YNT-eligible ('93 and later) players in U.S. lower divisions

To expand upon a post from the U20 thread -- perhaps it's time to start this as an experiment and see where it leads.

We've recently seen a couple of YNT-eligible signings for 2014, and perhaps there will be (or already have been) more. Let's try tracking them here.

'95 David Leichty, OKC Energy, USL Pro
http://www.sportingkc.com/news/2014...hty-signs-professional-contract-okc-energy-fc

'96 Mawolo Gissie, Sacramento Republic, USL Pro
http://www.sacrepublicfc.com/republ...braun-teen-phenom-mawolo-gissie/#.UvvKdxBdV7c

 

Here's a detailed rundown of who played for G2 in the Fuego match:

http://www.lagalaxy.com/blog/beat/2014/02/17/look-who-suited-la-galaxy-ii-their-inaugural-match

The following players would qualify for this thread: Sorto ('94), McBean ('94), Villareal ('95), Amaya ('96), Lombardi ('95) and Martin ('96). Everyone else is too old or not a Yank or both.

Asterisk by Mendiola I suppose.

 

Portland D Bryan Gallego, a '93, heads to Sacramento on loan:

Goalkeeper Jake Gleeson [a '90 from NZ -- DMN] and defender Bryan Gallego have been loaned to the Sacramento Republic, Timbers coach Caleb Porter said Tuesday.
​

http://www.oregonlive.com/timbers/index.ssf/2014/02/portland_timbers_loan_gleeson.html

 

By the way -- do people have feelings about which, if any, leagues outside of USL Pro or NASL should be included here?

My instinct says that might be enough -- we could maybe consider a PDL/NPSL thread separately, since those players will be numerous but not professional.

I could be convinced otherwise.

 

G2 lineup against G, YNT-eligible in bold. I think I got everyone:

41-Cody Laurendi, 36-Oscar Sorto (46’: 37-Matheau Hall), 44-Daniel Steres (77’: 62-Elijah Martin), 53-Bradley Diallo (57’: 43-Logan Emory), 55-Jason Bli (46’: 49-Eder Arreola), 58- Aleksandar Djokovic (46’: 56-Laurent Courtois), 48-Dragen Stojkov (51’: 57-Alejandro Covarrubias), 25-Rafael Garcia (55’: 72-Lee Nishanian), 38-Bradford Jamieson IV (46’: 50-Travis Bowen), 32-Jack McBean (46’: 63-Maxwell Griffin), 40- Raul Mendiola (65’: 45-Adonis Amaya)

DNP: 64- Nicholas Shackelford, 68-Josh Cohen, 66-Joe Franco, 65-Jaime Villarreal, 45-Aaron Lombardi​

http://www.lagalaxy.com/news/2014/0...white-vs-blue-match-3-0-win-over-la-galaxy-ii

 

Strong statements from Todd Durbin:

"The idea was to begin transitioning away from our reserve league and to begin developing and building out this relationship so we could have a properly functioning, sort of lower-level [league] for our developing players to participate in," said Todd Durbin, the executive vice president of player relations for MLS. "Because you're now playing against professional teams as opposed to players that are essentially in your same age group.

"The future is not with our reserve league. The future is with participating in USL Pro."

...

More important, though, is the opportunity the USL Pro team will provide for teenagers such as Jack McBean and Oscar Sorto who, rather than spending the summer on the Galaxy sidelines or playing a handful of reserve league games on a practice field, will now start as many as two dozen challenging games in front of fans for Galaxy II.​

http://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/la-sp-soccer-baxter-20140223,0,4144955.story#ixzz2uFxvHJhP

That last statement (that McBean and Sorto can count on two dozen first-team USL starts this year) seems ambitious but not impossible. Worth tracking, because it will say a lot about the club's goals for the squad.

 

Here's a take on Sporting KC's lower-division affiliations from the USL web site, which says (unsurprisingly, I suppose) of '93 GK Jonathan Kempin:

With veteran MLS goalkeepers Eric Kronberg and Andy Gruenebaum likely in front of him on the SKC depth chart this season, the opportunity may come for Kempin to join his former teammate in Oklahoma City as wellas he continues to look for competitive minutes to continue his development. To have that opportunity - or the chance to return to Orlando - is one that Kempin would welcome.

“Yeah, I would enjoy it, whether it’s Oklahoma City or maybe Orlando City again,” Kempin said. “Whatever it may be, I’m definitely open to another loan spell if that’s what Peter and the rest of the coaching staff want for me.”
​

http://uslsoccer.com/home/790366.html

 

Nice catch. He's a '96, so eligible for the U20 cycle.

When Turner joined the Residency program, he had previously been a center midfielder for Development Academy club South Central Premier and looked up to Arsenal’s Jack Wilshire, his favorite player on his favorite team. But U-17 MNT head coach Wilmer Cabrera saw Turner as a centerback, and he has adjusted well to the new position.
​

http://www.ussoccer.com/news/u-17-mnt/2011/12/turner-in-focus.aspx#sthash.rKAe5mye.dpuf

The Sentinel piece above, however, calls him an outside back:

The 5-foot-11, 155-pound outside back is rated the No. 11 overall player in the 2014 class by Top Drawer Soccer and the No. 2 defender in his class.

Turner started at outside back for Orlando City in a 4-4 draw with the Columbus Crew on Wednesday night and has trained through portions of preseason with the club.​

 

Didn't he play in the middle (CB and maybe also some DM) for the U17s? In any case, it seems Orlando is moving him to RB, as the Sentinel article indicates. Since I've mostly seen him (in limited action) in central positions it's hard to picture him as a raiding fullback, but he's young and obviously Orlando has thought about this. Anyway, he's young -- who knows?