Youth development has always been of the utmost importance for New York City FC. Despite always having a large roster made up with tons of talent over the years, NYCFC have found time to call up the likes of James Sands, Justin Haak, Tayvon Gray, Andres Jasson, and Joe Scally — the latter of whom made a big money move to Germany earlier this year — to the senior team.
That strategy has definitely given NYCFC a return on investment. James Sands has been a consistent starter in the last several seasons, becoming a highly touted USMNT prospect at both defensive midfielder and center back, which culminated in a US call-up for the ongoing Gold Cup this summer.