Rennicks has already been announced. DC hasn't announced Antonio Bustamante '97 yet. There are also some rumors about the Fire regarding AJ Reynolds '01 and I think a '97 too, but I'm totally blanking.
US U17 left back John Tolkin is the only academy player on NYRB's preseason roster. https://www.newyorkredbulls.com/post/2019/01/21/new-york-red-bulls-preseason-camp-roster
Not sure, to be honest. I didn't realize his citizenship was uncertain, so I never looked at it. His place of birth seems to be elusive information to me as well. Griffin Yow is also in camp with DCU.
Same thing I thought with Sergio Rivas. From New Mexico but born in Mexico he’s a DACA guy but MLS at first put him with American citizenship. Hopefully we find out soon with Bustamante
This one at FCD has been rumored for a while. Training with the first team today. He's a #6. I can imagine signing him to a first team deal, and then loaning him to NTX. He's a 2000. Edwin Cerrillo is here. Still no announcement, but that has to be yet another indicator to his future Hometown signing... Or #NTXsc perhaps.— 3rd Degree (@3rdDegreeNet) January 21, 2019 No other academy players amongst FCD's 32 at preseason camp. New draftee John Nelson is there as you'd expect, and so is GK Carlos Avilez. Nelson is GenAd, so he's under contract. https://www.fcdallas.com/post/2019/01/21/fc-dallas-announces-2019-preseason-roster
Just saw that too. Awesome another one to add to the growing list of promising young attackers for next season
I saw his highlights on YouTube and he looks very promising but then again so does joe shmoe’s highlights on YouTube so we’ll see
Julian Araujo (@julian__araujo) is training with the LA Galaxy first team during preseason. Would be a huge get for new head honcho Denis te Kloese to keep Julian in SoCal - plenty of interest in the defender from clubs in Spain and Germany. He turns 18 in August.— J.R. Eskilson (@JREskilson) January 21, 2019
Lamar Batista ('98 Defender with Portland Timbers II the last two years) is in camp with LAFC as a trialist.
So is Philip Ejimadu '99, a from-out-of-nowhere U20 call up earlier this cycle. He has been with an obscure Brazilian club that only plays in state leagues.
Odd that the Timbers aren't interested but given how rarely they play Americans, particularly young ones, it also makes sense (sadly).
This next season we could have RSL, Philly, and FCD starting 5-6 HGs each...drool. At least the Bundesliga is back while we wait to see which HG prospects show promise during preseason. Don’t remember last season having so many HG signings.
Another question to ponder is: how many Timbers 2 players have improved on Portland's watch? It's not many. Ebobisse has moved up firmly to the first team (though they are still trying hard to get him benched for an expensive foreign signing). Who else? I can't think of anybody but I could be forgetting someone. They've played four seasons already. From November 2017 - March 18, there were 29 HG signings. From November 2018 - present, there have been 14 HG signings. The gap will close, at least somewhat, though.
I've been hyping him up for half a year. Its nice to see him finally get his deserved recognition with a first team contract.
For what its worth, I was told there's a hold up with his signing due to a legal matter that FC Dallas is dealing with. It has nothing to do with Cerrillo, but its effecting when he will be signed.
NYRB is absolutely barren for youth talent at the upper levels of their academy. Tolkin is barely a prospect, if he even is one. I gave my opinion the other day in the DA thread about Araujo staying with the Galaxy. I think it would be a bad decision. If he signs though, I see no reason why he shouldn't be playing regularly with the first team this season. A player of that caliber is good enough to play in MLS at 17/18.
Araujo wouldn't be eligible for the Galaxy 1st team until the summer at the earliest. It'd be the same situation as Chris Richards with Dallas.
Was there ever confirmation about this? He signed prior to one year, and was on the bench in a Cup match. I think they bent their rules to allow him to sign. I think they'd do the same thing to keep Araujo. The rules applied to Cappis. MLS is inconsistent with their own rules.