Orlando City played its first game of 2022 in front of fans and media Saturday morning. While the starting lineup was mostly made up of first-team regulars, head coach Oscar Pareja also gave the club’s young players a look, including four former academy players and three MLS SuperDraft picks.
Known as a retirement league for much of its existence, MLS has made a push to get its clubs to invest in younger players over the past few years. Some teams have taken this suggestion to heart, promoting several players from its academy to its first team.