YNT-eligible lower-division pro players: 2019/2020 Offseason thread

2004 left back Caleb Wiley has made his USL debut

 

Great pass by Andrew Carleton to set up Tyler Pasher for his third goal of the season for @IndyEleven and a second-half lead at Lucas Oil Stadium. #INDvSTL #BeChampions pic.twitter.com/V3kngpps8m

— Nicholas Murray (@NJEMurray) July 12, 2020

 

Good pass, but Carleton has played pretty bad outside of that sadly

 

I think thats a little harsh. I think his decision-making is manageable. It's not good, but I've rarely seen it as a big issue. I also think his ball-skills are a lot better than you give him credit for. I always found that part of his game to be pretty good. He's more of a striker than winger because I think you want him running onto the ball instead of dribbling it, but are they any worse than Tim Weah? Probably not. He can showcase a few nice dribbling sequences at times, although I wouldn't call it a huge strength.

I thought he was getting better the last 15 minutes right before he was taken out. The last play right before he was taken out he nearly had a second assist. The angle wasn't great, but Pasher was clear in on goal, and chose to pass to a player covered by three defenders. I don't know why you take out a player when they start finding a rhythm within the game, but it looked like a defensive sub. Also keep in mind these players haven't played a competitive game in like four months.

 

LAGII is a terrific group of talented young players, but the better they play the better the chance they'll sign a pro contract with the first team and then have their career ruined.

I'd love to see some of these players on these II teams use it as a platform to get scouted by teams around Europe, use it as a place to keep sharp, improve their skills, and get familiarized with a pro setting, and then leave for Europe at age 18 (or earlier). I have to imagine that teams in Europe would look better upon success in USL than success in the academy system.

 

'02 from Pateadores and RSL academies signs with Birmingham in USL:

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U20-eligibles for LA Galaxy II tonight.

Starting:
'02 CM Adam Saldana
'03 FB Mauricio Cuevas
'03 W Sebastian Nava (debut)

Appeared off bench (all debuts):
'02 AM Andre Ochoa (trialed at Paderborn in February)
'03 CB Marcus Ferkranus
'03 CB Jalen Neal
'04 AM Victor Valdez

Stayed on the bench:
'02 GK Andre Ramos
'03 CM Adrian Gonzalez
'03 FB Sebastian Hernandez

'02 W Cameron Dunbar and '03 AM Jonny Perez appear to be with the first team. Also, I'm pretty sure '04 US-eligible AM Miguel Avalos (California-born, Mexico YNT) is leaving Pachuca and joining LAG's academy.

 

Correction: the GK on the bench was actually '03 Anthony Ramos, who had a decent showing for the US U16s at the Nike Friendlies. So LA Galaxy II had eight 2023 U20-eligibles (excluding Perez) last night.

 

Found Gary Kleiban's account!

(Just giving you a hard time.)

I have a little more faith that te Kloese will show a bit of discipline in terms of carving space out for young players to have opportunities rather than do the traditional LAG thing of chasing every shiny Big Name thing they see. But it's reasonable for your mileage to vary.

 

It’s funny you mention him. I’d love to see him do with Cuevas, Ferkranus, Neal, Nava, Valdez, Saldana what he did with Llanez, Mendez and KHF.

I have slightly more faith in te Kloese than their previous regime, but they have some very good young first team HGP’s. If they can’t find playing time for Alvarez, Araujo, Dunbar, Perez (the youngest being a 17 year old ‘03), I don’t know why they’d deserve any leeway. They have the players. I’m not giving them a few years before I start criticizing them. Play these guys now. Don’t let this crop rot.

 

Atlanta United 2:

Matthew Edwards (‘03): I liked what I saw. First time I’ve seen this guy play. Newer name. Played RCB in a back 3. Looks like a CB. Maybe you could also try him as a #6. For his first time in pro football, I thought he read the game extremely well. Almost never out of position and knew when to challenge for the ball and when to manage the play. Shows above average speed and he’s probably average or slightly below average height (listed at 5’10, I think he looked an inch or two taller). Passing was very average. Nothing overly good, and nothing overly bad. Pretty good in the air for a player who can’t be much taller than 6’0, if even that. I didn’t see much that stands out here other than his ability to read the game. Pretty good prospect. I could see him as another name to add to the CB equation in 2003, but I don’t see how he distinguishes himself to get onto the roster.

Will Reilly (‘02): I thought he played pretty well. He’s gotten better over the last year or two. I don’t see much he does that stands out, but he works hard, can keep up athletically, passes the ball out of CM at an above average level, and has a pretty good soccer IQ. In a weak CM crop for the 02’s, he’s somewhere in the mix for another YNT call up. As I think I’ve said before, I think he’s an 8, not a 6. I think there might’ve been some question about this at some point a few years ago.

Caleb Wiley (‘04): Struggled a lot. Positioning was all over the place. Constantly caught trying to go for a 50/50 ba and losing it. Good learning experience for a late ‘04 in his first professional game. I don’t believe he’s even played for the U-19’s yet, so it’s not entirely unexpected. The few nice plays he made you see his best skills (1v1 defending, above average athleticism). I think I’ve compared him before to a left footed Jaylin Lindsey, and I mean that positively. Lindsey was a good prospect (still might be), but has struggled a lot with injuries recently.

Jackson Conway (‘01): Scored a nice goal catching the keeper off his line from 35 yards. Didn’t do much else, but he was isolated up top for much of the game because Atlanta played down a man for almost the whole game. Workmanlike target forward. Will probably carve out a career as a good USL/low-end MLS #9. Good in the air, works hard, holds the ball up well and can score some goals. Doesn’t have high level talent.

 

The Conway goal

WHAT A FINISH!!

First #ATLUTD2 goal of the season from @jacksonconway36 🔥 pic.twitter.com/pBRqPbWQAx

— ATL UTD 2 (@atlutd2) July 11, 2020

 

Gomez is on the bench for Louisville.

On another note, what a spectacular stadium for a USL and future NWSL club.

 

LAG II:

Mauricio Cuevas ('03): I thought he played well. He wasn't terrific defensively, but he was put in so many bad spots because LAG II was severely outplayed and kept losing the ball in bad spots. He made all the defensive plays that you'd expect of him. I'm not going to ask more of a 17 year old at this point. He also played more physical than I've seen in the past. I suspect he might be getting stronger. He was the best on the Galaxy II team at pushing the ball forward. It wasn't that often, but be combined well when he got forward. His crossing was (very) uncharacteristically poor in this game, but it might've looked a little better if their attackers made runs into the box. He was aiming at no one.

Adam Saldana ('02): Another guy I thought played well. The team was so outmanned, but Saldana fought very well in central midfield. He was playing as a lone 6 in front of two 10's to start the game, and he had no help. He didn't do anything wrong, but had no help. In the second half they switched him to the #8 position, and the team had more success. Saldana only has average size and isn't the most athletic, but he's such a hard worker, makes good decisions, and passes the ball well enough. I think he's going to carve out a career in MLS.

Sebastian Nava ('03): Only played the first half. He didn't get many touches. I thought he looked to attack when he had the ball, but he didn't have much of an impact. I wouldn't say he deserved to be subbed at the half though. He wasn't outclassed. I do like his game though, and I think he's a player whose stock is rising. Very quick winger with good ball skills. He can make plays off either the right or left. I like him better off the left. He played RW in this game. He's a little like Dunbar. Not as explosive, but makes better decisions.

Jalen Neal ('03): He played the second half. He wasn't bad. I wouldn't say he was good because there were definitely some errors with loose passes out of the back or being too aggressive in his positioning, but for his first pro appearance, it was good enough. He also did have to make some defensive plays, and made them. I think he's a kid with a lot of potential. One thing that people will notice instantly is that he looks exactly like Chris Richards physically, and he also happens to play the same position and play it with a similar style. I don't know if he'll be as good (it's unlikely), but it's the same style with very good movement for a bigger CB, very lanky, good in the air, average (or better) playing out of the back, and a pretty good read of the game defensively.

Victor Valdez ('04): I think he held his own. First pro game. Youngest player on the field. I wouldn't be expecting much, but he did have some nice stretches of play. I wouldn't say Valdez is exceptionally talented, but he's a crafty player, and plays a pretty well rounded game for a #10. He can play some passes, dribble a little, has enough creativity, not a bad athlete, will work for the team. No real weaknesses in his game, but there aren't any huge strengths either.

Marcus Ferkranus ('03): Only a few minutes, but I actually thought he did very well in his limited time. Made a very nice defensive play to save a likely goal, showed good physicality as well battling around the corner flag on another sequence. Limited, but effective appearance.

Andre Ochoa ('02): Also had a very limited appearance. Barely touched the ball. Didn't do anything of note.

There were some other thread-eligible guys notable on the fringes (Gutierrez, Romero, Hernandez, Vera, Kunga). None of them played well enough that I feel like I need to mention it.

 

Phoenix is definitely a tough matchup for any reserve team as they’re a big budget USL side.

Los Dos schedule is tough the rest of the way. Timbers 2 is the only reserve team on their schedule, the rest are stand alone sides.

 

Gomez was subbed on minute 83 for Louisville. He was playing LM. His first minute into the game he was knocked out by the goalkeeper flapping at a set piece. He was able to come back into the game, and had a few touches. Nothing notable in his performance aside from probably being fouled by the goalie (the type of play thats a penalty, but goalie will never be called on).

 

With Leyva, Atencio, and Dobbelaere gone with Seattle (and possibly AOC too) there is a good chance we could see some younger faces in the Tacoma Defiance team sheet tonight. Both Reed Baker-Whiting and Joshua Hardin are on the roster per the USL website. Angel Martinez is an interesting scratch from the Tacoma roster as it appears that Seattle may rate him as their third best 05 like a few of the people (myself included) on this forum.

 

He was great in Hamilton.

https://images.app.goo.gl/n7oVmChGdSGmWqfX9

 

I don't know. He died twice.

He seems a little defensively soft.

 

Tacoma signed Eric Kinzner '03.

From the same press release:

https://www.soundersfc.com/post/2020/07/13/tacoma-defiance-signs-defender-eric-kinzner

 

I had never heard of Marco Astorga ('02). Here are some highlights.



From what I can gather from this video, very calm on the ball, great feet, can play some passes, good shooting. Bigger #10. Not the fastest. Doesn't look to dribble that much. Not the most creative. That profile sounds a lot like Leyva before they moved him further back on the field. I wouldn't be surprised if they do it with this kid, although admittedly I have no idea.

Astorga is from the El Paso area. Looks to have won a lot of accolades in his high-school career. It'll be interesting to see if he's a top talent that emerges later on because he was off the radar. Being signed to a pro contract by an MLS team (even if its only USL) without ever even playing DA ball is pretty impressive.

As to those other names, Tacoma could be very interesting. I think RBW is already ready to play against pros. He plays a pro game already. Is the kid even 15 yet? He'll be fun to watch, if he gets to play. Kulhanek is a good player. Every time I've seen him play he's looked good. Under the radar keeper in a very good keeper year.

 

RBW on the bench. None of the other new names anywhere to be found. Tacoma has a bunch of other young guys in the lineup like Rogers, Kitahara, Diaz, Gonzalez, Robles, Vargas. Sargis starting for Sacramento. Penagos on the bench.

It's wild how Seattle is throwing a kid that turned 15 year a few months ago right into the reserve team. No hesitation, but RBW plays a fearless style. It'll be interesting to see how much game time he gets for Tacoma this season.

 

Reed Baker-Whiting was the first 2005 to make a USL debut last night. I thought he played very well. He could have demanded the ball more and looked a little timid but that is expected of someone who is 15 playing against a team fielding players mostly 10 years older than him. He completed 9/10 passes and he had a few passes that were progressive and not a pass that was the easy option. He definitely looked like he belonged.

In other 2005 USL news...Anthony Ramirez, Diego Hernandez, and Jordan Jones have all been confirmed to be training with North Texas SC. I would not be shocked if Matthew Corcoran was training with the USL side as well.

 

reed baker-whiting's hyphen alone has the poshest of english clubs (fulham maybe?) already clamoring to secure his signature