Orlando City B named 24 players to its roster for the 2020 USL League One season, including 2020 MLS SuperDraft selections Austin Aviza and Nick O’Callaghan.
The majority of the 2020 roster comes from the Orlando City academy, underscoring the club’s emphasis on youth development.
Eleven academy products were signed to Orlando City B contracts this year — goalkeepers Russel Robles and Javier Otero; defenders Michael Halliday, Juan Ramos, Daniel Rosario, Owen Guske, Mason Lamb, Thomas Williams; and forwards Julian Kennedy, Wilfredo Rivera and Kenji Tanaka De Paula.
The Orlando City academy alumni will look to build upon a renewed focus on creating a path to the MLS side under new OCB coach Marcelo Neveleff. The first team, OCB and academy teams all practice in the same facility in Kissimmee now and development players often spend time before and after training watching Nani and the MLS team train.
With the new roster set, Orlando City B players will get a chance to be further evaluated by a front office that has prioritized the Lions’ development system.
“We are very excited to start a new chapter with Orlando City B,” Neveleff said. “Our new roster exemplifies the pathway that we are working to fortify in making OCB the final step on the way to the First Team. This is a very talented group and we are very excited for the season ahead.”
Midfielder Austin Amer will return to Orlando City B after notching 26 appearances for the team in 2019. After their selection in the SuperDraft, O’Callaghan and Aviza will play for Orlando City B this season. O’Callaghan, who was selected with the No. 44 pick, will stay close to home after playing defense for FIU. A goalkeeper from Providence College, Aviza was selected No. 44 overall in the draft.
The team also welcomes 10 new players to the roster — USF graduate Jonathan Rosales; former Tijuana defenders Franklin Carabali and Mateo Rodas; midfielders Theodore Ndje and Raul Aguilera; and forward Aleksander Gluvacevic.
Although he departed the development system to play for the University of North Carolina, Aguilera is a Sanford native and started out in the Orlando City academy with Amer and O’Callaghan.
Orlando City B also added three players on loan from South American clubs — midfielders Adam Ozeri and Ignacio Poplawski come from Argentine clubs Ferro Carril Oeste and Estudiantes De La Plata, and forward Fablo Dos Santos Oliveria joins OCB from Brazil’s Clube Atletico de Barra de Tijuca. Poplawski trained for several weeks with the Orlando City first team last season.
Full Orlando City B roster for 2020:
Goalkeepers: Javier Otero, Academy; Russell Robles, Academy; Austin Aviza, Pro
Defenders: Jonathan Rosales, Pro; Michael Halliday, Academy; Juan Ramos, Academy; Daniel Rosario, Academy; Juan Pablo Monticelli, Pro; Franklin Carabali, Pro; Owen Guske, Academy; Mateo Rodas, Pro; Mason Lamb, Academy; Thomas Williams, Academy; Nick O’Callaghan, Pro
Midfielders: Adam Ozeri, Loan; Austin Amer, Pro; Theodore Ndje, Pro; Raul Aguilera, Pro; Ignacio Poplawski, Loan
Forwards: Julian Kennedy, Academy; Aleksandar Gluvacevic, Pro; Fablo Dos Santos Oliveira, Loan; Wilfredo Rivera, Academy; Kenji Tanaka De Paula, Academy