Pablo Mastroeni explains why RSL signed a 3rd USL Championship player in 2 years
Fidel Barajas joins Real Salt Lake after winning USL Championship Young Player of the Year with the Charleston Battery, and the 17-year-old midfielder already looks like he belongs.
Pablo Mastroeni stopped short of calling it a trend. But there’s no reason to disapprove of Real Salt Lake’s third transfer signing from USL Championship in just over two seasons.
Fidel Barajas made his formal, practice-based debut Tuesday at the Zions Bank Training Center, with the 17-year-old midfielder showcasing his technical ability and natural touch on the ball with a trio of bangers during scrimmage sessions as RSL opened the 2024 preseason Tuesday.
The teenager from Sacramento, California, who has represented both the United States and Mexico at the youth international level isn’t wasting any time showing he belongs with his MLS peers.
“You never know how a player is going to come in when he goes up a level, just like Diego (Luna),” Mastroeni said. “There are certainly going to be some tough moments for him. But for me, he really showed his field presence — the way he carries himself. He’s always looking for the ball, his technique is very good, and he’s always looking for the goal, too, which is an unusual thing these days with everyone trying to make pretty passes. He’s always looking for a shot.
“He’s a tireless worker. He’s committed. He’s got a great demeanor about him as a person. I am really excited about the prospects of another young player making this jump and seeing his presence.”
Barajas is the third player to join Real Salt Lake from the USL Championship in just over two seasons, along with Diego Luna (El Paso) and Kevon Lambert (Phoenix). The former has been a star at the U.S. youth level for years, just got his first senior national team call-up at 20 years old, and appears to be one of the bright young stars in Major League Soccer with five goals and three assists in his first 36 appearances, including 17 starts.
Lambert, 26, is more new to the club. But one of the brightest defenders in the Championship with Phoenix Rising FC made two regular-season appearances for Real Salt Lake after joining the club late last year, and can also play defensive midfield as Mastroeni builds on the team’s playing structure — likely to play with two holding midfielders and two pivot-mids to facilitate wide play in 2024.
But the USL trio at RSL aren’t the only standouts from the league to make big moves in recent years.
Former RSL forward Milan Iloski was transferred directly from Orange County SC in the USL Championship to Danish Superliga club FC Nordsjaelland last year, Joseph Okumu made the move from then-USL side Real Monarchs to IF Elfsborg in Allsvenskan, Sweden, and Jonathan Gomez signed a deal with Real Sociedad in Spain’s La Liga directly out of Louisville City FC in 2021 (to name a few examples).
In other words, RSL isn’t alone in scouting the lower divisions of North American soccer for the next top-flight star (or even contributor).
“The great thing, for me, is that we’re kind of breaking the barrier of feeling like those players can’t play at this level,” Mastroeni said. “I think most players just need an opportunity, and when they get an opportunity and you believe in the players that you’re bringing up, I feel like they have a good chance to succeed.”
Listen to Mastroeni’s complete conversation after training camp above, or by searching “Salt City FC” where ever you listen to podcasts.