Sporting KC signs 2 teens among 3 homegrown players

Posted January 20, 2021 6:00 am

The Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) - Sporting Kansas City signed homegrown players Grayson Barber, Ozzie Cisneros and Brooks Thompson on Wednesday as the Major League Soccer club continues to get younger by developing players from within its system.

The 20-year-old Barber played for Sporting KC's academy from 2015-17 before a standout career at Clemson, where the midfielder had 13 goals and 18 assist in 49 appearances. He led the Tigers to the 2019 NCAA Tournament quarterfinals.

Cisneros is the fourth-youngest signing in club history. The 16-year-old forward represented the U.S. under-15 national team in 2018 and '~19 before playing for Sporting KC's academy following a pause due to the pandemic last fall.

The 18-year-old Thompson, along with Barber and Cisneros, help to form the backbone of a major youth movement by Sporting KC. The average age of their roster is 25 years old.

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