YNT-eligible lower-division pro players: 2018/19 Offseason thread

It is true. At some point he was on the same level as Pulisic or Wright

 

Lamar Batista goes on loan to Phoenix for the time being.

https://www.lafc.com/post/2019/03/07/lafc-loans-defender-lamar-batista-phoenix-rising-fc

 

Check out @LAGalaxyII’s Tweet:

📝 NEWS: #LosDos sign midfielder @kkoreniuk!

Details ⬇️ https://t.co/Hx1QdISKhP

— LA Galaxy II (@LAGalaxyII) March 7, 2019

 

Oh, I didn't see that one coming. That's interesting...…………………….

 

Scrimmage Observations: North Texas SC vs FCD Academy U19s https://t.co/jqxvDAkPx8 a bonus from yesterday when I accidentally got to watch a great scrimmage. #NTXSC #FCDallas #DTID

— 3rd Degree (@3rdDegreeNet) March 7, 2019

Comment from Buzz about a player I know @ussoccer97531 has said good things about in the past. Exactly what FCD/NTSC needs: another central midfielder.

Imanol Almaguer knocked my socks off. In the first half, he was the only Academy player with NTXSC who I didn't recognize. Once he went back to the u19s and put on his #2 I was floored. Almaguer has always been a solid outside back. Today he played as a central linking type mid... and was amazing. Great feet, great awareness, quick to turn out of danger, great at linking with teammates. What a transformation. I need to dig into which coach made this change with Almaguer.

 

An indication of the academy guys who might play for Tacoma:

https://www.soundersfc.com/post/201...ers-standard-usl-loan-agreements-four-players

 

If they are going to keep misusing Tessman, he should leave.

#19 is Veloz, #42 is Jon. Gomez. Veloz isn't very good. He's been filling in for the injured Escribano recently with the U-17's.

 

We have loaned Matt Hundley and Andre Rawls to @SwitchbacksFC.

📝 https://t.co/cSNwfS91tk#Rapids96 | #Elevate pic.twitter.com/Xt8U8jefW7

— Colorado Rapids (@ColoradoRapids) March 6, 2019

Hundley sent out to Colorado Springs; Raben recalled.

 

We missed this from last week.

https://www.timbers.com/post/2019/03/01/t2-acquire-brayan-hurtado-cristian-ojeda-loan

Portland signed Ryan Sierakowski 97 and Zach Kobayashi 97 to USL deals. Sieraowski is a forward drafted out of Michigan State. Kobayashi has been around, with Dinamo Zagreb's academy and then Orange County SC.

 

Reno signed Yosimar Hernandez, a '97 left back from Los Angeles via UC Riverside.

https://www.reno1868fc.com/news_article/show/1002212


Some Dude Blogger calls him "the best left wingback in the NPSL". I don't put much stock in that but I'm linking it because apparently throwback YA Kevin Huezo was on the same NPSL team.

https://riversidecorasblog.wordpress.com/2018/07/04/end-of-season/

 

I like that Colorado is making more of an effort to give young players a chance, but I don't understand some of their choices here with the young domestics in their squad. Vines looks virtually like a NP to me. He looks a lot more like he should be in USL than Hundley. I think they are giving Bassett a lot more time than he's earned (not that I'm complaining). Hundley had a good preseason, and was dominant in college soccer last season. For a team that struggles to create attacking chances, I don't know why he was sent to USL.

 

I know it’s a highlight video, and some of these clips are from practice, but Hundley scores a bevy of bangers here. Tough to tell which is his dominant foot as he appears to be quite comfortable with both.

 

Maybe Hudson prefers that Hundley took a win more experience playing with Colorado Springs where I think he should be an undisputed starter. Bassett had some good games and the coach spoke very good things about him and I think that unlike Hundley, Bassett can give you a game a little more defensive and ball recovery. Something that cost Hundley a lot and I think it must be one of his few shortcomings is that he is a player who does not collaborate with the defensive game and is very small physically (although several times he showed that with his dribble that was not much problem) and the MLS increasingly is a game of great physical intensity.
It is strange in turn because Hudson plays with Mezquida as a # 10 but does not have a specific replacement in his position and Hundley is one of the few in the team that can play there.

 

NYRB II signed a few:

RB Sean McSherry 97 (Princeton)
CM Kyle Zajec 97 (Georgetown)
FW Sebastian Elney 97 (Maryland)

https://www.newyorkredbulls.com/post/2019/03/08/nyrb-ii-strengthen-roster-ahead-season-opener

 

This gives us a glimpse of which Philly youth may get time with Bethlehem.

For what it's worth, this is the Steel roster listed in the team's game notes for Week 1. #DOOP pic.twitter.com/ItlJa9qEjI

— Joe Tansey (@JTansey90) March 8, 2019

Unsigned players listed:

Cole Turner '01
Jack de Vries '02
Nathan Harriel '01
Kris Shakes '01
Shanyder Borgelin '01
*Tomas Romero '00

*provisionally cap-tied to El Salvador

 

Charleston signed Kyle Nelson, a 97 CB out of Wofford.

https://www.charlestonbattery.com/news_article/show/1002136

 

I bet he is left footed.

 

I'm excited to see a new season of the USL starting tomorrow. Apparently, this year many more teams will bet on for young Americans, and that is a breakthrough and a great opportunity for the development of players in our country. I am really excited to see more and more young Americans in the teams of both MLS and USL Championship or USL League One.

 

Houston announced RGVFC's full roster today and has more YNT names on it.

https://www.houstondynamo.com/post/...-roster-prior-opening-usl-championship-season

- RB Andrew Samuels '97, a draft pick

- AM Nico Lemoine '00, described as an academy player, but he must have just been recruited away from the SJ Earthquakes. He's from the East Bay in CA.

- AM Isidro Martinez '97, who played at UTRGV and is from Brownsville.

Two guys on academy contracts:

- GK Osmar Chavero '01

- GK Isaac Acevedo '03

Both are from the RGV. Acevedo has been called into US YNTs before.

 

NEWS: The Rangers have signed @SKCAcademy trio Mo Abualnadi, Jake Davis and Sean Karani to Academy deals ahead of tomorrow's @USLChampionship opener.https://t.co/GHxF5LQWWk

— SKCII (@SportingKCII) March 8, 2019

 

Orange County signed Danny Crisostomo, a 97 CM from UC Irvine.

https://www.orangecountysoccer.com/news_article/show/1000134

 

According to his Instagram profile, Redzic has access to a Bosnian passport, so not part of the EU. I agree he likely stays in the FCD system.

 

49' Goooaalllll for the Defiance, and it's 17-year-old forward Alec Diaz!

Leyva ➡️ Vargas ➡️ Hopeau ➡️ Goal Post ➡️ Diaz

1-0 #TACvRGV pic.twitter.com/eE0ASLyd6y

— Tacoma Defiance (@TACdefiance) March 9, 2019

Tacoma won 1-0. They started six YNT-eligibles and brought three off the bench. RGV started four YNT-eligibles.

 

starting to think we have a crouching tiger hidden dragon situation with mls and usl in regards to development