Drew Yates joins United on trial
by Martin Shatzer on Mar 16, 2025 7:01 AM EDT
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And of course I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to write a full story about a new Terp in town!
Its not like I particularly enjoy this new trend by Onalfo of picking up players who have been cast off by other MLS Clubs. First we signed Adam Cristman and Kurt Morsink, who were both role players in Kansas City. And now we have two young players in camp in Daniel Woolard and Drew Yates who were previously a part of the Chicago organization and may be competing with each other for the final roster spot.
Drew Yates grew up in Severna Park, MD, went to high school at Dematha, and went to college at Maryland. This local kid played in every single match at Maryland from 2006-2009, so its only fitting that he would get his best chance to play professionally in DC. Seeing time as a forward and an attacking midfielder in college, Yates totalled 14 goals and 13 assists in his career at Maryland, and played with some future professionals in Chris Seitz, Omar Gonzalez, Stephen King, and of course Rodney Wallace.
I like Yates's chances of making the roster in a developmental role. We are currently carrying only four forwards into the season, so it should not surprise anyone that the team is looking to add one more young attacker.
But I'm still trying to figure out what exactly this means for the other trialists currently with United in Carolina.
Goff is reporting that John DiRaimondo and Brandon Barklage seem likely to earn senior roster contracts after having impressive preseasons. And while loyal readers will know that I've been singing Barklage's praises and have high hopes for him, I'm not as sure about DiRaimondo as a senior roster player. After appearing in only 45 minutes all of last season, he would seem more likely to be a candidate for the developmental roster again. But Goff has been doing this whole soccer journalism thing for much longer than me, so I digress.
Assuming Barklage makes the senior roster, that Woolard is sent packing, that Marc Burch will start the season on injured reserve, and that Juan Manuel Pena will make the team, we're already at 21 senior roster players. Lawson Vaughn and Tiyi Shipalane continue to be the two players currently on the roster who are most in danger of losing their jobs.
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I’m a little less optimistic about Yates making this particular United team. With the higher pressure style Onalfo is going towards, I don’t know if Yates has the intensity, focus, or speed to make a mark. On Soehn’s slower-paced team, he’d have fit right in. However, the roster math might end up giving him a shot at the very last spot on the team (see below).
I also don’t think our number of forwards is a big deal. Having 4, plus Quaranta and Khumalo, is pretty run of the mill for any MLS roster. Considering the structure of our roster, this seems like a balanced total.
I do, however, agree about DiRaimondo not being the best use of senior spots. I’m not sure where Goff is coming from on that one, because DiRaimondo only turns 24 in April (making him eligible for a developmental spot). I mean, if DiRaimondo has made it clear that he’ll turn down a developmental offer, then it makes sense. However, that would be a pretty ballsy position to take when you’re arguably our 5th choice defensive midfielder (behind Simms, Morsink, Wallace, and McTavish). From where I sit, DiRaimondo is either a developmental player, or he’s trying out for AC St. Louis (his hometown, and where he went to college).
Barklage, on the other hand, probably deserves a senior spot. Onalfo’s using him in his first-choice team, and as long as Quaranta’s playing centrally, Barklage is our best right midfielder.
Here’s how I see the roster panning out at this juncture:
Senior roster:
1. James
2. Jakovic
3. Cristman
4. Szetela
5. Allsopp
6. Castillo
7. Pontius
8. Morsink
9. Khumalo
10. McTavish
11. Simms
12. Wallace
13. Perkins
14. Barklage
15. Quaranta
16. Namoff
17. Wicks
18. Moreno
19. Pena
20. Adams
Injured reserve: Burch (leaving Onalfo with a decision to make sometime in June or July)
Developmental: Hamid, Rice, Najar, and either DiRaimondo (if he’ll take it) or Yates
That means that I see Vaughn and Shipalane getting cut. Vaughn hasn’t done anything in particular wrong, but with Adams having featured on both flanks (and more likely to attack, which Onalfo likes), it’s really one spot for those two players. Goff’s feeling is that Adams is going to be signed, and he’s usually right. I’ve already given my piece about Shipalane being redundant and not making enough impact with his speed, so him getting cut won’t surprise me at all. However, since he’s only 24, it is still theoretically possible that Shipalane is just demoted to the developmental squad, which will depend on whether the club wants to bring Najar up or not.
by ChestRockwell on Mar 16, 2025 7:47 AM EDT reply actions
@ DiRaimondo
Agreed on all counts, CR. From what I heard, DiRaimondo was underwhelming last year when he was loaned out to Richmond, so unless he’s got some kind of fire burning under him this preseason, I really can’t justify giving him a senior roster spot. If Yates is half as hungry as Cristman (man, Cristman is going to be a real asset this year, I just know it), then I’d like to see him on the reserve roster. I guess if it boils down to taking either DiRaimondo or Yates, I’ll take the one who wants it more, who sees a developmental roster spot as a means to something greater, and I’m more inclined to believe that Yates is that guy.
Man, I am making some gross generalizations about people I do not know at all. Is this my right as a fan?
by Dan Murphy on Mar 16, 2025 12:49 PM EDT up reply actions
You’re well within your rights. Actually, you seem to know more about DiRaimondo’s play in Richmond than I do. All I know about his time with the Kickers is that he scored a pretty good goal in the USL-2 final.
If desire is the question, though, I’ve got to think DiRaimondo will have more than Yates, based on past play. DiRaimondo may have limited technical ability, but he plays with a lot of intensity and desire. The knock on Yates has often been that, despite his skill, he just doesn’t want it enough.
We’ll see, though. Yates improved in terms of desire in his final year at MD. Maybe he pieced it together and is now ready to go hard after a career. Clarence Goodson actually sat a year out at MD to get his head together, and things have gone alright for him.
by ChestRockwell on Mar 16, 2025 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions
On DiRaimondo
I’m not sure where your writer, ShatzMarinara, comes to the conclusion that GOff has reported that DiRaimondo or Barklage are “likely” to earn senior roster spots, or that they’ve had impressive preseasons.
Here’s what Goff wrote:
“Midfielders John DiRaimondo and Brandon Barklage would be on senior contracts, assuming they make the final squad.”
Absolutely no comment at all on whether they’re likely to make the squad, and no opining on the quality of their preseason play. He was just making the point that they would not be getting developmental contracts. I’m guessing they will make the squad, because I think they’ll carry 9 in the midfield. If Yates makes it, then someone’s got to go. Shipilane would likely be the first man out, but I don’t think you can get that from anything Goff’s written.
by fischy on Mar 16, 2025 11:01 PM EDT up reply actions
Barklage is starting with the stronger group, which is as good an indicator as anything. The DiRaimondo-senior contract thing baffles me, because a) he’s eligible by age for a developmental deal, b) he’s not good enough to get a senior deal, and c) he’d have to be nuts to have dug his heels in and demanded one on a team that has 4 better options at the only position he plays.
I’m not basing the assumption that Shipalane will be cut on anything Goff or anyone else has written. It’s the fact that he apparently only plays as a right midfielder, and there are several other players that are better.
by ChestRockwell on Mar 17, 2025 6:32 AM EDT up reply actions
Not at all sure where this goes, but somebody should weigh in on it...
From Goff:
As a homegrown player, Hamid does not count against the 24-man roster (essentially, he is the 25th man) and affords DCU the flexibility to retain four keepers for the time being. Quinn is a candidate for one of the four traditional developmental slots.
I wasn’t the only one who missed that earlier, right? I feel like this not only gives us the flexibility to carry a fourth keeper, but more importantly gives us the ability to carry an extra defender. Or midfielder. Sounds like a huge boon.
by The AMT on Mar 16, 2025 4:18 PM EDT reply actions
I was coming back here to post the same thing. This was totally news to me. I thought Hamid just got salary cap protection as a GA player, but apparently it’s even better.
That not only opens up a developmental spot for Yates and DiRaimondo/Shipalane (assuming one of them is willing to take such a gig), but it also makes Najar that much more interesting to Onalfo and Kasper. We could sign him and end up with a 26 man roster.
In light of this news, here’s my revised prediction:
Senior roster (20 spots):
1. James
2. Jakovic
3. Cristman
4. Szetela
5. Allsopp
6. Castillo
7. Pontius
8. Morsink
9. Khumalo
10. McTavish
11. Simms
12. Wallace
13. Perkins
14. Barklage
15. Quaranta
16. Namoff
17. Wicks
18. Moreno
19. Pena
20. Adams
Burch will still go on the IR, which means a cut sometime in the future.
Developmental (4 spots):
1. Rice
2. Yates
3. Graye
4. DiRaimondo (if he’ll take a developmental deal) or Shipalane (if he’ll take a demotion)
Homegrown: Hamid, Najar
That means Vaughn might be in the weakest position of all right now, with Namoff slowly moving towards full fitness, McTavish apparently preferred as the backup, and Adams offering the versatility of playing both outside back spots.
by ChestRockwell on Mar 16, 2025 4:34 PM EDT up reply actions
This may be getting a little bit ahead of myself...
… but for how long do homegrown players remain totally roster-exempt? Is it only as long as they are GA? Or maybe after they graduate, the team takes a cap hit, but keeps the extra roster spot for as long as the homegrown player remains on the roster? So many new rules to remember! Damn you, Single Entity!
(Yeah, I took it there.)
by The AMT on Mar 16, 2025 4:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Typical MLS
The league has been known throughout its history to make up new rules and alter previous rules whenever it suits them. At least thats how it seems. I’m inclined to believe that the book on MLS roster rules is mostly vague, and its up to the team GMs to seek clarification when necessary.
The rules page on mlsnet.com discusses Homegrown players, but only as that being a means for adding new players to the roster. There is no reference to HG players being exempt from the 24-man roster. Today is the first that any of us have heard about it. And I’m guessing that today is the first that Goff heard about it too since its the first time he’s reporting it.
Here’s where I think that we might be misunderstanding the situation though. When the team signed Bill Hamid last year, it was just reported that he was signed to a Generation Adidas contract, but wasn’t specifically mentioned that he was signed under the Homegrown player rule (at least not anywhere that I can find, and I’ve looked). However, it was widely reported by Goff and on BTB that Hamid was not eligible to play in any league matches for the 2009 season. He was only eligible to participate in CCL matches. This leads me to believe that HG players are officially eligible for friendlies and nonleague competitions, but not eligible for the 24-man roster that the team chooses from for MLS matches.
If this is actually the case and more than just my hunch, then I would doubt that Hamid will be considered an HG player in 2010. They’re going to need him as Perkins’ backup for the first few weeks. The homegrown rule might be a good way to lock up Andy Najar though.
by Martin Shatzer on Mar 16, 2025 6:50 PM EDT up reply actions
It was supposed to be for 2009 only
See my comment below, with the quoted language — but when Hamid was signed, it was announced that he would not count towards the 2009 roster. It was also announced the extra “roster” slots would not carry over to the 2010 season.
by fischy on Mar 17, 2025 12:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Hamid's status
This was not the first we’ve heard about the special exemption for homegrown players!!! When Hamid was signed last year, the rule was announced. In fact, I’d bet the rule was crafted to make it possible for DCU to sign Hamid, even though they lacked the roster space — to keep him from going to Europe.
It doesn’t allow DCU to keep an extra player to use in all games. It allows them to sign an Academy player off the books, but also prevents them from using him in MLS games. If they add Hamid and Najar as “Homegrown roster-exempt” players, they’re not able to play in MLS games. It’s nice to keep the guys around that way — they can play in reserve games, and, I believe, in any non-league match (Goff wrote CONCACAF, but I think we’d established that Hamid would be available for USOC in Wicks’ absence).
My only question has been what are the limits on this exemption? Does it last so long as the team is prepared to keep him on this ‘subsidiary’ roster? As for Hamid, I’m kinda surprised that’s being raised now. I was expecting that he’d won a back-up job — even for MLS games. If DCU holds only a “25th” slot for Hamid, he can’t back-up Perkins. Perhaps, they’re comfortable having Quinn in that role, until Wicks is healthy.
by fischy on Mar 16, 2025 10:51 PM EDT reply actions
You're not looking hard enough.
Here’s what United had to say after Hamid’s signing:
“In July 2009, the MLS Board of Governors approved an amendment to the rules governing the signing of youth academy players. MLS clubs will receive two additional roster slots that may be used to sign academy players, in accordance with current Home Grown Player rules, to Generation adidas or Developmental contracts during the 2009 season. These players will not count toward the 24-player roster limit in 2009. Additionally these players may not play in League games during the 2009 season, but can participate in training, exhibition games and CONCACAF Champions League games. These additional player signings will count toward a team’s roster upon the commencement of the 2010 season.”
This begs the question as to whether Goff is correct about Hamid’s continued “Homegrown” roster-exemption status — but it was well-known that Hamid was not part of DCU’s 24-man MLS roster when he was signed. I’m kinda surprised by this case of collective amnesia.
by fischy on Mar 16, 2025 11:17 PM EDT reply actions
I remember that he wasn’t eligible for MLS play last year, but the 25th man thing that Goff put forward seemed to treat it like he was now eligible for every type of game and just didn’t count towards the cap or roster. My impression before this was that Hamid was now eligible for all games and took a developmental roster spot.
That’s where my confusion comes from.
by ChestRockwell on Mar 17, 2025 6:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Definitional ambiguity
What does this mean: “These additional player signings will count toward a team’s roster upon the commencement of the 2010 season."”??
To me, it meant that the additional roster slots would disappear and regular roster rules would apply to Hamid and Chiradze. However, in light of your interpretation of Goff’s comment (I’m not sure you’re correctly interpreting what Goff wrote), it could just mean that the restrictions on their use in MLS games would disappear.
by fischy on Mar 17, 2025 10:20 AM EDT up reply actions
Good pull on finding that quote!
I think that certainly helps clear things up as to his status last year.
But I’m still awaiting an official response as to his roster status for this year. Even if he IS still eligible for HG roster exemption status, I don’t think we would be wise to use that exemption on Hamid in 2010 if it means that he won’t be able to play in league matches. Because we’re going to need him on the regular 24-man roster.
by Martin Shatzer on Mar 17, 2025 6:40 AM EDT up reply actions
Goff seemed to be saying that until a new CBA is agreed to and the team is told otherwise, the DCU FO is choosing to interpret the rule in the light most favorable to them. So, for the time being, United is arguing to the league that the rule means homegrown players continue to be roster-exempt, even after they join the full first team (including in league matches) the year after they sign.
Not the most tenable argument I’ve ever heard, but not the least, either. That said, I like the policy (major incentive to develop young talent and keep it in the league); I just don’t think the language of the rule supports the interpretation.
by The AMT on Mar 17, 2025 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions
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