The 2026 MLS NEXT Pro season was a season of growth for Orlando City B. The club fielded the youngest team it has ever put on the pitch, one of the youngest in the entire league, and trusted that group to grow in real time. The club saw changes on the sideline, a record number of Academy debuts, call-ups to national teams and a steady stream of players moving up to the First Team or out on loan to Europe. Wins and losses tell part of the story, but what stands out is how many players used OCB as a launching pad, and how the future of the young players in the organization is as bright as ever.
Stepping up to the First Team
Justin Ellis and Bernardo Rhein opened the 2026 season with OCB. Today, both are on First Team contracts and starting in MLS. Ellis went a step further, earning his first call-up to the U.S. Men's National Team's senior squad and scoring twice in three matches played, with his debut goal coming at Inter.co Stadium in Orlando.
Goalkeeper Tristan Himes, a player who started in the Academy in the early years, signed a Homegrown contract and is now the Lions' third First Team goalkeeper, while defender Clovis Archange also signed to a Homegrown deal.
Harvey Sarajian, the fifth overall pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft, went back and forth between OCB and the First Team. After scoring seven goals and adding six assists with the MLS NEXT Pro side, he has now continued to feature for the first team, scoring two goals and adding two assists.
Issa Haruna, drafted 20th overall by the MLS side, made his first-team debut during Leagues Cup 2026. He was one of the most influential players on the OCB roster and a constant presence in the middle of the park.
Ignacio Gómez arrived on loan from Vélez Sarsfield and received his own First Team opportunity, scoring in Orlando's 4–1 MLS victory over Charlotte FC back in April.
Going global
Dylan Judelson's year took him well beyond Orlando. He was called up to the CONCACAF U20 Championship for Canada, then later loaned to Italian powerhouse Genoa. There, he continues his development with an important Serie A club.
Parker Amoo-Mensah had a strong first professional season and was recently called up to the U19 U.S. Youth National Team.
Debuts on debuts
Fifteen non-signed Academy players made their professional debuts for OCB, a club record.
Parker Amoo-Mensah, Landon Okonski, Nico Lasheras, Luca Maxim, Caleb Trombino, Matthew Belgodere, Brady Kendall, Toryn Penders, Logan Tsopanoglou, Jakob Garcia, Landon Mellecker, Hector Aguirre, Desh Nkeh, Nico Torres and Dominic Baczewski all got their first taste of pro soccer in an OCB jersey.
It also made OCB the youngest team the club has ever fielded, and one of the youngest in MLS NEXT Pro.
Coaches stepping up
As the season for OCB began, Head Coach Manuel Goldberg was promoted to the MLS coaching staff, which left assistant coach Julian Vergara to provide stability as interim head coach. After a few months, Eddie Wilding stepped up from the Academy to lead the group through the remainder of the season, doing an excellent job and securing some notable results, including a 4-1 road win against in-state rival Inter Miami CF II.
