Continuing my exploration of MLS team’s infrastructure behind-the-scenes, here I am trying to holistically look at the entire developmental pipeline for each MLS team, from the youngest academy team, to the oldest academy team, and on through USL club/reserve team to the first team. I include the latter aspect because there are already a handful of article ranking MLS academies online. I also wanted to do a seperate article on reserve teams for this series so I’m essentially combining the two ideas here.

For each team I am going to look at how many age groups their academy includes, how much money goes into their academy, whether they have a U-23 team (not usually considered an academy team) whether their reserve team is directly operated by the club or an affiliate club, how many academy players have signed for the first team (Homegrown Players), and how many academy players have been sold for a profit.

Atlanta United

Academy Levels: U12 – U19

U-23 Team: No

USL Team: Atlanta United II

Homegrown Players: (4) George Bello*, Andrew Carleton*, Chris Goslin*, Lagos Kunga*

Homegrowns Sold: None

Chicago Fire

Academy Levels: U12 – U19

U-23 Team: No

USL Team: Affiliated with Tulsa Roughnecks

Homegrown Players: (10) Grant Lillard, Djordie Mihailovic*, Drew Connor*, Joey Calistri*, Patrick Doody*, Colin Fernandez*, Chris Ritter, Harry Ship, Kellen Gulley, Victor Pineda

Homegrowns Sold: None

Columbus Crew

Academy Levels: U12 – U18

U-23 Team: No

USL Team: Affiliated with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds

Homegrown Players: (2) Wil Trapp*, Alex Crognale*

Homegrowns Sold: None

Colorado Rapids

Academy Levels: U12 – U19

U-23 Team: None

USL Team: Affiliated with Colorado Switchbacks

Homegrown Players: (7) Davy Armstrong, Shane O’Neil, Kortne Ford*, Ricardo Perez*, Dillion Serna*, Sam Vines*, Cole Basset*

Homegrowns Sold: Shane O’Neil to Apollon Limassol (Belgium) for an undiscolsed fee.

DC United

Academy Levels: U12 – U18

U-23 Team: Yes

USL Team: affiliated with Richmond Kickers (Loudon County FC starts in 2019)

Homegrown Players: (8) Chris Durkin*, Ian Harkes*, Jalen Robinson*, Bill Hamid*, Andy Najar, Michael Seaton, Conor Shanosky, and Ethan White

Homegrowns Sold: Andy Najar to Anderlecht for $3 million, Michael Seaton traded to Portland for TAM and an INTL roster spot, Ethan White was traded to Philadelphia for another player

FC Cincinnati

Academy Levels: TBD

U-23 Team: No

USL Team: They were one as recently as this year

Homegrown Players: None

Homegrowns Sold: None

FC Dallas

Academy Levels: U12 – U19

U-23 Team: No

USL Team: A team is slated to play in the third division (USL League 1) in 2019

Homegrown Players: (23) Bryan Leyva, Ruben Luna, Moises Hernandez, Victor Ulloa*, Richard Sanchez, Bradlee Baladez, London Woodberry, Kellyn Acosta, Danny Garcia, Jesse Gonzalez*, Coy Craft, Jonathan Top, Alejandro Zendejas, Aaron Guillen, Paxton Pomykal*, Jesus Ferreira*, Bryan Reynolds*, Reggie Cannon*, Brandon Servania*, Kris Reaves*, Jordan Cano*, Chris Richards* and Thomas Roberts*.

Homegrowns Sold: Richard Sanchez to Tijuana for an undisclosed fee, Alejandro Zendejas to Chivas Guadalajara for ~ $500,000, Kellyn Acosta to Colorado for another player and allocation money.

Houston Dynamo

Academy Levels: U10 – U19

U-23 Team: Yes

USL Team: Rio Grand Valley FC

Homegrown Players: (9) Memo Rodriguez*, Christian Lucatero, Sebastian Ibeagha, Bradley Bourgeois, Tyler Deric*, Alex Dixon, Francisco Navas Cobo, Josue Soto, Bryan Salazar

Homegrowns Sold: None

Los Angeles Galaxy

Academy Levels: U12 – U19

U-23 Team: No

USL Team: LA Galaxy II (Los Dos)

Homegrown Players: (9) Efrain Alvarez*, Hugo Arellano*, Bradford Jameison IV*, Tristan Bowen, Gyasi Zardes, Jaime Villareal, Nathan Smith, Oscar Sorto, Raul Mendiola

Homegrowns Sold: Tristan Bowen to Chivas USA for an undisclosed fee, Gyasi Zardes traded to Columbus for another player

Los Angeles FC

Academy Levels: U12 – U14

U-23 Team: No

USL Team: affiliated with Orange County SC (ended at the end of 2018)

Homegrown Players: None

Homegrowns Sold: None

Minnesota United

Academy Levels: U13 – U15

U-23 Team: No

USL Team: affiliated with St. Louis FC (may switch to new D3 Madison team in 2019)

Homegrown Players: None

Homegrowns Sold: None

Montreal Impact

Academy Levels: U8 – U19

U-23 Team: No

USL Team: Affiliated with Ottawa Fury

Homegrown Players: (13) Jason Beaulieu*, Louis Beland-Goyette*, David Choiniere*, Mattieu Choiniere*, Anthony Jackson-Hamel*, Thomas Meiller-Giguere*, James Pantemis*, Maxime Crepeau (GK)*, Jeremy Gagnon-Lapare, Zakaria Messoudi, Karl Ouimette, Ballou Jean-Ives Tabla, Maxim Tissot

Homegrowns Sold: Ballou Jean-Ives Tabla to Barcelona B for an undisclosed fee

New York Red Bulls

Academy Levels: U12 – U19

U-23 Team: Yes

USL Team: New York Red Bulls II

Homegrown Players: (17) Giorgi Chirgadze, Juan Agudelo, Matt Kassel, Sacir Hot, Connor Lade*, Santiago Castano, Amando Moreno, Matt Miazga, Sean Davis*, Tyler Adams*, Brandon Allen, Derrick Etienne Jr.*, Alex Muyl*, Mael Corboz, Scott Thomsen, Chris Thorsheim, Arun Basuljevic

Homegrowns Sold: Juan Agudelo was traded for a player, Matt Miazga to Chelsea for ~ $5 million, Tyler Adams to RB Leipzig for $3 + 33% of future sale

New York City FC

Academy Levels: U12 – U19

U-23 Team: No

USL Team: None

Homegrown Players: (2) James Sands*, Joe Scally*

Homegrowns Sold: None

New England Revolution

Academy Levels: U13 – U19

U-23 Team: Yes

USL Team: None in 2018, potentially with Hartford Athletic in 2019.

Homegrown Players: (4) Scott Caldwell*, Diego Fagundez*, Zachary Herivaux*, Isaac Angking*

Homegrowns Sold: None

Orlando City SC

Academy Levels: U12 – U18

U-23 Team: No

USL Team: Orlando City B (USL League 1, 2019)

Homegrown Players: (1) Mason Stajduhar*

Homegrowns Sold: None

Philadelphia Union

Academy Levels: U12 – U19

U-23 Team: Reading United AC

USL Team: Bethlehem Steel

Homegrown Players: (9) Brendan Aaronson*, Anthony Fontana*, Derrick Jones*, Mark McKenzie*, Matt Real*, Auston Trusty*, Cristhian Hernandez, Jimmy McLaughlin, and Zach Pfeffer.

Homegrowns Sold: Zach Pfeffer was traded to Colorado for draft picks,

Portland Timbers

Academy Levels: U14 – U19

U-23 Team: Yes

USL Team: Timbers 2

Homegrown Players: (4) Marco Farfan*, Foster Langsdorf*, Steven Evans, Brent Richards

Homegrowns Sold: None

Real Salt Lake

Academy Levels: U16 – U19

U-23 Team: No

USL Team: Real Monarchs

Homegrown Players: (15) Danilo Acosta*, Jordan Allen*, Corey Baird*, Justen Glad*, Jose Hernandez*, Aaron Herrera*, Brooks Lennon*, Sebastian Saucedo*, Eduardo Fernandez, Nico Muniz, Benjamin Lopez, Phanuel Kavita, Fito Ovalle, Ricardo Velazco, and Donny Toia

Homegrowns Sold: Eduardo Fernandez to Tigres UANL for an undisclosed fee

San Jose Earthquakes

Academy Levels: U12 – U 19

U-23 Team: No

USL Team: Affiliated with Reno 1868 FC

Homegrown Players: (5) Jacob Akanyirige*, Gilbert Fuetes*, Nick Lima*, JT Marcinkowski*, Tommy Thompson*

Homegrowns Sold: None

Seattle Sounders

Academy Levels: U15 – U19

U-23 Team: No

USL Team: Seattle Sounders 2

Homegrown Players: (9) Victor Mansaray*, Jordan Morris*, Aaron Kovar*, Handwalla Bwana*, Henry Wingo*, Darwin Jones, Sean Okoli, Jordan Schweitzer, and DeAndre Yedlin.

Homegrowns Sold: Sean Okoli was traded to New England for draft picks, DeAndre Yedlin to Tottenham for ~ $3 million,

Sporting Kansas City

Academy Levels: U12 – U19

U-23 Team: No

USL Team: Swope Park Rangers

Homegrown Players: (6) Erik Palmer-Brown, Jaylin Lindsey*, Gianluca Busio*, Wan Kuzain Wan Kamal*, Daniel Salloi*

Homegrowns Sold: None

Toronto FC

Academy Levels: U13 – U19

U-23 Team: No

USL Team: TFC II

Homegrown Players: (19) Ayo Akinola*, Jay Chapman*, Aidan Daniels*, Marky Delgado*, Julian Dunn*, Liam Fraser*, Jordan Hamilton*, Ashtone Morgan*, Manuel Aparicio, Sergio Camargo, Oscar Cordon, Doneil Henry, Josh Janniere, Nicholas Lindsay, Keith Makubuya, Chris Mannella, Quillan Roberts, and Matt Stinson,

Homegrowns Sold: Doneil Henry sold to Apollon Limassol for an undisclosed fee, Josh Janniere traded to Colorado for draft picks.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Academy Levels: U15 – U19

U-23 Team: No

USL Team: Affiliated with Fresno FC

Homegrown Players: (12) Alphonso Davies, Theo Bair*, Michael Baldisimo*, Simon Colyn*, David Norman Jr.*, Russell Teibert*, Bryce Alderson, Marco Carducci, Kianz Froese, Ben McKendry, Ethen Sampson, and Brian Sylvestre

Homegrowns Sold: Alphonso Davies sold to Bayern Munich for ~ $12 million, and Kianz Froese to Fortuna Dusseldorf for an undisclosed fee

 

Check out the rest of my series Profiling MLS Teams 2018