Photo courtesy Philadelphia Union

It is again time to continue PSP’s midseason roster analysis. Strikers were discussed July 2^nd, and goalkeepers were considered July 3^rd.

Before we continue the player by player discussion we reiterate some generalities about the organization’s process.

• eight to ten games for evaluation purposes.
• Age
• foregoing an athletic scholarship is major
• other less publicized pathways to the pros.

Illustrating the last bullet, Jeremy Rafanello left Penn State after one season to trial and earn a contract in Denmark, and Nick Pariano spent four years at Duke before signing with the Union.

Player by player

This year we divide the 25 players we will discuss by positions: Strikers, Midfielders, Defenders, and Goalkeepers.

Defenders 

 Rafael Uzcategui: (ooze – CAT – eh – gwee). The name’s ethnicity is Basque.  All data is as of 7/2/25. Age = 20.7. Union II matches: 11 appearances. 11 starts. 957 minutes played. 1 goal. 1 captain’s armband. Union II friendlies: 1 appearance. 1 start. 90 minutes played. Union II contract, length unknown.

Uzcategui is Venezuelan with 14 caps for Venezuelan youth national teams. But in 2024 he played in Colombia’s first division for Boyaca Chico who finished in last place. In the second half of the Colombian season, he played center back 15 of 19 games totaling 1,350 minutes. In the first half he played primarily as a right back with 10 appearances, 7 of them starts, totaling 765 minutes played.

He was trialing with Union II at the beginning of the season. His signing was announced March 14, 2025. He has started every match since, having been replaced at halftime once.

His international status has constrained his ability to sit the bench for first team Open Cup and friendly matches according to coach Richter.

We assume this season is an investment in cultural, linguistic, and Union system acclimation. That he was captain when Nick Pariano was unavailable suggests the acclimation is going well.

Uzcategui’s willingness to serve as a distributor out of the defense has improved. At first, he deferred to Neil Pierre whenever possible. But when Pierre became absent he stepped into the role. He and Pierre seem to work well together as a center back pairing.

Only once has an opponent run away from Uzcategui with pace. In effect he has successfully replaced Olwethu Makhanya from the 2024 Union II team.

Neil Pierre: all data as of 7/2/25. Age = 17.7. Union MLS matches: 7 times he has dressed but has not played. Union friendlies: 1 appearance. 0 starts. 45 minutes played. Union II matches: 9 appearances. 9 starts. 715 minutes played. 1 goal. First team contract, homegrown, no longer eligible to be off roster – unofficially.

Pierre and Uzcategui have been integral to Union II’s allowing the fewest goals in MLS NEXT Pro this season, 11, albeit in only 13 games.

We expect he will make his MLS regular season debut sometime before the end of the season.

Isaiah LeFlore. All data as of 7/3/25. Union matches: 4 dressed, did not play. Union friendlies: 1 appearance. 0 starts. 45 minutes played. Union II matches: 12 appearances. 12 starts. 1038 minutes played. 1 goal. 1 assist. Union II friendlies: 1 appearance. 1 start. 45 minutes played. 1 goal. First team contract, active roster.

LeFlore at the beginning of the season was recovering from a surgical knee suffered day one of the previous season, and so this year was in effect a brand-new signing undergoing initial evaluation. He was with the team in Spain and then Florida during preseason. He got minutes in the preseason matches. Unsurprisingly, he began his Philadelphia game career with Union II.

The offensive side of his outside back play has been strong. The initial questions were about his reliability as a defender. They have diminished but not disappeared.

His role in the organization appears to be holding down outside back while youngster Jordan Griffin (see below) develops. He’s not going to replace Kai Wagner.

Jordan Griffin: all data as of 7/3/25. Age = 16.7. Union II matches: 4 appearances. 2 starts. 198 minutes played. 1 assist. Union II friendlies: 1 appearance. 1 start. 90 minutes played. 1 assist. He has played on “zero dollar” contracts every game to date, since he remains an Academy amateur.

Jordan Griffin

Griffin’s role with Union II will expand this summer as the team sheds those who graduated in June and have – or will – matriculated to college or university programs. He has been practicing with Union II since sometime last season, but has shuttled between the Academy teams and the professional development team as circumstances have warranted.

We expect he will push LeFlore for minutes at left back for the rest of the season.

Oscar Benitez: all data as of 7/3/25.  Age = 20.7. Union II matches: 8 appearances. 0 starts. 220 minutes played. Union II friendlies: 1 appearance. 1 start. 90 minutes played. Union II contract, details unknown.

Benitez should be considered a center back according to his head coach Ryan Richter. He has filled in at defensive midfielder at times, but center back is his better position. He is an excellent athlete, including his pace and quickness. So far he has been able to run down opposing strikers from behind. He is a ball winner.

Benitez is not yet a confident ball distributor, especially over longer distances. We suspect his individual development plan resembles that of Auston Trusty in Trusty’s earliest days with Bethlehem Steel FC a decade ago. It is a skill set that Trusty proved can be learned.

Gavin Wetzel: all data as of 7/3/25. Age = 18.8. Union II matches: 9 appearances. 9 starts. 801 minutes played. 1 captain’s armband. Union II friendlies: 1 appearance. 0 starts. 45 minutes. I He has played on “zero dollar” contracts every game to date, since he remains an Academy amateur and has now matriculated to the University of Pittsburgh.

Wetzel characterizes himself as a center back primarily. Last season he started the last dozen games at right back providing utterly reliable defense during Union II’s stretch run into the playoffs and the league championship.

Coach Richter has said he will be a player whom the organization continues to monitor. They monitored Rafanello and Pariano the same way. We expect Wetzel will practice with Union II during his collegiate vacations and around his summer USL League Two commitments, as do several other former academy players.