cover photo belongs to Craig Mitchelldyer
Welcome back to the annual deep dive of MLS goalkeepers. As the decade nears its end, the league has a number of holes to fill with retirements, expansion teams, and surprising changes in the depth chart. Feel free to check last year’s roundup to see how well the predictions turned out or scroll down to see what 2020 has in store for your team. Updates will come periodically, typically based on recent transactions, scrimmages, or any breaking news.
Atlanta United
Starter: Brad Guzan (35)
Backup: Alec Kann (29)
In Reserve: Brendan Moore (27)
Coach: Liam Curran
In: none
Out: none
USL Affiliate: Atlanta United II
Paul Christensen (24)
Ben Lundgaard (24)
Youth Prospects
Justin Garces (UCLA, SO)
Russell Shealy (Maryland, SO)
Collin Travasos (Cal, FR)
Ryan Schewe (Georgetown, HS.SR)
Marzuq Puckerin (HS.JR)
Vicente Reyes (HS.JR)
Bill says: While Guzan is on a contract that is a little too generous ($740,000), he gives off a vibe that he’s of a certain caliber. So it’s not surprising when United fans look at him positively despite the middling GSAR ratings. Guzan turns 35 and I know everyone loves the “goalkeepers can play longer!!” quips but it’s 35, not 31 and those check engine lights are coming on for every goalkeeper’s knees.
Dylan Castanheira quietly had the bulk of the USL starts even though ATL2 were consistently rocked all season (think “close to last” status). Of the bunch, Castanheira is the only goalkeeper in Atlanta’s umbrella that feels remotely close to being on track for MLS. Garces had a terribly underwhelming season with UCLA, Shealy’s was even worse, Moore looked uncomfortable every time he was in net, and Christensen didn’t see one match all year. The door seems to be closing on Kann and Moore (the latter of which I said I “loved this signing” last year) and even though there’s time for the young goalkeepers, only Castanheira stands out at the moment.
Dec 12: Transfermarkt has Alec Kann leaving Atlanta at the end of the year.
Dec 21: Kann re-signs, which looks like Transfermarkt was correct. It’s a fine move but Atlanta’s youth still feels very thin in its goalkeeping core.
Jan 3: Goalkeeper coach Aron Hyde set to move up to the national team.
Jan 10: Alex Bono tied to Atlanta, which wouldn’t be a terrible pickup. They can probably get Bono cheap as Toronto is wanting him off the books and he’d be worth the roll of the dice.
Jan 14: From the AJC, “Guzan said he understands that, while he has had input on who will take over that job, the final call on the hire will be made by the front office. Vice president Carlos Bocanegra said last week that they hope to make the hire soon.”
Jan 20: Marzuq Puckerin, 17, is one of three Atlanta United youth players to go train with Aberdeen FC. Across the league, most of these trainings don’t get publicized so this isn’t completely unique, although it is a good sign of commitment behind United’s part.
Jan 27: Ben Lundgaard quietly joins Atlanta United 2. It seems like Atlanta’s strategy has been stocking up on young “bruised” goalkeepers who have had their stock fall (for a variety of reasons). I really like the strategy as they’re only needing one to work out. Lundgaard has battled injuries since turning pro but he looked extremely promising coming out of college. If Atlanta can get Lundgaard some traction, he could be a long term starter as he has the tools to do so.
Somehow FC Dallas traded Dylan Castanheira’s rights to Inter Miami, despite him being under a contract with Atlanta United 2. I think, because he signed with a USL side, his MLS-specific rights were still up for grabs? So he could theoretically keep playing with Atlanta United 2 but if he wants to move up, Atlanta would have to make a move with whoever has his rights. I think?
Feb 7: Liam Curran is listed as the goalkeeper coach but I can’t find a news release announcing this. He was previously the academy coach.
ATL readjust their USL ranks by bringing in Huddersfield academy player, Gabriel Rosario. Again, I like the low-risk/high-reward gamble from Atlanta, who is also releasing Paul Christensen, who played zero matches in 2019.
Chicago Fire
Starter: Kenneth Kronholm (34)
Backup: Bobby Shuttleworth (32)
In Reserve: Connor Sparrow (25), Gabriel Slonina (15)
Coach: Adin Brown
In: Connor Sparrow (signed)
Bobby Shuttleworth (signed)
Out: Stefan Cleveland (25, traded to Seattle)
Richard Sanchez (25, re-entry draft to SKC)
Damien Las (17, signed with Fulham)
David Ousted (Denmark, 34, option declined)
USL Affiliate: Indy Eleven
Evan Newton (31)
USL Affiliate: Lansing Ignite
none
Youth Prospects
Miha Miskovic (Northwestern, Serbia, JR)
Jamison Yoder (Green Bay, JR)
Kyle Orciuch (Stanford, SO)
Cedrik Stern (Marquette, Germany, SO)
Jackson Weyman (Marquette, SO)
Bill says: I was not expecting much from Ousted but despite him having a strong start to the year, the Fire felt the need to replace him with another 34-year-old goalkeeper. At the very least, it’s nice to see Chicago not spending too much on Konholm, although Ousted ended up being a $361,136 backup at the end of the day. The Fire are essentially fielding the position by platoon, bringing in goalkeepers without spending a ton of resources yet with no long term focus. Over the last three years, they’ve had seven different goalkeepers with at least five appearances but none of twenty-five league matches. To sum it up, it’s been a mess since Sean Johnson left and it doesn’t seem to be changing any time soon.
The main, if not lone, positive is that U17 USYNT goalkeeper Damian Las left for Fulham in September, implying they at willing to make the most out of fifteen-year-old Gabriel Slonina.
Nov 26: Cleveland to Seattle via trade. This doesn’t change much as Cleveland wasn’t in the Fire’s picture.
Nov 26: Sanchez to SKC. At one point I really liked aspects of Sanchez’s game but it doesn’t seem like his development track has served him much to this point. It’s unlikely Chicago could have gotten anything for him in a trade anyways, but I think SKC has a low risk/high reward situation on their hands now.
Dec 3: It looks like Lansing Ignite, one of Chicago’s affiliate, has offloaded most of its players, including all of their goalkeepers. The Fire hasn’t had a stable USL set up for a while so they may drop Lansing completely. Slonina most likely just needs to spend time with the U18s for the time being so goalkeeper-wise, they may not utilize their USL connection for 2020 at all.
Dec 12: We’re closing in on a month and Ousted hasn’t been re-signed yet and combined with the fact that he wasn’t exactly utilized, it seems increasingly unlikely he’ll return.
Jan 3: Aleksandar Saric’s personal page taken down, surely meaning he’s not returning as the goalkeeper coach.
Jan 15: Goalkeeper coach Adin Brown joins the Fire from Portland.
Jan 20: Sparrow rounds out as the third goalkeeper but it’s a largely untested core, with just 20 MLS league starts between the three. If Kronholm goes down, will Chicago feel comfortable looking to Sparrow or Slonina? It’s the type of situation where a backup goalkeeper can either become a hero or villain very quickly.
Jan 30: Shuttleworth adds some much-needed depth as the free agent joins the Fire. It’s not a sexy signing but it’s something that will help stabilize a previously very young core.
FC Cincinnati
Starter: TBD
Backup: Przemyslaw Tyton (32, Poland) / Spencer Richey (27)
In Reserve: Bobby Edwards (24)
On Loan: Ben Lundt (German, 24, to Louisville City)
Coach: Jack Stern
In: Bobby Edwards
Out: Jimmy Hauge (23, out of contract)
USL Affiliate: none
Youth Prospects
none
Bill says: Despite low expectations coming it, it was at least nice to see Cincinnati reward Richey for positive play, even if he only got his chance because of an injury to Tyton. Unfortunately 2020 is even more uncertain with which goalkeeper will be the starter. Cincinnati seems to like both Tyton and Richey but ultimately it’s hard to see Cincinnati benching a six-figure goalkeeper ($328,438 guaranteed). Still, none of this erases the fact that it was a terrible idea to bring in Tyton in the first place as they’re overpaying a goalkeeper who really isn’t any better than a top USL goalkeeper at this point.
On a side note, Ben Lundt looked solid in his 12 matches with Louisville. He looks like he’s heading towards a low MLS/high USL-level so it’ll be interesting to see if Cincinnati continues to invest in him. Hague received zero minutes in 2019.
In September, President Jeff Berding said “there could also be a possibility of the team establishing a USL One team at some point. That third-division club would be similar to North Texas SC for FC Dallas, for example.” (The quote is from the article, which is paraphrasing Berding.) 2020 could be that year but no signs yet.
Nov 16: The reason Cincinnati is okay with listing their six-figure goalkeeper on the expansion draft, and not Richey, is because they know that if Miami or Nashville were foolish enough to select Tyton it’d be a massive blessing for them.
Update: Tyton was not selected.
Jan 18: Jimmy Hauge not listed on the preseason roster.
Jan 20: Bobby Edwards returns to the states with Cincinnati. Edwards had some buzz behind him while over in Northern Ireland but I’m a little curious to see how Cincinnati handles their crowded roster. Hauge (now released) didn’t see the field once last year and for someone who has as much momentum as Edwards, I’d hate to see him lose it by sitting on the bench.
Jan 21: Lundt to go back out on loan to Louisville. After a successful start to 2019 an injury derailed the German’s positive momentum but hopefully 2020 will be a healthier year for Lundt.
Related, MLS teams are starting to realize the power of the green card for foreign players in MLS. Lundt seems to be on that track as well, implying Cincinnati’s hope to get him ready for 2022 or 2023 as not only a starter, but someone that doesn’t take up an international slot.
Colorado Rapids
Starter: Clint Irwin (30)
Backup: Andre Rawls (27)
In Reserve: none
Coach: Chris Sharpe
In: none
Out: Tim Howard (40, retired)
USL Affiliate: Colorado Springs
Andre Rawls
Abraham Rodriguez (17)
Youth Prospects
Connor Gavigan (Florida Gulf Coast, JR)
Trevor Mowry (Cal Poly, SO)
Windham Ellis (NC State, FR)
Bill says: Well there have been about a million posts honoring Howard’s career and we won’t add to it but Howard likely had his best season in MLS since leaving in 2003, finishing 8th in the league with a +2.99 GSAR.
It’s not impossible to rebuild an MLS roster but neither Irwin nor Rawls strike a ton of confidence at this moment. While Irwin does have some starting experience, his last consistent run coming in 2016 before a hamstring injury gave way for Alex Bono in Toronto. Irwin spent 2013-15 as the Rapids starter before going to Toronto so Colorado may reward him, although there are better options available. The Rapids get an F on long term planning but they could turn it around quickly with some worthwhile additions.
Nov 17: Irwin protected in the expansion draft. I would imagine he at least gets a shot at the starting spot. The Rapids also don’t strike me as a team who would bring in a foreign goalkeeper as that’s going to cost money.
Nov 25: Rawls set to return.
Dec 3: 17-year-old Abraham Rodriguez left the Rapids academy for the Switchbacks, but I’m not sure if he’s still eligible for a homegrown contact still. He had a strong year in USL for a teenager and is a goalkeeper worth the Rapids’ time, if they’re interested in young goalkeepers. It’s hard to say at this point.
Jan 31: Abraham Rodriguez (17) in camp with the Rapids. The Denver Post did a nice write up on the youngster and I won’t go into it again for the millionth time but the amount of hurdles Rodriguez had to clear (most by luck), once again, shows the need for USSF Goalkeeping Director. Injuries bumped Rodriguez into a chance to get PT with the Switchbacks, Howard retiring opening a spot, and someone just happened to contact the Rapids about the goalkeeper. That said, good on the Rapids for bringing him in.
Jan 31: Watch a little video on the three goalkeepers training.
Columbus Crew
Starter: Eloy Room (30, Curacao)
Backup: Matt Lampson (30)
In Reserve: Jon Kempin (26)
Drafted: Remi Prieur (22)
Coach: Tim Hanley
In: Matt Lampson (signed)
Out: Ben Lundgaard (24, option declined)
USL Affiliate: none
Youth Prospects
Logan Kowalczyk (Bowling Green, FR)
Owen Finnerty (Michigan, FR)
John Harms (Duke, HS.SR)
Bill says: Steffen left midseason after a middling performance - one he would quickly upstage once he arrived in Germany on loan - and the Crew didn’t give much of a leash to Joe Bendik nor Jon Kempin. Bendik would later head to Philly on a trade as they brought in Eloy Room after a strong Gold Cup Performance. Room is a fine goalkeeper but Columbus overspent on him a little ($354,694) and bringing him on the heels of the Gold Cup felt extremely lazy. It was almost the Crew said “We’re not going to sign a new goalkeeper unless we see them right in front of us! Oh, what’s this?” It’s more of a stopgap move for the Crew and not a forward step you’d like to see.
Kempin’s career seems somewhat dead in the water as his time in USL felt very stop-and-go-ish. Ben Lundgaard, whose contract runs up at the end of 2019, is a goalkeeper who has fought a ton of injuries but at one point or another, looked like a potential MLS starter down the line. His last professional start was in April but an October report made it sound like his USL loan to Pittsburgh resulted in the Riverhounds ultimately not wanting him. Siegfried signing only makes sense if they rate him over Lundgaard or they get a USL affiliate for 2020, both of which seem 50-50.
Dec 2: Lundgaard had his option declined back in October but no news yet. The injuries do not make him a sexy pickup for teams. Unless Matt Reis is just really going to bat for the Virginia Tech alum, signing with a USL side sounds like the best move for all parties involved.
Dec 11: It’s been a month and a half since Lundgaard officially got his option declined so it looks like he’s set to not return. Hopefully he can stay healthy and get some playing time in the USL next year.
Dec 12: Lampson returns home. The former Buckeye is a solid backup that also will give, hopefully, Kempin time in USL. A good move for everyone.
Jan 7: Matt Reis not returning, by the looks of it.
Jan 9: St. Mary’s goalkeeper Remi Prieur drafted with the 47th overall pick. (That’s eight goalkeepers selected in the first 47 picks!) Prieur is a little undersized but can make up for it at times with his mobility. The Crew return to four goalkeepers, not the first time for them, but have had little success at juggling that many.
Prieur to Columbus seems to close the door on signing homegrown-eligible goalkeeper Parker Siegfried.
Jan 28: Tim Hanley replaces Matt Reis as the Crew’s goalkeeper coach.
Feb 5: Prieur not listed on the preseason roster, which could mean a few different things, but is interesting nonetheless.
D.C. United
Starter: Bill Hamid (30)
Backup: Chris Seitz (32)
In Reserve: Earl Edwards (27)
Drafted: Simon Lefebvre (22, France)
Coach: Zach Thornton
In: none
Out: none
USL Affiliate: Loudoun United
Calle Brown (26)
Colin Miller (22)
Youth Prospects
Lance DaSilva (Coastal Carolina, JR)
Noah Lawrence (Cincinnati, JR)
Quantrell Jones (UMBC, SO)
Dane Jacomen (Penn, SO)
Lorenzo Gordon (American, HS.SR)
Muamer Ugarak (HS.SR)
Bill says: At the start of January 2018, Hamid left DC United to finally go overseas. But after seven months, Hamid only had five appearances to his name and a loan back to DC United, which seemed to undo everything Hamid was trying to accomplish. Yes, it’s difficult to break into a new roster, but also what should we expect from a club to invest in a player they spent $0 on? But now DC look ridiculous as they’re reportedly looking at paying $750,000 FC Midtjylland to retain Hamid. You replace DC United with any remotely serious club in the world and the transactions are described as nothing short but inane. Perhaps FC Midtjylland’s unwillingness to play Hamid combined with the fact that Hamid was passed on by so many European clubs would suggest that DC United could actually relocate the money and bring in another goalkeeper? No, instead DC United are stuck in a sunk cost fallacy and are going out of their way to bring in a goalkeeper who half of MLS would also pass on. While he had an okay year - +1.33 GSAR, 13th overall - at least Cincinnati brought in a benched Euro goalkeeper for $0. It doesn’t make sense but for DC United, it’s somehow fitting for their organization.
Edwards saw time with Loudoun but I can’t think of anything more unlikely at this point than for DC United to move on from Hamid. Quantrell Jones and Dane Jacomen had strong sophomore seasons, for what it’s worth.
Dec 7: Zach Thornton scouting at Swansea City. If he was looking at a goalkeeper to bring in, it could be third-string goalkeeper, Erwin Mulder, who was a starter for Swansea last year before getting benched in their quest for promotion. If it wasn’t clear enough, an aging backup in England's second division is exactly who MLS should be looking to bring in.
Dec 9: Hamid deal goes through.
Dec 12: Transfermarkt has Edwards “to leave” DC but signing him to one year doesn’t sound correct.
Jan 8: Looks like Transfermarkt was correct. Edwards re-signs.
Jan 9: French goalkeeper Simon Lefebvre (Temple) drafted 21st overall. Lefebvre has the size but is lacking some explosive and mechanical cleanliness, which can make simple situations more difficult. It doesn’t look like Lefebvre has a green card either, so DC have their work cut out for them.
Jan 16: Michigan alum Andrew Verdi selected 65th overall. Despite having an up-and-down collegiate career, his USYNT experience likely earned him the call.
Jan 16: Brief interview with Hamid on his status with the NT. Nothing really new here for anyone that’s followed Hamid.
Jan 22: Steven Goff says Andrew Verdi turned down the camp invite, implying he is either moving on from soccer or has a better deal elsewhere.
FC Dallas
Starter: Jesse Gonzalez (24)
Backup: Jimmy Maurer (31)
In Reserve: Kyle Zobeck (29)
Coach: Drew Keeshan
In: none
Out: none
USL Affiliate: North Texas SC
Carlos Avilez (20)
Youth Prospects
Ben Hale (Furman, JR)
David Abonce (Ohio State, SO)
Trevor Jackson (Central Arkansas, SO)
Carlos Mercado (Incarnate Word, SO)
Andres Quevedo (Syracuse, FR)
Michael Collodi (Columbia, FR)
Zach Schawl (Central Arkansas, HS.SR)
Antonio Carrera (HS.SO)
Bill says: I’ll just copy and paste last year’s commentary, “FC Dallas tries another year with Gonzalez and once again it’s mixed results.”
I’ve long wanted Maurer to start over Gonzalez, who has the position on lockdown but not because of his performances. Gonzalez, one of the worst starters in 2019, has no incentive to elevate his game with a guarantee at the starting spot, no matter how many errors he commits. FC Dallas must ask for more from a goalkeeper making $231,500.
Carlos Avilez got the bulk of the starts with North Texas and he plays a little too much “from the hip” for my taste. It all seems too reactive and not prepared enough. The twenty-year-old split some time with Kyle Zobeck, whose time in the league seems to be winding down. Zobeck had a great performance in the USL League One final and was robbed of winning the Final MVP.
Dec 8: 04 goalkeeper Antonio Carrera getting some praise.
Dec 21: Jesse Gonzalez tied with France and Mexico. Gonzalez’s value, as FC Dallas is probably finding out right now, is only going to go down from here so if they are going to receive any money for Gonzalez they need to pull the trigger now or else they end up with a Bill Hamid-situation on their hands.
Dec 27: Jesse Gonzalez not going anywhere and just a reminder that Gonzalez was 20th out of 23 starting goalkeepers last year.
Houston Dynamo
Starter: Marko Maric (24, Croatia)
Backup: Michael Nelson (24)
In Reserve: Cody Cropper (26)
Drafted: Duncan Turnbull (22)
Coach: Paul Rogers
In: none
Out: Joe Willis (31, traded to Nashville)
Tyler Deric (31, free agent)
USL Affiliate: Rio Grande Valley FC Toros
Nico Corti (24)
Michael Nelson
Ben Willis (23)
Youth Prospects
Andrew Morrison (Washington, SO)
Alex Fetterly (New Mexico, SO)
Osmar Chavero (Louisville, HS.SR)
Bill says: After a positive 2018, Willis finished 2019 dead last in Goals Saved Above Replacement and Deric was at a -.25/gm (aka not great). There was a time when Deric would have been a top goalkeeper in the league but it seems off the field problems have played, at the very least, a major distraction. Nelson has looked like he’s on a good track and deserves more playing time. Houston should do well with a breath of fresh air but it’s hard to see how.
Nov 19: Willis to Nashville, which is probably a rare win-win-win for everyone involved. Willis gets a fresh start after things got stale in Texas, Houston has to find a new starter, and Nashville gets a reliable goalkeeper. Houston is at a crossroads with what to do with their core, which is exacerbated by the fact they don’t normally spend big on goalkeepers.
Nov 22: Deric is now a free agent after Houston declined the extra year. Deric could return but I wouldn’t expect much of a role for him.
Dec 17: Former USMNT goalkeeper William Yarbrough linked to Houston. It’s an interesting move as Yarbrough has had some flashes of brilliance in the past but my main reservation is the fact that MLS would be picking up Liga MX’s leftovers. Could Yarbrough find a second wind to his career? Sure, but if they’re going to bring in Yarbrough they better have a plan B in case that doesn’t work out.
Dec 19: I missed this but back on the 14th the Dynamo were connected to a goalkeeper in the Scottish Premiership. The Dynamo aren’t big spenders but it looks like they’re looking externally first. So whether it ends up being Vaclav Hladky or not, signs are pointing to a European goalkeeper joining the Dynamo for 2020.
Dec 30: Houston looks to be bringing in Marko Maric, a 23 year old Croatian goalkeeper who just finished a loan in Sweden. This is the first, real foreign goalkeeper with sell-on value to enter the league so while it may see a little bit out of place, it’s encouraging to see a team be more ahead of the curve when bringing in foreign talent.
Jan 7: This BigSoccer poster says Johan Padilla, a 27-year-old Colombian goalkeeper, is linked to Houston. I can’t find a news report and it seems odd so I’m just going to leave it at that.
Jan 9: Houston looking at moving their USL Championship side down to League One. I assume this is to open the door for younger players to get in.
Jan 13: Marko Maric to Houston official. It’s new territory for the league as we’ve yet to see a team try this route with their goalkeeping position. We saw Vito take some time getting comfortable in Minnesota so the first question for Maric is centered around how long it’ll take him to get up to speed.
Jan 16: Notre Dame goalkeeper Duncan Turnbull selected 70th overall. Turnbull only has 26 matches to his name and I hadn’t heard his name once since before today. These late-round picks are all low-risk/high-reward, however, so no harm here in rolling the dice.
Jan 16: U17 goalkeeper Logan Erb in with the first team.
Jan 24: Cody Cropper rounds out the roster as the third goalkeeper. Turnbull will be pushed to a USL contract, if not outright released. Not a lot of news here except that this is Cropper’s sixth team (including the loan to Hartford) in the last eight years.
Inter Miami
Starter: Luis Robles (35)
Backup: John McCarthy (27)
In Reserve: Drake Callender (22)
Coach: Sebastian Saja
In: Drake Callender (trade)
Own Rights: Dylan Castanheira (24)
Out: Bryan Meredith (expansion draft then traded to Vancouver)
USL Affiliate: Miami FC
Brian Sylvestre (27)
Youth Prospects
none
Bill says: If there’s one thing to learn from previous startups, there’s a good chance Miami will bring in a foreign goalkeeper who is either past his prime and/or will be significantly overpaid for his services. Inter will likely fill out their roster with US talent as a safe backup option without really giving them a chance at the number one slot.
Nov 12: Inter Miami acquire Callender from San Jose Earthquakes. Callender is likely the best goalkeeper in the senior class, which would typically mean something but means a little less now with USL teams sniping young talent. Still a decent pickup for Miami for a low price, all things considered. Callender’s ceiling is low MLS/high USL, depending on his development.
Nov 16: Tyler Miller available in the expansion draft.
Nov 19: Brian Meredith selected in the expansion draft. It felt like there were better options out there but it seems like Miami are eyeing a starter that’s yet to be named. Miami still need three more goalkeepers between the MLS and USL teams.
Nov 23: Callender didn’t look great, if not outright terrible, in his last collegiate game. Callender will have to find nuances in his game so he doesn’t resort to his athleticism in every situation.
Dec 2: Robles brought in and it’s not a great move but it certainly isn’t bad. They’ll overpay him ($500k+) but it’ll be a confident start to 2020.
The core seems to be built off more name recognition than really finding gems in the rough but it could be worse. Just don’t expect to see these goalkeepers with Miami too long.
Dec 3: Miami doesn’t have a goalkeeper coach listed, just academy coaches, which I assume are not the same?
Dec 4: USL standout John McCarthy enters Miami’s core. The ideal scenario for me is an 80-20 year with playing time for Robles and McCarthy to set themselves up for a successful 2021. We’ll bump Miami’s N3Y grade from a C- to a B- as this is the exact type of move you want to see MLS teams making: recognizing USL talent and giving them a chance.
Dec 12: This guy said Robles to Miami a week and a half before the deal went through, as well as considering retirement. Just wanted to give him credit.
Dec 21: Joe Hart is linked to Miami and this writer thinks “either the rumour is rubbish, which is quite plausible, or the transfer is rubbish. Either way, something is rubbish.” Hopefully this doesn’t impede McCarthy’s run to get back into MLS too much.
Jan 13: Sebastian Saja named goalkeeper coach for Inter Miami.
Jan 23: Brian Sylvestre leaves Forward Madison for Miami FC for a surprising sum of $20,000. Transfer fees amongst the lower levels is fairly rare so this is an encouraging sign for a couple of reasons, but the main one being that MLS is starting to put value in the USL. A goalkeeper is no longer in purgatory if they go to USL, but are on a track that can lead to MLS. This is some quiet traction for the USL vs. NCAA debate for young players. Look for USL players to get rewarded more over the future, even if it’s little by little.
Overall, Inter Miami have surprisingly stockpiled a decent group of goalkeepers. In a small amount of time.
Jan 27: FC Dallas trade Dylan Castanheira’s rights to Inter Miami, somehow. Dirty South doesn’t think Castanheira will return to Atlanta, which makes sense, I guess.
Jan 29: Meredith’s tenure as a member of Inter Miami lasts 71 days before heading out to Vancouver. Miami picks up Vancouver’s fourth-round draft pick, which is about the going price for a backup goalkeeper.
Los Angeles FC
Starter: Kenneth Vermeer (34, Dutch)
Backup: Pablo Sisniega (24)
In Reserve: TBD
In Camp: Phillip Ejimadu (20)
Coach: Zak Abdel
In: none
Out: Tyler Miller (26, traded to Minnesota)
Paulo Pita (25, drafted then released)
USL Affiliate: none
Youth Prospects
Donovan Palomares (HS.SO)
Bill says: When LAFC was first linked to Pablo Sisniega, I loved the move. Sisniega has some really intriguing aspects to his game and he’s young enough that he’s still growing. However, I didn’t expect them to get to a position where they didn’t know what to do with two goalkeepers. Sisniega didn’t look like an MLS starter, yet, but even if they wanted to make the switch, they could have got a decent return on Miller sooner than later.
Alicia Rodriguez has a more thorough writeup detailing the offseason drama, but basically Miller asked for a new salary and LAFC turned him down. LAFC would offer Miller a “bonafide” deal, which in the latest chapter of “MLS’s ridiculous rules” allow LAFC to retain Miller’s services. Basically as long as MLS puts a contract with a 5% increase, in this case a minimum of $81,443, they get to keep Miller under their thumb. Never mind the fact that Miller was in the top third of goalkeepers in MLS yet he’s well below the average salary for a starting MLS goalkeeper (around $200k). If MLS embraced complete free agency, Miller would get paid what he deserves. Instead, it’s just another example of MLS being unwilling to pay American players what they deserve. They get a B- for having positive play in net, but I’m suspect things are going to go smoothly moving forward.
Lastly, Phillip Ejimadu returns to Brazil. He made 15 appearances in League One but he’s a few years away from MLS-level.
Dec 3: Miller drawing some interest overseas as well as other MLS teams. It’ll be interesting to see if LAFC can get a decent return for shipping Miller off, but I’m guessing no at this point.
Dec 19: Back on the 3rd, ESPN gave Miller a 55% chance of going to Europe. Charles Boehm said Miller’s status is still in limbo, which if there’s anything for us to take about no new news, is that something is holding up Miller moving. My guess is that Miller wants to play somewhere and doesn’t want to sit, which will limit his options.
Jan 9: LAFC rolls the dice with a first-round pick on Paulo Pita, the Marshall goalkeeper who was in net for a team who made some noise this past year with a sweet sixteen run. Similar to Simon Lefebvre (Temple), Pita is lacking some explosive and mechanical cleanliness, which can make simple situations more difficult. Without a green card - and LAFC without a USL connection - Pita may not stick around long.
Jan 14: Turns out, it’s actually LAFC not LAG bringing in 34-year-old Dutch goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer. Not a great look on the reporting side of things.
Jan 16: After all the fuss LAFC only gets $200,000 in allocated money over two years for a fringe national team goalkeeper. It’s one of those situations where the selling window closed and they’re getting a fraction of what they should have. Things are complicated by how undervalued American goalkeepers are right now, but, to be fair, this is a situation LAFC created for themselves. Miller has more value than $200k (see David Bingham) but because they’ve backed themselves into a corner they get only so much for their starter who went 34-17-10 (W-T-L) in two years. Don’t be surprised if this has some parallels to the outcomes in Frei’s trade to Seattle.
Jan 20: Ejimadu returns for preseason camp, hinting at another loan option.
Feb 5: 2020 draftee Paulo Pita makes it almost one month before being released, which begs the question of why LAFC drafted him in the first place.
Los Angeles Galaxy
Starter: David Bingham (30)
Backup: Justin vom Steeg (22)
In Reserve: Eric Lopez (20)
Coach: Juan José Romero
In: none
Out: Matt Lampson (30, free agent)
USL Affiliate: Los Angeles Galaxy II
Justin vom Steeg
Abraham Romero (21)
Youth Prospects
David Preys (Cal State Northridge, SO)
Aiden Hanes (San Diego State, HS.SR)
Luke Pruter (UC Irvine, HS.SR)
Carlos Zuniga (HS.SR)
Bill says: Alright, I have to admit, I thought the deal that sent Bingham to LA was a terrible idea for the Galaxy. He had a dreadful 2018 and I thought the $375,000 salary (plus allocated money they gave up for him) wasn’t going to be worth it. Fortunately, Bingham used the negative comments as motivation, I assume, and he quietly had a really wonderful 2019. His +5.6 GSAR was fourth in the league, even if the Galaxy weren’t much of a contender this year. So kudos to Bingham and whoever else is responsible for turning that around.
While the USL side may not be that sexy right now, I’m really loving the approach. Vom Steeg is a fringe USL-MLS goalkeeper and the same goes for Lopez. Romero looks like a fascinating trainwreck when he’s in goal, which I would put a lot of blame on his time with Pachuca as he looked great going in and has looked terrible since leaving. He has all the pieces, but the question is if he can put them together. But looking at the USL side, you would think that at least one of those three will turn out to be an MLS starter, which is exactly what you want from the B team.
Nov 19: LAG linked with a goalkeeper from Uruguay, Kevin Dawson. This is not an upgrade over Bingham but could be a replacement for Lampson.
Dec 11: The Galaxy linked with yet another foreign goalkeeper, which either means Bingham’s time in LA is running out or people are getting back info. All that said, the Brazilian goalkeeper Ricardo Friedrich is pretty good and would be a strong competitor for Bingham.
Jan 13: Galaxy linked with their third foreign goalkeeper this break. I’m less interested in what aging foreigner they’re bringing in and more interested in what’s going to happen to Bingham. While I don’t think 34-year-old Kenneth Vermeer is any upgrade over Bingham, you’d think the Galaxy would offload Bingham if they were going to bring in another starter.
Jan 14: Turns out, it’s actually LAFC not LAG bringing in 34 year old Dutch goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer. Not a great look on the reporting side of things.
Jan 15: Galaxy move Lopez up to the first team. This has more to do with money and security over playing time. Lopez might get a game or two but they’re locking him down, showing commitment on the organization’s side and opening the possibility of a more serious transfer fee.
Minnesota United
Starter: Tyler Miller (26)
Backup: Greg Ranjitsingh (26, Trinidad and Tobago)
In Reserve: Fred Emmings (15)
On Loan: Dayne St. Clair (22, Canada, to San Antonio)
Coach: Stewart Kerr
In: Greg Ranjitsingh (waiver draft)
Tyler Miller (traded from LAFC)
Fred Emmings (homegrown)
Out: Bobby Shuttleworth (32, out of contract)
Vito Mannone (32, Italy, loan complete)
USL Affiliate: Forward Madison FC
Brian Sylvestre (27)
Youth Prospects
Jack Morris (HS.JR)
Fred Emmings (HS.SO)
Bill says: To be honest, I’m not sure why Mannone won MLS GOTY. He was fine. He had good moments and bad moments, but I can think of a dozen more deserving goalkeepers, and ones not raking $594,000. The saving grace here was the ambitiousness from Minnesota. I like that they tried to ensure incoming talent was of a certain standard. Can anyone really predict how a player is going to perform? No. Can we play the odds a little better when bringing in foreign talent? Absolutely. I’ll put it another way, in one fairly average season, Mannone is one of the top 15 best foreign goalkeepers in MLS’s history.
St. Clair only saw five matches all year, which is really low for a highly touted goalkeeper at a League One side. I’m a little confused why Minnesota thought his development would be better served with training with the first team. Shuttleworth is currently out of contract, entering free agency, but could theoretically return. Minnesota sent Shuttleworth out on loan at the end of the season, doing him a solid of getting him playing time.
Nov 22: Goalkeeper Coach John Pascarella heads to OKC.
Nov 25: Ranjitsingh to Minnesota via waiver draft. Ranjitsingh is a USL star but has yet to crack into MLS. This seems to point at either Mannone and/or Shuttleworth not returning for 2020. Ranjitsingh is reportedly close to receiving his green card, which would help with rostering issues.
Nov 29: Mannone looks like he’s not returning. Some want to credit this to him winning the GOTY award and while that certainly helps his publicity, the reality is he hasn’t shown much more than being an MLS goalkeeper at the end of the day.
Dec 2: Minnesota are doubling down on Mannone, offering him a contract around $800,000. It’s amazing what superlatives will do for a player’s career. There are better options out there for $800,000.
Dec 3: Minnesota announced Stewart Kerr as the new goalkeeper coach for Minnesota back at the end of August, but forgot to update the technical staff page, I assume?
Dec 4: “At this point, it’s down to Vito to say yes or no.”
Jan 9: Minnesota linked to Joe Hart although “technical director Mark Watson said Vito Mannone has been offered what he called an ‘improved offer,’ which would have made him the highest-paid goalkeeper in MLS, only to have the Italian reject it.”
Minnesota are looking to splash on their goalkeeping core one way or another. Vito had a terrible first half of the year but the award seems to have erased people’s mind, for whatever reason. There are better options out there than bringing Mannone back in, whether or not it’s Hart. Minnesota fans should buckle in as anything can happen at this point.
Jan 16: No Joe Hart nor Vito Mannone; it’s Tyler Miller heading to Minnesota for 2020. Personally I think this is a great move as Miller, at the very least, is a like-for-like replacement for Mannone (in terms of quality), if not a step up. Mannone finished at +0.18 GSAR for the entire year while Miller was up at +2.81. Miller is signed through 2022 with an option of 2023 and Minnesota dished out $200,000 in allocated money over two years, which isn’t nothing but it’s not a ton either. This feels oddly similar to Crepeau’s or Frei’s deals where the goalkeepers were sent out on pennies on the dollar.
Feb 12: St Clair heads to San Antonio on loan. It’s a little curious that he’s not returning to Forward Madison, who are now left without a proven goalkeeper, although they are surely bringing one in soon. San Antonio struggled with Cardone in net last year, so this is probably an upgrade for them, assuming St. Clair gets playing time. But overall it’s good to see St. Clair challenging for playtime.
Montreal Impact
Starter: Evan Bush (33)
Backup: Clement Diop (France, 26)
In Reserve: James Pantemis (Canada, 22)
Coach: Remi Vercoutre
In: none
Out: Jason Beaulieu (Canada, 25, option declined)
USL Affiliate: Ottawa Fury
Callum Irving (26, Canada)
David Monsalve (31, Canada)
Youth Prospects
none
Bill says: It’s not a great look when the backup goalkeeper you trade for just $50k in TAM and a third-round draft pick ends up having a better year than your starting goalkeeper who is making $294,665. At 33, Montreal should be looking to replace Bush - who they coincidentally left available in the expansion draft while protecting Clement Diop - but unfortunately they’ve locked themselves into a heavy contract where they’ll be lucky to get pennies on the dollar if they tried to offload Bush. Bush has always been spoken of highly but when a team tries to squeeze the last drops out of a player’s career, more times than not they do so at the team’s detriment. In an alternate universe, they made a smooth transition with Crepeau as their starter for the 2019 season and were rewarded with their patience for overseeing his development for the past six years but instead, Vancouver is reaping the rewards and the Impact have no exit strategy.
Nov 21: Diop “out of contract” and Jason Beaulieu had his “option declined” but I’m going to keep them on the depth chart until I know for sure he’s gone because it’s MLS.
Dec 2: No goalkeeper coach listed yet.
Dec 6: Diop to return, who could be featured a little more in 2020. Beaulieu had his option declined in late November and it doesn’t sound like they have much use for him.
Jan 8: Remi Vercoutre returns for his second season with the Impact as the goalkeeper coach.
Nashville SC
Starter: Joe Willis (31)
Backup: Adrián Zendejas (24)
In Reserve: none
Drafted: Elliot Panicco (23)
Coach: Matt Pickens
In: none
Out: none
USL Affiliate: TBD
Youth Prospects
none
Bill says: Copy and pasted from the Inter Miami section, “If there’s one thing to learn from previous startups, there’s a good chance [Nashville] will bring in a foreign goalkeeper who is either past his prime and/or will be significantly overpaid for his services. Inter will likely fill out their roster with US talent as a safe backup option without really giving them a chance at the number one slot.”
Back in June, Nashville SC CEO said they want a USL connection, but it won’t be in Nashville.
Nov 16: Tyler Miller available in the expansion draft.
Nov 19: Nashville gives up some GAM, TAM, and a one-year international roster slot for Adrian Zendejas, which seems a little much when they could have pulled up a number of other 24-year-old USL goalkeepers. They also pick up Houston starter Joe Willis for a heads up trade with Zarek Valentin, whom they selected in the expansion draft. Willis had a good 2018 and a near-terrible 2019 so it’s really anyone’s guess what 2020 will be like for Willis.
Nashville doesn’t give off the vibe of a team whose willing to splash on the position so their third goalkeeper could be another youngster or someone to compete with Joe Willis.
Dec 2: No goalkeeper coach at the moment.
Dec 4: There’s no guarantee but the outgoing Nashville USL team had Matt Pickens (37, player-coach), Connor Sparrow (25), and Danny Vitiello (23). Pickens could slide up as the goalkeeper coach and Sparrow might be of interest as well.
Jan 7: Matt Pickens is listed as a full-time coach, which I think means he has officially retired?
Jan 9: Charlotte goalkeeper Elliot Panicco drafted 13th overall. I thought he had a wonderful freshman year but seemed to have plateaued since. Others rated him very highly although it all means little if Nashville doesn’t figure out what to do with him. With their USL connection seemingly going out the door, they need to send Panicco on loan if they want to get a return on their investment.
New England Revolution
Starter: Matt Turner (26)
Backup: Brad Knighton (34)
In Reserve: Jeff Caldwell (23)
Coach: Remi Roy
In: Jeff Caldwell (23, waiver draft)
Out: Cody Cropper (26, out of contract)
USL Affiliate: Revolution II
Keegan Meyer (22)
Youth Prospects
Eddie Walsh (Xavier, JR)
Trey Miller (Massachusetts, SO)
Matt Tibbetts (Holy Cross, SO)
Marco Saborio Perez (North Carolina, FR)
Eliot Jones (Stanford, HS.SR)
Bill says: I’m a little confused as to why but Matt Turner was benched at the start of the year but when he came back he went on a tear. So much so, he was rewarded with a call-in from the US Men’s National Team. His trajectory is odd but ultimately the question of him going to Europe is hard to answer. As we saw with Hamid, you don’t want to go to a club who doesn’t want you, nor do you want to wait until you’re almost 30. Personally I’d like to see Turner try his hand abroad sooner than later but something tells me he’ll be an MLS-lifer.
Nov 25: Cropper not returning and despite his almost young age, Cropper’s professional career has yet to really take off, which is telling to some extent.
Jeff Caldwell selected in the waiver draft. The fact that the Revs decided to trade up to select Caldwell implies that he has a somewhat hot commodity, although they didn’t give up much. Great pick up for the Revs.
Dec 2: I’m a little behind the curve here but apparently New England is launching a League One side in 2020. Austin Aviza could end up there but his collegiate career has been erratic, to say the least.
Jan 9: High Point goalkeeper Keegan Meyer drafted by New England in the second round, 43rd overall pick. Like most undersized goalkeepers, does well in close range situations but struggles with things wider than his wingspan. The Revs added four to their inaugural USL roster a couple days ago so it looks like Meyer will be heading there.
Feb 10: College draftpick Keegan Meyer heads to the second team, a natural progression.
New York City FC
Starter: Sean Johnson (30)
Backup: Brad Stuver (28)
In Reserve: Luis Barraza (23)
Drafted: Parker Siegfried (22)
In Camp: Cody Mizell (28)
Coach: Rob Vartughian
In: none
Out: Jeff Caldwell (23, waiver draft)
USL Affiliate: San Antonio FC
Diego Restrepo (31)
Youth Prospects
Johan Penaranda (Pittsburgh, SO)
Alex Rando (Stanford, FR)
Ethan Wood (Michigan, HS.SR)
Bill says: Sean Johnson, who I’ve been critical of in the past, had a really positive season and his best to date. At 30, Johnson doesn’t have many years left but he fits the NYC style and is actively saving goals. He probably has two solid years left with a couple middling years after that.
NYC sent Caldwell to Memphis - who is not their affiliate - and looked like a goalkeeper who had sat an entire year prior to seeing his professional debut with Memphis. The former U20 goalkeeper was a little sloppy but outweighed it with some fantastic reflexes throughout the 28 starts. NYC doesn’t seem exceptionally high on any of their backups, paying Barraza and Caldwell sub-$60k salaries and not looking to get much out of Stuver besides a handful of starts, so don’t be surprised if none of these four goalkeepers are with NYC in three years.
Nov 21: Claudio Bravo linked to NYC by some random guy on Twitter and let me say I can’t give this a bigger thumbs down. Bravo would be on a million+ dollar contract to put in a half-assed performance. While Johnson had a good year, I don’t think NYC could move him for much in the long run and when 2021 comes along, Bravo would be more than mentally checked out.
Nov 22: Caldwell on the waiver list and at $56k, would not be a bad pickup for another MLS squad.
Nov 25: Can’t say I’m surprised. New England sees the opportunity and picks up one of the best U24 goalkeepers in the pool. NYC’s 2018 first-round draft pick now walks away for free.
Jan 15: Cody Mizell featured in 45 minutes for NYC preseason friendly. Not sure I would read too much into this although he did have an excellent 45 minutes, for what it’s worth.
Jan 16: At the 74th overall pick, Ohio State goalkeeper Parker Siegfried is selected as the last goalkeeper in the draft. NYC could be replacing Caldwell or just bringing in another goalkeeper for preseason, but have no intention to sign him.
Jan 30: This looks like MLS Pool goalkeeper Charlie Lyon and draftee Parker Siegfried at one goal. NYC already looks a little too crowded for Siegfried but preseasons are pretty fluid for non-starters so you never know where either goalkeeper will end up.
New York Red Bulls
Starter: David Jensen (27, Denmark)
Backup: Ryan Meara (28)
In Reserve: Kendall McIntosh (25)
Drafted: Wallis Lapsley (22)
Coach: Preston Burpo
In: Kendall McIntosh (25, re-entry draft)
Out: Luis Robles (35, out of contract)
Evan Louro (23, out of contract)
USL Affiliate: New York Red Bulls II
none
Youth Prospects
Ethan Koehler (Georgetown, JR)
Xavier Kennedy (Ohio State, JR)
Matthew Frank (Stanford, SO)
Steven Ortiz (Fairleigh Dickinson, SO)
Sam Ilin (LIU Brooklyn, SO)
Matthew Goodman (Colombia, FR)
Francesco Montali (Florida International, FR)
Alex Bobocea (Loyola MD, HS.SR)
Owen Kulick (Villanova, HS.SR)
Bill says: Well, the Luis Robles era is finally over. Some might say they should have tried to trade him for value but there’s a point where MLS teams aren’t going to trade for a 30+-year-old goalkeeper, so RBNY did a fine job of getting the most out of him without letting him be a detriment because of his age. At the very least, it would have been nice to see the Red Bulls give a little more fanfare to a goalkeeper who is tenth all-time in appearances. (He passed Scott Garlick this season to crack the list.)
Meara steps up but for any fans thinking this is his time to shine, the Red Bulls haven’t prepared him well for this moment. He has 75 appearances over 8 years, with a bulk of that coming in tame CONCACAF or Open Cup matches. For comparison, Meara got 74 appearances with Fordham over 4 years. At this point, Louro looks like he’s pressing more for the starting spot.
Nov 21: To somewhat of a surprise, Louro is very thankful for his time with the Red Bulls but he awaits greener pastures. I’m not exactly sure if the Red Bulls hold his rights still, as he was a homegrown, so they might get a trade for him still. Unless RBNY bring in another goalkeeper to challenge the starting spot, it’s the Meara show now.
Nov 26: McIntosh joins the Red Bulls from the re-entry draft. McIntosh didn’t look great coming out of college but he’s honed some things that could theoretically make him push for the number one spot down the line. I’m still a little skeptical but he’s shown some steady improvement, capping it off with a good year in USL. It’s a low risk/high reward situation so I like the move but I’d hold some reservations about expecting him to overtake Meara.
Dec 4: Nuhu’s option not picked up. He could theoretically re-sign but that’s not how this usually goes. They have some academy kids in the system but the Red Bulls are probably needing 2-3 professional goalkeepers to fill out the two teams.
Dec 10: Little tidbit here from this article from Franco Panizo, saying that Robles would have preferred to stay with the Red Bulls but they had another direction in mind, which is anyone’s guess as to what that is at this point.
Dec 20: Meara re-signs for a “couple more years”.
Jan 9: UC Davis product Wallis Lapsley is about as “American” as they come when looking at a typical domestic product. He plays ferociously but within control, strong hands, and has a scrappiness to him that makes you say, “yeah, you've probably made a few saves with your face before. Lapsley could be a lifelong USL goalkeeper but he’s got an interesting edge that, similar to Matt Turner, might make him reach a higher level that his peers can’t.
Jan 29: David Jensen brought in for what, I’m assuming, is a free transfer fee. The 27 year old Danish goalkeeper brings in a wealth of experience but ultimately I think he can be best summed up as a standard MLS 1.0 goalkeeper: strong, safe shot-stopper who can handle crosses but don’t trust him with the ball at his feet. He’s probably the slowest starting goalkeeper in MLS now, both in terms of sprint speed but also reactions. I’m not expecting a smooth season here with RBNY as he’ll require a lot of bubble wrap defending to smooth out his edges. The modern game isn’t as heavy on 1v1s as it was in the past but there are times where he used the K save automatically, when it doesn’t really fit the situation. This move is all the more interesting as Houston, a team not known for being very adventurous in the offseason, is now outspending the Red Bulls and being more bold with the position. Will Jensen have a terrible season? Probably not. But the “rising tide lifts all boats” doesn’t mean at the same time. Expect the Red Bulls to be lagging behind their peers in the goalkeeping department in 2020.
Orlando City SC
Starter: Pedro Gallese (29, Peru)
Backup: Brian Rowe (31)
In Reserve: Mason Stajduhar (22)
Drafted: Austin Aviza (22)
Coach: Cesar Baena
In: none
Out: Greg Ranjitsingh (26, Trinidad and Tobago, waiver draft)
Adam Grinwis (27, option declined)
USL Affiliate: Orlando City B
Luca Mancuso (18)
Youth Prospects
Justin Bauer (South Carolina, JR)
Maverick Boring (Georgia Southern, FR)
Bill says: Rowe was only on $98,000, which is a steal in some ways but also far too low for what an MLS team should be paying their goalkeeper. Half the league’s backup goalkeepers are making more money. Either Orlando needs to pay Rowe more or upgrade the position. I’d love to see Grinwis get a shot as the number one as he’s been successful everywhere he goes, but Orlando seem reluctant to pull the trigger.
Orlando City B had a -29 goal differential in League One play, which is actually just more impressive than anything. Of Stajduhar, Chade, and Herrera, Stajduhar seems the most likely to make it as an MLS starter but the bone cancer he battled for so long, amongst obviously more important things, robbed him of game time he should have been getting before 22. Stajduhar has only 18 appearances to his name, much less than what you’d expect a collegiate senior to have at this point.
Nov 16: Rowe available in the expansion draft but not taken, which is a little telling for both Orlando and the new expansion teams.
Nov 21: Grinwis’ option declined but I figure he’ll be on a new contract for 2020 with Orlando. Grinwis was on $70k last year.
Nov 25: Ranjitsingh to Minnesota via waiver draft. Ranjitsingh is a USL star but has yet to crack into MLS.
Nov 27: Stajduhar re-signed. The club has always spoken very highly of him so the commitment to the 22-year-old isn’t completely surprising. There’s a decent chance that these next two years will be “make or break” for him, given his level and age.
Dec 9: Grinwis officially not returning. It’s nice of Orlando to let us know a player is officially leaving - not every MLS team does this - but also it’s disappointing to see Orlando move on from Grinwis. Look for Orlando to pull in another mid-20 year old.
Dec 30: Orlando tied to Peruvian goalkeeper, Pedro Gallese. This feels like a sideways move for Orlando in terms of talent, but one they most certainly will overpay. I’d be surprised if Gallese is a top five finisher in GSAR.
Jan 6: Gallese to Orlando “all but done”.
Jan 9: Providence goalkeeper Austin Aviza to Orlando with the 43rd overall pick. Aviza is an interesting case of a goalkeeper I can only best sum up as one that is just always a little behind the rhythm of the game. It’s not that he doesn’t have the tools or is too slow, he just feels like he can’t hear the downbeat to a song. All that to say, I didn’t rate him in the top seniors but it wouldn’t surprise me at all if he emerged as the best goalkeeper from the group.
Jan 16: Juliano Chade on the way out, apparently. Chade’s time in Orlando always seemed limited but whoever fills in now looks to be a step down.
Jan 17: Gallese move becomes official. Veteran goalkeeper Brian Rowe moves to the backup role for the start of the season but the Copa America and World Cup qualifiers will pull Gallese away from OCSC. Rowe should pick up around 7 games in Gallese’ absence.
Jan 20: Orlando brings in a new goalkeeper coach, Cesar Baena. This man points out Baena is the first Venezuelan goalkeeper coach in MLS history which… is great? Seems like there are around 200 more countries to have a first goalkeeper coach from so keep your eyes out for those headlines.
Philadelphia Union
Starter: Andre Blake (Jamaica, 29)
Backup: Joe Bendik (30)
In Reserve: Matt Freese (21)
Coach: Phil Wheddon
In: none
Out: none
USL Affiliate: Bethlehem Steel
Todd Morton (24)
Youth Prospects
Jahmali Waite (Jamaica, Fairleigh Dickinson, JR)
Tomas Romero (Georgetown, FR)
Brady McSwain (Cornell, FR)
Kris Shakes (Penn State, FR)
Lukas Burns (Providence, HS.SR)
Ben Martino (HS.JR)
Bill says: Blake finished second to last in GSAR amongst starters, which isn’t what Philadelphia is paying their goalkeeper $550,000 for. At this point, I’m much more interested in their depth chart as Morton showed some really positive moments in his ten matches and college stars Jahmali Waite and Tomas Romero could make a run at an MLS roster down the line. Matt Freese has spent time with the U23s but looks a little out of his depth there.
Blake is costing Philadephia a lot of money and could theoretically be sold as his selling price is only to go down from here. For comparison, 22-year-old Brazilian goalkeeper Carlos Miguel Coronel looked on par with Blake after spending a few months with the Union before finishing his loan spell from RB Salzburg.
Jan 14: The first bit of news coming out of Philadelphia this offseason. Phil Wheddon replaces Oka Nikolov as the goalkeeper coach. Wheddon leaves Syracuse women’s team and brings in a ton of experience with also being familiar with Philadelphia’s setup.
Portland Timbers
Starter: Steve Clark (33)
Backup: Jeff Attinella (31)
In Reserve: Aljaž Ivačič (Slovenia, 26)
Coach: Guillermo "Memo" Valencia
In: none
Out: Kendall McIntosh (25, re-entry draft)
USL Affiliate: Portland Timbers 2
Aljaž Ivačič
Jake Leeker (24)
Youth Prospects
Joe Wheelwright (Utah Valley, JR)
Zachary Nelson (Xavier, JR)
Zachary Morris (Rider, JR)
Eric Cotton (Western Michigan, Canada, SO)
Broden Schull (VMI, SO)
Brady Cooper (Pacific, SO)
Kashope Oladapo (HS.JR)
Hunter Sulte (HS.JR)
Bill says: What a wild year for Portland’s goalkeeping. Attinella returns from a positive 2018 but a shoulder injury in the midst a middling performance gives way for Steve Clark who ends up with a +.34/gm GSAR, more than doubling most the league’s goalkeepers. Clark is 33 so it’s really tough to say what 2020 will look for him, but the Timbers have a tough situation with juggling Attinella and Clark. If Attinella can’t get back to a starting spot, I wouldn’t be surprised if longtime backup and largely unlucky goalkeeper retired sooner than later. McIntosh has shown some steady improvement but there’s a noticeable gap between him and the veteran goalkeepers, although his growth should be commended.
Neither Ivačič nor Leeker look anywhere close to taking over after Clark/Attinella but I do want to applaud the Timbers for committing to Ivačič, whom they spent a small transfer fee on bringing him over here. Is he good enough? No, it doesn’t look like it. Is the Timbers’ method worthwhile? Absolutely. If they get four cheap, young goalkeepers who aren’t good enough but one is, it pays off tenfold.
Nov 16: Attinella available in the expansion draft.
Nov 26: McIntosh out from the re-entry draft. It’s not a massive loss for Portland but it doesn’t help.
Dec 12: Clark is set to be out of contract by the end of the year, according to Transfermarkt. He was picked up off waivers by Portland in August of 2018 and given the time, it seems unlikely he was signed to a longterm contract so this one could actually be correct. I wouldn’t expect him to leave Portland after a stellar 2019 but they may need to renegotiate.
Dec 21: Looks like Transfermarkt was correct as Steve Clark re-signs for 2020. It’s the smart move but the question now is if Attinella stays. There are still a few teams (Colorado, Houston, Nashville, RBNY, Orlando) that would upgrade their goalkeeping cores by bringing Attinella in but the jury is out until then.
Real Salt Lake
Starter: Zac MacMath (28)
Backup: Andrew Putna (25)
In Reserve: David Ochoa (18)
Coach: Todd Hoffard
In: Zac MacMath (28, traded from Vancouver)
Out: Nick Rimando (40, retired)
Alex Horwath (32, retired)
USL Affiliate: Real Monarchs
David Ochoa
Andrew Putna
Evan Finney (23)
Jimmy Slayton (22)
Youth Prospects
Gage Rogers (California Baptist, JR)
Jared Osgood (St. Louis, JR)
Jacob Jackson (Loyola Marymount, SO)
Tyler Kirberg (UCLA, HS.SR)
Rafael Guerrero (HS.SR)
Bill says: A lot of moving pieces for RSL. Both Nick Rimando and Alex Horwath hang ‘em up, leaving just Putna and Ochoa on the roster. I was a little disappointed to see Horwath’s time in MLS was plagued with injuries as he could have been a really good MLS goalkeeper but it doesn’t look like it was in the cards.
Ochoa had an okay, at best, USL season so if RSL fans are expecting him to get the keys to the car for 2020, I’d encourage everyone to temper their expectations. At this point, Putna is much more rounded out than Ochoa but don’t be surprised if RSL bring in a goalkeeper to start.
Nov 16: Both Putna and Ochoa protected from being selected in the expansion draft, showing some commitment to their young goalkeepers.
Dec 17: MacMath in for $50k in TAM. It’s a minor win-win for everyone involved. MacMath gets a chance to start, Putna and Ochoa get a chance to work with a veteran, RSL has options at the position, and Vancouver gets a reasonable amount of return for the trade. Platooning the position may not be as sexy as Rimando in goal and while I’d like to see RSL be a little more adventurous with the position, I’m curious as to what a hungry Zac MacMath has to offer. And if it doesn’t work out, RSL can give Putna or Ochoa a shot in goal.
Jan 14: Not a ton of news coming out of RSL but they signed Hartford goalkeeper Jimmy Slayton to their USL side, which seems to imply that Evan Finney is on the chopping block.
San Jose Earthquakes
Starter: Daniel Vega (Argentina, 35)
Backup: JT Marcinkowski (22)
In Reserve: Andrew Tarbell (26)
Matt Bersano (27)
Emmanuel Ochoa (14)
Coach: Carlos Roa
In: none
Out: Drake Callender (traded to Inter Miami)
USL Affiliate: Reno 1868 FC
Matt Bersano
JT Marcinkowski
Youth Prospects
Dominic Peters (Wake Forest, SO)
Cameron Douglas (UCLA, SO)
Andre Wangard (Louisville, SO)
Ben Ayers (California, SO)
Victor Juarez (UNLV, SO)
Dallas Odle (HS.SR)
Bill says: Vega had a below-average year, about what one would expect from an aging USL goalkeeper. The plus side is that if that’s the standard of goalkeeping San Jose is looking for, they could find one for a third of Vega’s salary ($210,000).
Marcinkowski and Drake Callender have been involved in the U23 pool but both look way too raw for where they should be in their careers.
Bersano had a good year with Reno 1868 FC, one that I’d like to see get rewarded with minutes with the Earthquakes, but San Jose has yet to really show a bridge from the two teams. Or know what to do with all their goalkeepers, as displayed by Andrew Tarbell’s professional career. If the depth chart stays the same as 2019, don’t expect anything worth watching with the senior team.
Nov 11: San Jose signs a 14-year-old homegrown goalkeeper. Personally I love the move but we won’t see him until closer to 2030. There’s no guarantee this works out, but it’s a great odds-on bet when considering the potential reward (aka a seven-figure transfer fee).
Nov 12: Inter Miami acquire Callender from San Jose Earthquakes. Callender is likely the best goalkeeper in the senior class, which would typically mean something but means a little less now with USL teams sniping young talent. It’s not a massive loss for San Jose, who probably wouldn’t have utilized him anyway.
Dec 19: Recently signed Emi Ochoa had a Mexican club actively recruiting him, which is a little annoying to hear as this is very nearly San Jose openly saying “We wouldn’t have signed him unless we thought we were going to lose him” instead of “he has the talent worth signing, regardless of others’ opinions.” Once again, it feels as if America is outsourcing their goalkeeping development to whoever is interested. In this case, a Mexican club is furthering Ochoa’s development instead of an American team taking the initiative to correctly evaluate their goalkeeping core and put him on the right track.
Seattle Sounders
Starter: Stefan Frei (33)
Backup: Stefan Cleveland (25)
In Reserve: Trey Muse (20)
Coach: Tom Dutra
In: none
Out: Bryan Meredith (29, expansion draft)
USL Affiliate: Tacoma Defiance
Trey Muse
Youth Prospects
Paul Lewis (Loyola Marymount, SO)
Saif Kerawala (Washington, SO)
Tor Saunders (Akron, JR)
Sam Fowler (Washington, FR)
Robert Harraka (Harvard, FR)
Conrad Lee (Yale, HS.SR)
James Lowell (Maryland, HS.SR)
Bill says: Frei trophy cabinet is getting crowded. A Supporters Shield, a US Open Cup trophy, three Canadian Cups, and now two MLS Cups. Frei is towards the top when it comes to decorated MLS goalkeepers in history. He actually had a really underwhelming regular season but as always he shows up during playoffs, making it difficult to rate the Sounders’ season.
At 33, Frei doesn’t have much time left and but there’s still not a great replacement in line. If only they had a backup goalkeeper like, oh, I don’t know, Tyler Miller to turn to. It’s a shame, really.
Tacoma is doing some fun stuff by playing four different teenagers in goal. Muse received the bulk of the starts but for anyone who has watched, he’s struggled to make the jump. To give some idea, Muse conceded 48 goals in 22 matches with Tacoma, yet gave up 20 goals in 49 matches in his two years at Indiana University. Now, the Defiance were very bad as a whole in 2019, but Muse was arguably the worst starting goalkeeper in USL play. Hopefully 2020 is more gracious to Muse but he seemingly has a long way to go.
Nov 26: Cleveland to Seattle. It’s basically a like-for-like with replacing Meredith, just a few years younger. Cleveland is a fine USL goalkeeper, but given the chance to find a replacement for Frei, Seattle has not done it.
Sporting Kansas City
Starter: Tim Melia (33)
Backup: Richard Sanchez (25)
In Reserve: none
Coach: Alec Dufty
On Loan: Eric Dick (25, Phoenix Rising)
In: Richard Sanchez (re-entry draft)
Out: Adrian Zendejas (23, traded to Nashville)
USL Affiliate: Swope Park Rangers
John Pulskamp (18)
Brooks Thompson (17)
Youth Prospects
Steven Tekesky (West Virginia, JR)
Freddy Lorenzen (Milwaukee, JR)
Alec Wons (Marquette, SO)
Alex Brown (Coastal Carolina, SO)
Connor Jordan-Hyde (Virginia Tech, SO)
Eli Crow (UMKC, FR)
Max Trejo (HS.SR)
Gavin Krenecki (HS.JR)
Bill says: Cracks are finally starting to show in Melia’s game as it was a really slow start to the year that he managed to salvage by the end of it, finishing 7th with a +4.04 GSAR. Zendejas looked alright in his MLS starts but both him and Dick are still needing some buffering. Both feel like fringe USL-MLS goalkeepers and these next couple years will be crucial for them.
As for Pulskamp, I have a very difficult time rating him. He has a really nice rhythm to his game as he always feels in sync with the gameplay, which is admittedly very impressive for an 18-year-old. My one main reservation at this point is his athleticism, which is odd because if there’s one thing 18-year-olds are typically able to do, it’s a reaction or extended dive-related. Perhaps he puts some muscle on over the next 5-6 years, who knows. But it’s not unheard of to have “smart” goalkeepers who earn the title because they are significantly un-athletic when compared to their peers. But Pulskamp has conquered the hard part first, whatever that’s worth, and SKC like him enough to give him time with the USL side.
Nov 19: SKC trade Zendejas to Nashville for allocated money and a one year use of an international slot, which seems a little telling of how highly they rated him. SKC turn their eyes elsewhere, which we won’t truly know until 2020 kicks off.
Nov 26: Richard Sanchez brought in via re-entry draft and I find this move really intriguing. You don’t pick someone up in the re-entry unless you have some specific plans in mind, especially considering Sanchez’s $150k salary. So someone in KC like Sanchez’s game, despite many rating him poorly. I’m not blown away with this core, but I find it much more interesting than most.
Jan 20: 18-year-old John Pulskamp enters preseason with SKC.
Jan 21: Melia signs on through 2022, which I would assume at that point Melia (who will be 36 at the end of the contract) would retire with SKC.
Feb 4: Dick sent on loan to second division side Phoenix Rising. It’s an interesting move as it feels like SKC is basically saying “we don’t know quite what to do with him”. They want their SKC 2 minutes going elsewhere, clearly, but it’s also very difficult to move backup goalkeepers in this league. It’s likely the best move for everyone involved as Dick doesn’t sit on the shelf but SKC can open up options elsewhere. Eric Dick joins USL stalwart Zac Lubin down in Phoenix so look for the loanee to get around 8-to-12 games, unless an injury derails Lubin’s season.
Toronto FC
Starter: Quentin Westberg (33)
Backup: Alex Bono (25)
In Reserve: none
Coach: Jon Conway
In: none
Out: Caleb Patterson-Sewell (32, option declined)
USL Affiliate: Toronto FC II
Eric Klenofsky (25)
Kevin Silva (22)
Youth Prospects
Brogan Engbers (Liberty, Canada, JR)
Rimi Olatunji (Providence, Canada, SO)
Gianluca Catalano (Connecticut, Canada, SO)
Rimi Olatunji (Providence, Canada, FR)
Nick Christoffersen (Penn, Canada, FR)
Spencer King (Fairleigh Dickinson, Canada, FR)
Bill says: After a really disappointing regular season, Westberg stood on his head during the postseason so his reputation going into 2020 might be a little skewed. Bono had some flashes of greatness in 2018 but 2019 looked like a different goalkeeper. Ideally, Toronto either try to make the switch back to Bono or they get some value out of him via trade, but Westberg doesn’t have a ton of time left. At $382,000, Toronto can’t afford to have Bono sit the bench.
The League One side has some interesting talent, with Klenofsky, Silva and Fillion. It seems like Toronto is taking their B team seriously, with their goalkeeping at the very least. Don’t expect to see too much of any of these three for 2020 but keep an eye on them down the road.
Dec 3: Kevin Silva, who saw eight appearances with Toronto II, heads back to Hearts (Scotland) while Yann Fillion seems to be out of contract with his parent club, FC Zürich (Switzerland). We wait for Toronto to figure out what to do with Klenofsky but it could be a completely different looking USL core for 2020.
Dec 12: It’s been close to a month since Patterson-Sewell had his option declined. At 32 and a fleeting goalkeeping core within Toronto’s two teams, Patterson-Sewell’s return seems more likely than not.
Jan 3: Bono training with Burnley but that can mean anything, but apparently several MLS teams are interested in Bono. Looks like Bono will be heading out for 2020?
Jan 6: RBNY, LAFC, and RSL the front runners for bringing in Bono. RBNY makes the most sense given the rosters but Bono is at an odd spot in his career in that he’s not a definitive backup or starter.
Jan 8: Waking the Red poses a question about keeping Bono and it seems Toronto fans are split on what to do with him. Westberg had a rough regular season but a great postseason so it makes 2020 hard to see clearly.
Jan 10: Bono tied to Atlanta.
Jan 19: Kevin Silva returns to TFC2. Silva earned zero league starts in his two-year tenure with Hearts but notched eight starts with TFC2. Silva’s professional career has started off slow but it seems he’s getting some traction now.
Vancouver Whitecaps
Starter: Maxime Crepeau (25)
Backup: Bryan Meredith (30)
In Reserve: Thomas Hasal (20)
Drafted: Daniel Gagliardi (23)
Coach: Youssef Dahha
Youth Prospects
Trevor Schneider (UTRGV, Canada, Vancouver, 18)
In: Bryan Meredith (traded from Inter Miami)
Out: Chituru Odunze (17, Leicester City)
Sean Melvin (25, option declined)
Zac MacMath (28, traded to RSL)
USL Affiliate: none
Bill says: Wow, what a big year for Crepeau. And Vancouver gave up pennies for him! Unfortunately standing on your head throughout the season, like setting the new MLS game saves record (16), is offset when you play for a terrible team. But his +7.18 GSAR shouldn’t be scoffed at, even if he’s getting shelled for the entire season.
Whitecaps don’t have a USL connection, which would be nice for not only Thomas Hasal but also Zac MacMath, who is a big question mark entering 2020. The University of Maryland alum hasn’t been a proper starter since 2014 and their talented U20 Canadian goalkeeper, Hasal, didn’t seem to make a single appearance in 2019. Vancouver got a little fortunate Crepeau had such a great season but they need to protect all their investments, not just the starting goalkeeper.
Dec 4: Whitecaps alum Chituru Odunze was featured in the U17 World Cup for the US. For a goalkeeper of his size, I was impressed with how controlled his movements were in the box. The move to Leicester is exciting but he’s still very young. He’s off to a good start, but let’s revisit this in a year before we draw any overarching claims.
Dec 17: MacMath out for $50k in TAM. Getting anything for a backup is usually a good deal and while TAM may be on the way out with the new CBA looming, Vancouver can probably get to use it before it’s all the way out. A win-win for everyone involved, although Vancouver could do well to bring in a veteran like Jeff Attinella or an older USL goalkeeper.
Dec 22: Joe Hart is linked with Vancouver, as well as Miami. Vancouver could use the depth but I’d hate to see Crepeau see less playing time after a stellar 2019.
Jan 9: Vancouver draft FIU goalkeeper Daniel Gagliardi who I’ve never heard of and don’t know why Vancouver drafted him.
Jan 19: 18-year-old Isaac Boehmer is in camp. I know nothing about the academy product.
Jan 29: Bryan Meredith brought in for some much-needed depth. We're at the point of the offseason where teams are just filling holes in the roster and Vancouver only had to give up a fourth-round for a reliable backup. It likely won’t amount to much but it was a good deal for the Whitecaps.