Anthony Hudson selects eight MLS players for first camp with US U-20 national team

THURSDAY, 10:35 AM ET: Orlando City SC's Jordan Bender replaced FC Dallas academy defender Kevin Bonilla on Thursday morning, as Bonilla was forced to pull out of the camp due to an injury.

WEDNESDAY, 12 PM ET: Anthony Hudson named seven MLS players to the 24-man roster for his first training camp in charge of the US Under-20 men’s national team, which opens this week at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida and runs through Jan. 19. The U-20s will face Mexico in friendlies on Jan. 16 and 18.

FC Dallas lead the way with two players selected, while Chicago Fire FC, the Colorado Rapids, Houston Dynamo, Real Salt Lake, San Jose Earthquakes and Sporting KC are also represented. Indiana's Aidan Morris has reportedly signed a Homegrown deal with Columbus Crew SC.

Two players, Marlon Vargas and John Pulskamp, play with the USL Championship affiliates of their MLS clubs while Nico Benalcazar (NYCFC) and Blake Malone (Seattle Sounders) are members of MLS academies.

“I’m very proud to be joining U.S. Soccer,” said Hudson, the former Rapids coach whose hiring was also officially announced on Wednesday, in a statement. “It’s a really exciting time with the game's rapid growth in this country and especially with so many talented young players coming through the ranks. I can’t wait to work with them and help develop these players into contributors at the highest level.”

This month’s gathering will serve as the first step in preparations for this summer’s Concacaf U-20 Championship, the qualifying event for the 2021 FIFA U-20 World Cup, which kicks off next May in Indonesia.

The US – who are the defending Concacaf U-20 champions – are scheduled to face Costa Rica, Jamaica and St. Kitts & Nevis in group-stage play at this year's Concacaf tournament, for which the venue details have yet to be announced.

USA U-20 roster for January 2020 camp