The MLS preseason is underway with the teams preparing for the 2021 campaign. A number of teams have already added Academy players to the first team roster via a Homegrown contract with MLS, but there are some other teams using this preseason as a chance to see how the academy players fare against the professionals over the next few weeks. 

Some of the players have already impressed their first team coaching staff. Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer spoke glowingly of defender Cody Baker after the first few training sessions. On the opposite coast, Cooper Flax is back with the NYCFC for preseason for the second consecutive season. Flax, a Wake Forest commit, is one of six NYCFC academy players with the first team during preseason. 

Below is a list of the academy players training with their first team during the preseason. The list will be updated when more rosters are released, and players will be taken off the list when they sign their first professional contracts prior to the season. 

 

Name	Club	Birthdate	Position
Cullen Wilkerson	Colorado Rapids	9/7/2004	M
Elton Chifamba	Crew SC	4/19/2003	M
Noah Hall	Crew SC	1/12/2003	D
Anthony Samways	Crew SC	2002	D
TJ Presthus	Crew SC	2/3/2003	D
Sam Sarver	Crew SC	2003	F
Levi Stephens	Crew SC	2004	D
Antonio Carrera	FC Dallas	3/15/2004	GK
Nighte Pickering	FC Dallas	1/26/2005	F
Joyner Castillo	Houston Dynamo	1/21/2003	F
Jathan Juarez	Houston Dynamo	12/24/2002	M
Kieran Sargeant	Houston Dynamo	5/15/2003	M
Emmanuel Smalios	Houston Dynamo	9/18/2002	GK
Logan Erb	Houston Dynamo	1/7/2004	GK
Cooper Flax	NYCFC	1/21/2004	M
Diego Rossi	NYCFC	5/19/2005	RB
Dren Dobruna	NYCFC	7/29/2005	LB
Mateo Ponce Ocampo	NYCFC	3/13/2005	M
Gianluca Armellino	NYCFC	3/2/2005	F
Mark Cajamarca	NYCFC	2/6/2006	M
Takashi Sasaki	Seattle Sounders	6/2/2004	D
Cody Baker	Seattle Sounders	1/7/2004	D
Juan Alvarez	Seattle Sounders	8/30/2004	M
Kayden Pierre	Sporting KC	2/16/2003	D
Gavin Krenecki	Sporting KC	3/18/2003	GK