SAN JOSE, Calif. – Earthquakes II has signed seven players to MLS NEXT Pro professional contracts for the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro season. The team will also be supported by young first team players, including teenage homegrowns Cruz Medina and Emi Ochoa, and select Quakes Academy players.
Notable Quakes Academy players that are returning from the 2022 season are Sebastian Carbajal, Israel Carrillo, Alex Chow, Diego Guerra, Martin Kwende Jr., Giancarlo Mota-Morfin, and Nathan Rodrigues.
Below are bios for the seven players signed to MLS NEXT Pro contracts, listed alphabetically by last name:
Jerry Ayon
Ayon, 21, returns for his second season with Earthquakes II after tallying one goal and one assist in 19 appearances in 2022. A former member of the Quakes Academy, Ayon also played for Mexico’s Monarcas Morelia and represented the United States at the U16 and U18 levels.
Transaction: Earthquakes II exercise club option on midfielder Jerry Ayon.
Pronunciation: i-OHN
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-9
Weight:148 lbs.
Born: Sept. 16, 2001
Preferred Foot: Right
Hometown: Salinas, Calif.
Previous Club: Earthquakes II, ECFC
College: N/A
Eduardo ‘Lalo’ Blancas
Blancas, 21, tallied six goals and four assists in 24 appearances for Earthquakes II in 2022. A former member of the Quakes Academy, Blancas spent time training with Reno 1868 FC and earned call-ups to the United States U16 National Team and Mexico U17 National Team. He also previously played for the LA Galaxy U18 Academy and Real Salt Lake U16 Academy.
Transaction: Earthquakes II exercise club option on forward Eduardo ‘Lalo’ Blancas.
Pronunciation: BLAHN-kus
Position: Forward
Height: 5-10
Weight:158 lbs.
Born: Nov. 14, 2001
Preferred Foot: Right
Hometown: Napa, Calif.
Previous Club: Earthquakes II, Napa Valley 1839 FC
College: N/A
Alejandro Cano
Cano, 18, competed for Earthquakes II in 2022 as a member of the Quakes Academy, making 13 appearances. Internationally, Cano has made 13 appearances for the El Salvador U20s.
Transaction: Earthquakes II sign defender Alejandro Cano to an MLS NEXT Pro professional contract.
Pronunciation: CAH-no
Position: Defender
Height: 6-0
Weight: 186 lbs.
Born: May 21, 2004
Preferred Foot: Right
Hometown: Seaside, Calif.
Previous Club: Quakes Academy, Silicon Valley Soccer Academy
College: N/A
Rodolfo Castro Jr.
Castro Jr., 24, was the leading scorer for Earthquakes II during the 2022 season, totaling 12 goals in 20 appearances. Castro Jr. began his collegiate career at West Valley College where he was named to the United Soccer Coaches Junior College Division III All-America team in 2018 after tallying 23 goals and 19 assists as a sophomore. He then played three years at San Jose State where he made 39 appearances (37 starts) and tallied 20 goals and 16 assists.
Transaction: Earthquakes II exercise club option on forward Rodolfo Castro Jr.
Position: Forward
Height: 5-8
Weight:163 lbs.
Born: Sept. 15, 1998
Preferred Foot: Right
Hometown: San Jose, Calif.
Previous Club: Earthquakes II
College: San Jose State University
Eric De La Cerda
Eric De La Cerda, 21, returns for his second season with Earthquakes II after making seven starts in 2022. De La Cerda played in the Quakes Academy before joining the Quakes’ former USL Championship affiliate Reno 1868 FC where he started five matches during the 2020 season and led the club to an undefeated 4-0-1 record in his appearances.
Transaction: Earthquakes II exercise club option on goalkeeper Eric De La Cerda.
Pronunciation: DAY-luh-SARE-duh
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 5-10
Weight: 193 lbs.
Born: June 25, 2001
Preferred Foot: Right
Hometown: Gilroy, Calif.
Previous Club: Earthquakes II, De Anza Youth Soccer
College: N/A
Aaron Edwards
Edwards, 20, joins Earthquakes II after two years at UCLA. The former member of the Quakes Academy tallied two goals and five assists in 39 appearances for the Bruins.
Transaction: Earthquakes II sign defender Aaron Edwards to an MLS NEXT Pro professional contract.
Position: Defender
Height: 6-0
Weight: 198 lbs.
Born: Oct. 31, 2002
Preferred Foot: Right
Hometown: San Jose, Calif.
Previous Club: Quakes Academy
College: UCLA
Roberto Hategan
Hategan, 21, joins Earthquakes II from Romanian side Unirea Bascov. A native of Chicago, Ill., Hategan joined Sacramento Republic FC’s academy in 2015. In 2017, at 16 years of age, Hategan became the club’s first academy product to sign with the first team. He later played for FC Nürnberg in Germany before moving to Romania with SSU Politehnica Timisoara and later Unirea Bascov. He has represented the United States at the U16 and U18 levels.
Transaction: Earthquakes II sign midfielder Roberto Hategan to an MLS NEXT Pro professional contract.
Pronunciation: HAT-eh-gan
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-9
Weight: 170 lbs.
Born: April 26, 2001
Preferred Foot: Right
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
Previous Club:* Unirea Bascov (Romania), Sacramento Republic FC Academy
College: N/A
