TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing
Real Salt Lake have signed defender Jaziel Orozco as a homegrown player through the 2023 MLS season, the club announced Thursday.
Orozco, 17, joins after time with Real Monarchs and the RSL Academy. He's also featured in U17 and U20 youth national team camps for Mexico.
With the Monarchs, Orozco has featured in 24 USL Championship matches.
“To find a center back with quality on the ball and who reads the game as well as Jaziel is rare – to find it in a player his age is exceptional,” general manager Elliot Fall said in a release. “Jaziel provides an ideal partner to our other young center backs and we’re excited to watch them develop over the next several years.”
Orozco previously trained with Liga MX clubs Tigres UANL and Santos Laguna before signing with RSL's residency program. In his one year with the Academy, the El Paso, Texas native appeared in 14 matches at the U16 and U17 levels.
Orozco is the latest in a procession of defenders to move from RSL's academy to the first team. Earlier this year, fellow center back Zack Farnsworth signed his first professional contract. And four homegrowns played roles during RSL’s run to the 2021 Western Conference Final: Andrew Brody, Justen Glad, Aaron Herrera and Erik Holt.
