That's not always the case with baseball players.

The New York Times reports that baseball officials have turned to DNA tests and bone scans to confirm some players' identities and ages before signing them. It seems that some player-prospects fudge such information -- specifically, they claim they're younger -- to make themselves more attractive to teams.

Federal law passed last year bars U.S.-based companies from requesting DNA from their employees. MLB officials have confirmed that they've used DNA testing in rare cases with unsigned prospects in the Dominican Republic, including a player set to play with the New York Yankees before having his contract canceled last week.

An unnamed scouting director for one MLB team told the Times that, in his view, the DNA tests were heading down a slippery slope. Said the scout: