The inaugural MLS NEXT Pro season will kick off this Friday night with St Louis CITY2 hosting Rochester New York FC at Hermann Stadium (8p p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT) in St. Louis. That match is slated to be one of the two game-of-the-week that MLS NEXT Pro will stream this weekend. Nine games will be played from Friday through Sunday, and all will stream live on mlsnextpro.com
MLS NEXT Pro Teams 101
There are 21 teams broken into two conferences, 10 in the Eastern and 11 in the Western. The Western Conference features the Pacific and Frontier Divisions with 5 and 6 teams respectively. We’ve gathered several details on each NEXT Pro side and today we are featuring the Pacific Division as we get ready to kick-off what’s expected to be an exciting inaugural weekend.
Timbers2
Overview: T2 will offer young players and experienced professionals the opportunity to develop and showcase their talents while competing for an MLS NEXT Pro championship. Expect the Pacific Northwest Timbers2’s rivalries with Tacoma Defiance and Whitecaps FC 2 to be just as competitive at the MLS NEXT Pro level.
Home Field: Hillsboro Stadium; Hillsboro, OR
Manager: Shannon Murray
Players to watch:
The sky is the limit for T2 players as they expect to have long-list of players that will gain significant professional experience at MLS NEXT Pro.
Did you know? Head Coach Shannon Murray holds a USSF “A” license and is entering his seventh season with the Portland Timbers organization.
Official Twitter handle: TimbersFC2
Real Monarchs
Overview: The Real Monarchs are the 2019 USL Championship winners, and the 2017 USL Championship Shield winners.
Home Field: Zions Bank Stadium; Herriman, UT
Manager: Jamison Olave
Players to watch:
Pedro Fonseca, Jack Imperato are two Real Monarchs signed players to keep a close eye on.
Gavin Beavers (RSL contract) was one of three Real Monarchs players along with Blake Kelly and Fernando Delgado to set three-consecutive USL Championship records for youngest goalkeepers to appear in a match.
Axel Kei (RSL contract) holds the record for youngest soccer player to appear in a professional match worldwide, playing for Real Monarchs at 13 years, 9 months and 9 days.
Jaziel Orozco (RSL contract) has been called in to Mexico Youth National Team Camps.
Did you know? If the Monarchs win a trophy in MLS NEXT Pro this inaugural season, RSL will have won a championship at every level in the league (MLS (2009), MLS NEXT Pro and MLS NEXT (2021)), only Chicago Fire can do so as well. Also, the Monarchs roster is made up of players from Mexico, Haiti, Brazil, South Africa, Ivory Coast, Untied States. In addition, 22 of the current 30 Real Salt Lake players have appeared for Real Monarchs.
Official Twitter handle: RealMonarchs
Earthquakes II
Overview: Earthquakes II is the San Jose Earthquakes’ second team competing in MLS NEXT Pro, set to debut in 2022. Founded in 2021, Quakes II will play their home matches at PayPal Park and will feature young players from the First Team, amateur Quakes Academy players, and players on MLS NEXT Pro contracts.
Home Field: PayPal Park; San Jose, CA
Head Coach: Alex Covelo
Players to watch:
Max Arfsten is a 20 year-old who played two seasons at UC Davis. Arfsten tallied one goal and one assist in 19 appearances (16 starts) as a true freshman in 2019, earning a spot on the Big West Conference All-Freshman Team. After the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Arfsten had a breakout sophomore year in which he tallied eight goals and seven assists in 20 appearances to win the Big West Conference Offensive Player of the Year award. Arfsten is a native of Fresno, Calif., and attended San Joaquin Memorial High School where he was a two-time league MVP and notched 50 goals and 20 assists as a senior. He graduated with 95 goals and 57 assists to his credit.
Jerry Ayon is a 20 year-old who played for Mexico’s Monarcas Morelia and represented the United States at the U16 and U18 levels. He joined the Quakes Academy in 2019.
Eduardo ‘Lalo’ Blancas is a 20 year-old played as a center forward for the Quakes Academy where he spent time training with Reno 1868 FC and earned call-ups to the United States U16 National Team and Mexico U17 National Team. He also previously played for the LA Galaxy U18 Academy and Real Salt Lake U16 Academy.
Christopher ‘CJ’ Grey is 22 year-old who was a five-year starter at Cal following a standout youth career in the Quakes Academy. At Cal, Grey made 60 starts in 75 total appearances and tallied one goal and six assists from the left back position. He earned First Team All-Pac-12 honors as a senior, Second Team All-Pac-12 honors as a fifth-year senior, and All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention as a junior. During his youth career, Grey earned call-ups to the United States U18 National Team and Jamaica U20 National Team. He was also a U.S. Soccer Development Academy West Conference Best XI selection during the 2015-16 season.
Fun Fact: Two players on MLS NEXT Pro contracts carry youth international experience (Blancas, USA and MEX; Grey, JAM). Quakes II midfielder Miles Robinson should not be confused with Atlanta United FC’s defender Miles Robinson. Prior to joining the Quakes Academy in 2019, forward Jerry Ayon played for Mexico’s Monarcas Morelia in their academy system. Goalkeeper Eric De La Cerda played for former USL Championship side Reno 1868 FC in 2020, competing in the second tier of U.S. Soccer.
Tacoma Defiance
Overview: Tacoma Defiance will help complete Seattle Sounders FC’s pro player path as they look to make noise in the inaugural MLS NEXT Pro season. Playing in the Pacific Division, you can expect the rivalries between Defiance and their Pacific Northwest opponents, Timbers2 and Whitecaps FC 2, to be just as bitter.
Home Field: Starfire Stadium; Tukwila, WA and Cheney Stadium; Tacoma, WA
Manager: Wade Webber
Players to watch:
Cody Baker is a young right back who has a good defensive skill set, enjoys joining attacks, and is a leader on the field.
Joe Hafferty is a versatile defender who can play anywhere across the back line, is tough and durable, and technically sound with both feet.
Marlon Vargas is over 60 USL appearances. Can play anywhere in the attack, is intelligent and creative, and a willing worker as we press opponents.
Fun Fact: Tacoma Defiance graduated five players to the First Team last season.
Official Twitter handle: @TACDefiance
Whitecaps FC 2
Overview: They’re back! The team that helped launch the careers of Canada men’s national team stars such as Alphonso Davies and Sam Adekugbe is back playing professional soccer in Vancouver. The current Whitecaps FC MLS roster features 8 signed Homegrown players, including starting goalkeeper Thomas Hasal.
Home Field: Swangard Stadium; Burnaby, BC
Manager: Nick Dasovic
Players to watch:
Emiliano Brienza was the club’s first signing to WFC2, and the first MLS NEXT Pro player to receive an MLS call-up when he was signed to a short-term contract and made his MLS debut in the season opener at Columbus Crew on February 26. Brienza is a dynamic attacking threat who came through the club’s MLS Academy and was selected to Canada’s team at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2019.
Giovanni Aguilar is a second-round pick in this year’s 2022 MLS SuperDraft, Aguilar spent preseason with the first team, scoring goals in the club’s final two preseason matches against San Diego Loyal SC and LA Galaxy. The box-to-box midfielder from California State University Northridge now looks to establish himself in his first pro season.
Ali Ahmed is another player who has been on the radar of the club’s first team after joining the MLS squad for the duration of preseason, playing in all four preseason matches, including one start. Ahmed is an agile wingback who can get up and down the pitch and is not afraid to get into the attack.
Did you know? The club has a long history at Swangard Stadium, having played there in their Canadian Soccer League and USL eras. During that time, they won eight championships. Their first one was in 1988 and their most recent in 2008.
Official Twitter handle: WFC2
