17-year-old GK signs with Colorado Rapids

by Travis Clark

February 21, 2020

One of the best young players in the USL Championship in 2019 has signed in MLS.

Goalkeeper Abraham Rodriguez joined the Colorado Rapids via a Homegrown deal, the team announced this week.

"Abe has been turning heads since he made his debut in the USL Championship last year as a 16-year-old,” Pádraig Smith, Colorado Rapids EVP & General Manager, said in a statement. “We knew how talented he was from his time in the academy and his performances at the USL level, and the level of maturity he has already shown in his young professional career gives us the confidence that he has the ability to develop into a top-class goalkeeper.”

The work has just begun!#Rapids96 | @WesternUnion pic.twitter.com/Ady7XqoVSG
— Colorado Rapids (@ColoradoRapids) February 20, 2020

The Rapids Academy product played 16 games for the Colorado Springs Switchbacks in the USL Championship during the 2019 campaign. Named to the 20 Under 20 list, Rodriguez was a smash hit on his professional debut, earning Player of the Week after saving a penalty kick.

Rodriguez first joined the Rapids Academy with the Under-14 age group back in 2016. He is the No. 118 ranked player in the 2020 Boys IMG Academy Top 150.