Santo Domingo.– Chicago White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez is being sued for $20 million dollars for allegedly violating a contract he signed with local talent scouts before inking a major league contract.

In documents presented to the prosecutors office in the Peravia judicial district – located 65 kilometers southeast of the Dominican capital– Ramirez and his agent Jaime Torres are accused of owing Julio Martinez and Ramon Fernandez US$450,000 from a signing bonus.

The plaintiffs are also asking for an additional US$131,156, which represents 5 percent of Ramirez's income from two years in the majors, the documents say.

The US$20 million claim is for damages and violating the contract. "A contract exists and they (Ramirez and Torres) have not honored paying 30 percent of the signing bonus, and 5 percent of his income as a professional baseball player," Manuel Valdez, the lawyer for the plaintiff, told reporters.