Sporting KC signs Erik Palmer-Brown to Homegrown Player contract

So, what were you doing as a 16-year-old?

Erik Palmer-Brown is a 16-year-old that just got signed to play professional soccer with Sporting Kansas City. The Sporting Academy product is the youngest player on the Sporting KC roster and the only player born in 1997 on an active roster in the entire league.

Palmer-Brown has trained with the senior team before and made an appearance in a reserve league match last year. He has made appearances with the U-15 and U-17 national teams and is ranked as the number one prospect in the region by Top Drawer Soccer. He is ranked ninth nationally.

Palmer-Brown was signed to a Homegrown Player contract, which means that his salary will not count against the MLS Salary Cap. He will join Jon Kempin and Kevin Ellis as the other players under Homegrown contracts.

While playing professional soccer for Sporting KC, he will complete his high-school education at Archbishop O'Hara high school in Kansas City, MO.

Palmer-Brown will be available for selection as early as this Saturday's match against the New York Red Bulls, however it is extremely unlikely that he sees playing time this year at the league level. I wouldn't be surprised to see him sent to Orlando City at some point, but his education may get in the way of that.