacoa’s family but has also left his baseball future hanging in uncertainty.

For the unversed, Chacoa was expected to sign with the Mets during the international signing period starting in January 2026. But everything fell apart when it was discovered that the age he had registered didn’t match his actual age. Now, the player has automatically been handed a one-year suspension.

It’s a setback for the Mets as well considering they are deprived of signing a top prospect. With the 2026 lineup being readied by all other teams, the Mets just lost a top talent from the verge of landing him.

The issue runs deeper than just a Mets-specific matter

If you think the Mets were the first to deal with age falsification, think again. Because it’s a much deeper issue across MLB. Per reports, at least six Venezuelan prospects from the 2026 international pool, who had agreements with MLB teams, were found to be older than they originally claimed.

“Six Venezuelan players from the 2026 class who had signed deals with MLB teams are older than they claimed. Josué Chacoa’s case wasn’t the only one. The MLB found other similar cases involving players from the 2025 class who had already signed,” Gomez reported.

So, Chacoa’s case is just one piece of a bigger puzzle. And even for the Mets, this isn’t unfamiliar territory. They’ve had their share of run-ins with age-related controversies in the past.

Remember Anthony Baptist?

The Mets signed Dominican outfielder Anthony Baptist in January 2023 for a $1.1 million bonus, listing his birthdate as October 17, 2005. However, MLB later suspended him for allegedly lying about his age or identity.

Baptist was placed on the restricted list in March 2024 and faced suspension, though details on his future with the Mets remain unclear. Now Chacoa’s case has taken a bad turn as well, as the 17-year-old also faces suspension and a whole lot of adversities off the field.