Major League Baseball has approved the $800,000 contract of Simon Mercedes, who made his pro debut yesterday in the Dominican Summer League.

Mercedes, 20, had originally signed with the Giants for $400,000 in 2011 using the same name and the same date of birth (Feb. 17, 1992) that he used to sign with the Red Sox, but his Giants contract was terminated and MLB declared him ineligible to sign for one year. MLB has not publicly stated the reason for the sanction against Mercedes, who recently received his visa to be able to come to the United States. MLB ruled his age undetermined, according to a source familiar with the situation, but the Red Sox decided to proceed with the contract.

Mercedes threw four shutout innings with four hits, two walks and four strikeouts yesterday in the DSL. At 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, Mercedes has run his fastball up to 96 mph and flashed an average to above-average breaking ball.