The LA Galaxy have loaned six players to the Galaxy II, the club’s newly created USL PRO side, the team announced Friday.
Jack McBean, Rafael Garcia, Bradford Jamieson IV, Raul Mendiola, Charlie Rugg and Oscar Sorto will join the Galaxy II ahead of their inaugural league game on Saturday against the Orange County Blues at the StubHub Center Track and Field Stadium.
The Galaxy announced they have also loaned Kyle Venter, Kofi Opare and Kenney Walker to Galaxy II for Saturday's game.
LA are the first team to create their own USL PRO team, as part of the MLS-USL partnership that began in 2013. However, they likely won't be the last, as the New York Red Bulls recently announced they plan on creating their own USL PRO side next year. In addition, Real Salt Lake have been working to secure a location for a soccer facility and stadium in Southern California, which reportedly would house a USL PRO team of their own.
The 19-year-old McBean (above) has received the most first-team playing time of the loanees to Galaxy II. He’s spent the last three seasons with the Galaxy since being signed as the second Homegrown player in club history in January 2011.
The forward made career highs in appearances, starts and assists in 2013 with 15 games played, seven starts, one goal and two assists. McBean became the youngest player in club history to start a game and score a goal, in the 2011 season finale when he scored against the Houston Dynamo at 16 years and 312 days old.
Garcia, 25, has made 10 MLS regular season appearances with a single start in two seasons with the Galaxy since being drafted in the second round of the 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft. In 2013, the midfielder made a career-high 16 appearances in all official competitions for the Galaxy.
Jamieson, a former US U-17 international, was the sixth Homegrown player to be signed from the LA Galaxy Academy. A native of Los Angeles and senior at Santa Monica High School, he IV has tallied three goals in 11 appearances for the LA Galaxy Academy U-18 side in the 2013-14 US Soccer Developmental Academy season.
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Mendiola, 19, signed a Homegrown player contract with the Galaxy in February 2014 after spending the past three seasons with the Galaxy Academy.
Rugg was drafted 19th overall by the Galaxy in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft from Boston College. In his first season as a professional, the 23-year-old made six appearances across all competitions for the Galaxy with four games in MLS, one in US Open Cup, and one in CONCACAF Champions League.
Sorto was signed in January 2013 to became the first defender signed from the Galaxy Academy after a successful academy career that included helping LA U-18s win the 2011-12 SoCal Division title. The 19-year-old made a pair of appearances for the Galaxy first team in his rookie season, both starts which came during the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League.
