Griffin Yow is the latest up-and-coming U.S. youth prospect to turn pro as a teenager.

The 16-year-old signed a Homegrown contract with D.C. United, the club announced on Tuesday.

"Griffin is a promising young prospect who has grown tremendously in the past 18 months in our Academy,” D.C. United General Manager and VP of Soccer Operations Dave Kasper said in a statement. “He has been a top performer for our U-17 Academy team, and has represented the U.S. Youth National Teams at various levels and we're looking forward to utilizing our new USL Championship club, Loudoun United FC, to begin his development as a professional soccer player."

Ranked as the No. 4 player in the 2021 Boys IMG Academy Top 150, Yow's emerged as a regular option for the U.S. Under-17 Men's National Team over the past year. He's spent four years in the D.C. United Academy, where he scored 41 goals in 68 U.S. Soccer Development Academy from 2016-2019.

Yow made his debut with Loudoun United in the USL Championship during the first weekend of the league season, and scored a goal in his first professional start on Saturday night against Memphis 901 FC.

"We are incredibly proud of Griffin and his efforts to reach the first team,” Ryan Martin, D.C. United Academy Director, said. “He's obviously talented but his mentality and drive make him unique."

Several U.S. U17 MNT players have officially turned pro ahead of the current cycle, with Yow being the latest. They include Joseph Scally, Gianluca Busio, Gilbert Fuentes, Dante Sealy, Daniel Leyva, Tyler Freeman, George Bello and Joshua Atencio.

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