Signing of Kaveh Rad gives Sporting KC 11 current homegrown players

As of Monday, Sporting Kansas City can turn it up to 11.

With the signing of 19-year-old center back Kaveh Rad as a homegrown player, Sporting KC now has 11 homegrown players on its current roster — tops in Major League Soccer. The center back is the 16th homegrown player to move up from the Sporting Kansas City Academy overall.

Rad signed a two-year MLS contract through 2022 with options for 2023 and 2024.

Rad has started 34 of 38 matches for Sporting Kansas City II in the USL Championship over the last two seasons. He busted out in 2019, signing an amateur academy contract and making 22 USL Championship appearances. Rad featured in all 16 matches for Sporting KC II during a shortened 2020 campaign, leading the team in minutes (1,260) and passes (871) while starting in four of the club’s five wins.

Rad, a native of North Carolina, started three of four preseason appearances with the first team in Arizona.

Rad’s twin brother Jahon is under contract with Sporting KC II.

Rad joins Grayson Barber, Gianluca Busio, Ozzie Cisneros, Cam Duke, Tyler Freeman, Wilson Harris, Felipe Hernandez, Jaylin Lindsey, Daniel Salloi and Brooks Thompson as academy products on Sporting’s roster.