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Philadelphia Union II has played 17 of its 28 games, and the mid-summer transition – when YSC Academy seniors graduate and are replaced by next season’s “rising” seniors – is fully underway. Midseason is time for Philly Soccer Page’s mid-year Union II roster analysis.

The analysis will appear as it is completed, and this year it exists in four parts.

• A brief initial category of two outliers (click here)
• First-team deep reserves who have “played down” for developmental game minutes (see link above)
• Actual Union II professionals (click here)
• Those academy amateurs who have played – or will probably play – roles for the professional-level farm team.

The mid-season roster analysis does not categorize the academy amateurs group well because it captures them in the aforementioned transition.

One amateur whose future plans remain uncertain

Eddy Davis III: When 18.1-year-old striker Eddy Davis III (see photo) graduated from YSC Academy on June 7th, the event’s program stated his future soccer plans were uncertain. His graduation speech made it clear the Union’s academy had given his soccer career a second chance after New York Red Bull II sent him back down to Red Bull’s academy.

This year the Union Academy’s decision to offer Davis another chance has proven beyond wise.

Currently tied for the second-most goals in the league with nine, Davis leads his own team with his impressive performance. He has made several well-timed runs into the box to receive passes from either CJ Olney or Frank Westfield, resulting in unstoppable short and medium-range goals. This highlights the effectiveness of Union II’s attack through its left channel, where Olney and Westfield have combined for 17 assists.

We have found no evidence to explain why Davis’s future soccer plans are uncertain. We speculate two possible explanations but they are unsupported by logic.

• The sketchily known circumstances of Bajung Darboe’s soccer departure from the Union’s Academy suggest that perhaps an academy that initially enrolled a player may be allowed to override its previous separation decision and successfully reclaim him. Minnesota may have displaced the Union’s claim to Darboe before his MLS path further unfolded to LAFC. (Via remote learning, Darboe stayed with the Union’s academy graduating from YSC June 7.)
• The better-known circumstances of Marcos Zambrano’s departure suggest that a club from outside may be bidding against the Union for Davis’s signature.

The statistics of Davis’s 2024 season-to-date are gaudy, contrasting those from 2023. We have little idea what has caused this contrast. He has appeared in all 17 of 2024’s matches, starting 14 times. He has 1,161 minutes. He has 44 shots (16 more than second-place Sal Olivas) with 23 on target (11 more than second-place Olney). Also, 10 Davis passes have set up goals or shot attempts, sixth on the team.

The numbers, the eye test, and the YSC Academy’s graduation details suggest Keystone Sports should be trying to sign Davis as some level of professional.

Four departing U II amateurs

Alex Perez: The 18 ¼ -year-old YSC graduate is off to Virginia Tech after solid contributions this year and last as a depth piece in Union II’s midfield, usually in a defensive double pivot.

This season, Perez had seven appearances with two starts, totaling 187 minutes. Usually, he came on as half of a double six at the end of matches, although there was an appearance or two as a forward midfielder. He was a mainstay of coach LeBLanc’s practice sessions giving way in games to midfielder’s coming down from the first team practice.

He commented last summer that Virginia Tech had a good record of its players moving onward to other things, if nothing developed directly with the Union, and that is where he is going.

Jonathan Evans: The 18-year-old goalkeeper suffered the usual fate of backup keepers – many practice minutes, but no game ones. His soccer will continue at Penn State, probably later this month or early next if it has not already begun.

Antonios Horozoglou: The diminutive 18-year-old attacker of Greek ancestry has been a mainstay of Union II practices, and has dressed for games a few times but never set foot on a game pitch. There has been an unofficial hint or two that the class of 2024 graduate may pursue soccer opportunities overseas through a family connection.

Jack Andrus The 18 ½ -year-old left back became a fixture at Union II practices once he had recovered from an earlier injury. He dressed a few times but never experienced any game minutes. He will continue soccer at Rutgers later this summer if he has not joined them already.

Two returning U II amateurs

Gavin Wetzel: The soon-to-be 18-year-old defender is a class of 2025 rising senior. His early days in the academy were spent as a center back, but since last fall, he has been learning outside back, primarily on the right side. He seems sure to be part of coach LeBlanc’s squad moving forward.

Wetzel is strong on the defensive side of the ball. He has been LeBlanc’s game-closing substitute for starter Jamir Berdecio. In emergencies, he has reverted to center back. He has eight starts and eight substitute appearances, totaling 837 minutes this year. His future growth opportunity is on the offensive side of the ball, both in his passing and his judgement when the risk of moving up into the attack is safer to take.

Ryan Zellefrow: (17.9) At nearly 18-years-old, the young striker played for Portland Timbers 2 in 2023. We believe he may have been local, coming from Conestoga High School before moving out west, but we haven’t confirmed this or that he is enrolled at YSC Academy, although we assume it. Based on this season’s substitution patterns, we believe he is skilled at penalty kicks. He made four substitute appearances totaling 22 minutes and was also on the bench, but did not play, eight other times.

If former U17 players now rising to Union II and do well during tryouts, his future with the squad may be displaced.

Eight new U II amateur candidates

Jamir Johnson:  The 16-year-old has played either striker, winger, or forward midfield roles. His constant is that he has an excellent pace and, as a result, has been deployed wherever it would be most impactful. This season he had a one-minute toe-wetting cameo in March, and a more substantive substitution of 35 minutes against Columbus 2 on June 2. He was called up to the US U16s for a trip to Argentina in late May. Since he is physically slight, his ability to survive the athleticism of MLS NEXT Pro will be a question.

Kellen LeBlanc: The 16 ¼ -year-old offensive-minded midfielder has contributed to the Academy U17s’ success this season in both the GA Cup and MLS Next Cup tournaments. Since his family — head coach Marlon LeBlanc is his father — cannot vacation midsummer, he has been available to be a midfield depth piece now that last season’s seniors are going off to college. He has sat the bench with no minutes for the two most recent Union II matches. Two earlier appearances saw him on the pitch for 17 and 19 minutes, respectively. His ability to affect play positively in the face of MLS Next Pro’s physical athleticism remains a fundamental question to be answered as he moves forward. Soccer IQ and technical skill are not in question.

Gavin Atkinson: The 17 ¼ -year old goalkeeper practiced last summer with Union II sitting the game bench nine times, but then he dropped back down to the academy. He started consistently for the Academy U17s this year. This summer could easily repeat last’s but he can no longer drop down to the U17s.

Diego Rocio: The almost 17-year-old striker showed a knack for scoring unplanned goals out of breakdown chaos with the U17s this season. He has been selected for the MLS NEXT Allstar game Tuesday, July 23 (streamed at 11:30 AM on MLSsoccer.com) that is part of the MLS Allstar game event sequence. He was named player of the tournament in this year’s U17 Generation Adidas Cup, and was called up to the U16 Mexican national youth side in mid-April. He cameoed once for Union II in March against New England Revolution II for 19 minutes.

Zach Mastrodimos: (17.3) The 17 ¼ -year-old versatile defender has appeared as a defensive midfielder, on outside back, and a shuttling midfielder for the U17s this season. He has been seen practicing with Union II but has not yet dressed for a match.

Andrew Craig: (16.8) The 16 ¾ -year-old defender was injured for the GA Cup final. He had recovered soon thereafter because he was seen practicing with Union II. He played for the U17s during their MLS NEXT Cup run. He sat Union II’s bench on June 2 against Columbus 2 but did not see the field.

Anisse Saidi: The 16-year-old Tunisian youth international plays striker and served as captain of this year’s academy U17 side. After the GA Cup was won, he travelled to Spain to add depth to the U16s during their tour. He dressed and sat the bench in late March against New England Revolution II and saw the pitch for 17 minutes as a substitute against Columbus 2 on June 2. He has been seen practicing with Union II upon occasion.

Henry Bernstein: (17.5) The 17 ½-year-old defensive midfielder is the most recent U17 alumnus to dress for Union II, doing so on Thursday, July 11 against Chattanooga at Subaru Park as a secondary defensive depth piece.

Saidi, Johnson and LeBlanc are birth year 2008s and so could return to the coming season’s U17 squad. Bernstein, Craig, Mastrodimos, Rocio, and Atkinson are 2007s and do not have that option.