We Have Our Roster for St. Louis City 2

Just days away from their first game against FC Cincinnati, we finally have more information about City's team in the new MLS NEXT Pro developmental league.

City had previously announced that the team would begin the year under the coaching of Director of Coaching John Hackworth, but they have now officially released a name, crest, and roster. As many fans previously suspected, the NEXT Pro team will be called simply "St. Louis City 2" and will have a badge similar to the first team, but with a pink "2" replacing the Arch and rivers. While no announcements have been made yet as to locations for home games this year, the team's preliminary roster has been released.

With an average age of just 19 years and 11 months, the focus will be on developing young up-and-coming talent, but they will be captained by veteran Josh Yaro, who will play for City 2 this year before taking his place on the first-team squad in 2023. The 27-year-old defender was the second overall pick in the MLS Superdraft in 2016 by Philadelphia and has spent the last six years playing in MLS and the USL Championship, most recently with San Diego Loyal. Others who will be joining with professional experience include midfielder Wan Kuzain, who made his way from Scott Gallagher to Sporting KC before his recent stint at Rio Grande Valley, along with Ezra Armstrong of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Akil Watts of Louisville City.

The rest of the over-21 contingent for City 2 features a number of players coming off of successful NCAA careers, including three from Missouri State: St. Louis local goalkeeper Michael Creek, Canadian defender Kyle Hiebert, and London-born, ManU academy product Josh Dolling. Other NCAA signings include two who played locally, St. Louis native A.J. Palazzolo of SLU and Mexican-born Minnesotan Sergio Rivas of WashU, and two other foreign-born players, Brazilian Célio Pompeu out of Virginia Commonwealth University and German Max Schneider, product of Bayer Leverkusen's academy, out of Marshall.

A number of academy players have also been signed to amateur contracts with the team as well, including St. Louis Scott Gallagher's Jack Wagoner and St. Louis City academy players Aaron Heard, Anthony Faupel, Nathan Ferguson, Josh Maher, Miguel Perez, Fritz Volmar, and the brothers Gibbs, Karson and Ryley. The only teenaged signing not to have a local connection is Dida Armstrong, a 17-year-old forward who has been playing for AFC 615 of the fourth division UPSL in Hendersonville, Tennessee.

Other signings are expected, especially given that the team is currently fielding only one goalkeeper, so follow the City SC Report to learn about all team news as it happens.

By Joe Chambers