YNT-Eligible Players: 2018 US Open Cup

There's still MLS this weekend, but hey, what's BigSoccer if you're not looking excessively into the future?

With the Open Cup kicking off next week, this will be a fun time to watch the TEs that don't typically play on a really bad and unreliable streaming service! Here's my preview of all the games and the possible appearances for uncommonly seen youngsters.

6/5:
Philly vs Richmond:
Trusty and McKenzie already seem like week in, week out starters for the Union at this point, so that leaves Real, Fontana, and good ol' Derrick Jones. I'd be surprised if any of them don't play, and I'll probably watch this game over the others out of interest if anyone has progressed out of those three, especially since I haven't seen Jones in a while.

DC vs NCFC (7 pm EST):
If I wanted to watch Durkin, I'd watch MLS.

Louisville vs New England:
Isaac Angking, I guess? I mean, he has to play somewhere. If he's really good enough to warrant a homegrown contract, he should've been loaned to a USL team by now. Can't just play academy games until you're 24.

6/6:
Columbus vs Chicago:
WIth Mihailovic still out, this game is a classic installment of wait, there are Americans under the age of 21? From this boards perspective, Columbus -> Austin is probably a good thing.

RBNY vs NYCFC:
I'm guessing Mines and Redding get in this one. Still a shame about Duncan. Lewis and Sands are likely as well, and I haven't seen Sands in a while, so that could be interesting. Unlikely, but a Scally debut could happen as well.

Miami vs Orlando:
Lindley and Da Silva presumably return. Maybe now that Da Silva scored 3 goals and had 7 assists in USL last year, he'll get 90 minutes in the Open Cup instead of 45.

Atlanta vs Charleston:
Robinson, Vazquez, Kunga, Goslin, Carleton, and Bello are all possible. I'd bet on 3 or 4 of them starting and a debut for Bello.

Cincinnati vs Minnesota:
Toye should start.

Nashville vs Colorado:
Nothing to see here, but of course it's better that Vines is playing in USL and not waiting for 1 open cup game a year.

Houston vs NTX Rayados:
Kills me that the oldest roster in MLS is in Texas. Kills me.

San Antonio vs Dallas:
Paxton has to start, and Ferreira and Servania could get heavy minutes, too. I'm not sure if Richards is eligible. Reynolds could get a debut, too, I guess.

RSL vs Kansas City:
An extended run out for Herrera would be new, but aside from that, RSL is too good at moving their guys along for this game to be interesting for them.

However, SKC could be fun. Their new generation of homegrowns could all feature (Kamal, Lindsey, Busio). I'd expect Lindsey to start, and Kamal probably will, too. On top of that, given Busio's surprisingly heavy usage at Swope, it wouldn't be weird for him to get some good time.

LAFC vs Fresno:
They have James Murphy and Shaft, but I doubt either start.

Galaxy vs FC Golden State:
Get Vom Steeg a first start. Arellano could probably play, too. However, does anyone know if Efra can play?

Portland vs San Jose:
I think Ebobisse is hurt, but Williamson and Farfan should start no matter what.

Yueill of course should start, and Marcinkowski should get his first, too. I wish Calvillo wasn't hurt because I haven't seen him play in years, and I think San Jose considers Akanyirige and Fuentes too young. Next year.

Sacramento vs Seattle:
Bwana isn't even eligible yet, but he should start.

That's it for this round. On top of that, there are a few players I'd like to point out that, in my opinion, should be signed to first team contracts and playing in these games, and yet aren't. These players are:
-Gio Reyna
-Marcelo Palomino
-Uly Llanez
-Alex Mendez
-Sam Rogers

And if I had to guess, only two of those (Rogers and Palomino) are the fault of the clubs, so it's no big deal, but I do wonder why Rogers hasn't gotten a homegrown contract yet.

 

Here's my best guess about all of the non-MLS teams:

USL:
Sacramento:
They have Roberto Hategan, an '01 YNTer, who started in their second round game against a PDL team.

Otherwise, they have one of the best non MLS academies in the country, and few other guys who have made the bench in USL this year ('00 Mark McEntosh and '01 Quincy Butler), and 3 others on academy contracts ('00s Martinez and Garibay, and '99 Zepeda) but no USL appearances makes it unlikely we see any of them against Seattle. The club itself is going to want to destroy every MLS club it comes across, so youth players seem unlikely.

Fresno:
'99 Canadian-American Noah Verhoeven has over 500 minutes for Fresno in the USL this year, but he's currently with Canada's Olympic team.

Alternatively, '98 Canadian-American Terran Campbell has some USL minutes, and also started at LWB in their third round game vs UPSL side Sporting AZ FC, which sounds like a really bad name until you realize they play in Arizona, and then it's only pretty bad. Anyways, there's a small chance he plays vs LAFC given the step up in opponent level.

San Antonio:
SAFC went out and gave '01 midfielder Ethan Bryant his debut at left wing against the Switchbacks in the third round, whose clips @zlebmada graciously cut up here:

Keeping an eye on 16-yr-old Ethan Bryant, who made his pro debut in #USOC for San Antonio FC last week. Earned a penalty, looked competent and occasionally dangerous. Got a handful of GIFs.

Here's some basic on-ball reliability from the kid with the flowing blonde locks. pic.twitter.com/Rns57PYYr0

— scuffed (@scuffedpod) May 28, 2018

And you can read a few articles about him from back when he signed in February, here:
https://therivardreport.com/straight-a-homeschooler-lands-on-pro-soccer-team-at-16/
https://www.sanantoniofc.com/news_article/show/886933

They also have '98 Connor Presley who has played 266 minutes at right wing for them in USL, but has not been in the squad since April 28th.

Charleston:
Charleston has two players everyone on here probably knows of, including Victor Mansaray (I know, right?). I don't think he was ever cap-tied to the US and thus a one time switch to Sierra Leone wasn't necessary, so he's still technically an American.

The other guy is Patrick Okonkwo, although I'd be surprised if he plays against his parent club, Atlanta.

Richmond:
Richmond have '99 Sam Bacon and '00 Kent Dickey on academy contracts, but neither played in either of their previous two open cup games, or all year during USL.

NCFC:
'97 DJ Taylor is a pretty key player for the team, and '99 Nelson Blanco got his debut in an 11 minute cameo vs their second round opponent, Lansdowne Bhoys FC. They also have future Clemson keeper and '99 George Marks on an academy contract, but he hasn't played at all.

To my knowledge, none of Nashville, Louisville, or Cincinnati have an academy player on their roster.

Amateur:
As for FC Golden State Force (PDL), NTX Rayados (North Texas Premier Soccer League), Miami United (NPSL), they're amateur teams. FCGS's roster has no birthdays, Miami United has one '98 from Venezula, and Rayados isn't on the internet.

 

Just my opinion, but why RBNY going with that lineup is pretty confusing, Orlando not playing Lindley or Da Silva is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever seen. They're not on loan, you can see them with the team in pictures.

 

Also, sorry if anyone doesn't like Carleton spam, but this thread is about to become a Carleton-only zone.

From the start, it looks like Carleton is playing on the left of the midfield in a 4-3-3, which is my favorite position for him. Expecting a good time.

 

Notes so far:

Barco is crazy.

Carleton has 3 really bad giveaways.

 

Best part is he had been absolutely atrocious up until that point. I was thinking that if he continued playing like he was, he was going to get subbed out at halftime.