ORLANDO, Fla. (March 3, 2020) - Orlando City B has announced its roster ahead of its second season competing in the United Soccer League’s (USL) League One. The roster comprises a mix of Academy products, as well as players signed directly to Orlando City B, in their next step on the Club’s development pyramid along the pathway to the First Team.

“We are very excited to start a new chapter with Orlando City B. Our new roster exemplifies the pathway that we are working to fortify in making OCB the final step on the way to the First Team,” said Orlando City B Head Coach Marcelo Neveleff. “This is a very talented group and we are very excited for the season ahead.”

Returning from 2019 is midfielder Austin Amer after recording 26 appearances last season with OCB. In addition, 2020 MLS SuperDraft selections Austin Aviza and Nick O’Callaghan have signed OCB contracts. Aviza, a goalkeeper out of Providence College, was selected by the Lions at No. 44 overall in the second round of this year’s draft, while O’Callaghan, a defender out of Florida International University, was taken at No. 57 overall in the third round.

OCB welcomes eleven players on professional contracts with new additions in University of South Florida graduate Jonathan Rosales, former Tijuana defender Juan Pablo Monticelli and defenders Franklin Carabali and Mateo Rodas. On the attacking side, the Lions have signed midfielders Theodore Ndje and Raul Aguilera along with forward Aleksander Gluvacevic to pro contracts.

Name Position Contract Previous Club Javier Otero GK Academy Russell Robles GK Academy Austin Aviza GK Pro Providence College Jonathan Rosales D Pro University of South Florida Michael Halliday D Academy Juan Ramos D Academy Daniel Rosario D Academy Juan Pablo Monticelli D Pro Club Tijuana (Mexico) Franklin Carabali D Pro America de Quito (Ecuador) Owen Guske D Academy Mateo Rodas D Pro Tigres FC (Colombia) Mason Lamb D Academy Thomas Williams D Academy Nick O’Callaghan D Pro Florida International University Adam Ozeri M Loan Ferro Carril Oeste (Argentina) Austin Amer M Pro Theodore Ndje M Pro Banfield (Argentina) Raul Aguilera M Pro University of North Carolina Ignacio Poplawski M Loan Estudiantes De La Plata (Argentina) Julian Kennedy F Academy Aleksandar Gluvacevic F Pro OFK Vrsac Fablo Dos Santos Oliveira F Loan Clube Atletico de Barra de Tijuca (Brazil) Wilfredo Rivera F Academy Kenji Tanaka De Paula F Academy

Over half of the 2020 roster is comprised of Orlando City Development Academy products, with 14 total named to this year’s squad. Goalkeepers Russel Robles and Javier Otero join defenders Michael Halliday, Juan Ramos, Daniel Rosario, Owen Guske, Mason Lamb and Thomas Williams on the defensive side of the ball. On the attacking end, forwards Julian Kennedy, Wilfredo Rivera and Kenji Tanaka De Paula have been named from the Academy to the OCB roster.

Aguilera, a University of North Carolina product, is a native of Sanford, Florida and one of the nation’s top collegiate prospects and former Orlando City DA player, along with Amer and O’Callaghan.

Three players join Orlando City B on loan for the 2020 campaign, all coming from South American clubs. Midfielders Adam Ozeri and Ignacio Poplawski come from Argentine sides Ferro Carril Oeste and Estudiantes De La Plata respectively, while forward Fablo Dos Santos Oliveria comes from Brazil’s Clube Atletico de Barra de Tijuca.

The full Orlando City B roster can be found below.