For the fourth consecutive year, some of the top prospects from the club’s player development pipeline have joined the First Team for preseason.
Seven players under contract with the Tacoma Defiance – Sam Rogers (20), Shandon Hopeau (21), Azriel Gonzalez (18), Marlon Vargas (19), Danny Robles (18), Josh Atencio (17) and Ray Serrano (17) – were invited to the California phase of preseason.
In addition to the young professionals, Academy standouts Ethan Dobbelaere (17), Chris Hegardt (18) and Alex Villanueva (17) were given the opportunity to train with the Seattle Sounders in Long Beach.