On December 14, the Earthquakes made a major organizational move by signing three players from the team’s USL affiliate Reno 1868 FC. Luis Felipe, Jimmy Ockford and Chris Wehan were three of the top-performing players during the 2017 USL season and we all rewarded with MLS contracts in San Jose.
The move signaled and confirmed the Quakes’ intention to find young, high-potential players, give them an opportunity and reap the rewards. Luis Felipe is a 22-year-old former U.S. youth international with Brazilian pedigree. Ockford, the only one of the three with prior MLS experience, was Reno’s leader on the backline.