In recent years, the San Jose Earthquakes vowed to make their youth academy a more integral part of the club’s future. This promise was brought to light when the club signed more Homegrown Players during the 2017-18 offseason than every year before combined.
U.S. U-20 goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski and then 15-year-olds Gilbert Fuentes and Jacob Akanyirige were all added to the roster between December 2017 and January 2018, signaling the team’s intent to place high value on up-and-coming talent from within.
The team’s two eldest Homegrowns both contributed for San Jose throughout 2018. Lima, a finalist for the 2017 MLS Rookie of the Year Award, and Thompson, a fifth-year pro with nearly 100 games under his belt, led the way for the Quakes Academy products.