The North Texas SC season has come to an end, and it’s time to talk contracts for 2026.
North Texas SC has a group of players under contract to FC Dallas that played at least some of their minutes in 2025 with both clubs: Enes Sali, Pedrinho, Nolan Norris, Michael Collodi, Alvaro, Diego Garcia, Sam Sarver, Josh Torquato, Anthony Ramirez, and Enzo Newman.
Decisions on those contracts will come in our FC Dallas end-of-season content.
So let’s move on with predicting what will happen to all the North Texas SC players.
Off-Roster Homegrowns
FC Dallas also has three players who are technically homegrowns already but aren’t on the FC Dallas roster and instead occupy an “Off-Roster” status, meaning they are assigned to North Texas full-time.
One of these players has a contract option, and the other two are under contract for 2026. Will any be moving up?
| Player | Pos. | Prediction | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel Baran | LW | Under Contract | Baran has yet to lock down a starting spot at NTSC (20 games, 7 starts, 1 goal, 2 assists in 2025) and Left wing is a tough spot to break through. I expect him to be with NTSC in 2026. 19 yo. |
| Malachi Molina | RB | Under Contract | Molina is also in a tough spot and he’s too often injured (16 games, 13 starts, 2 goals, 1 assist in 2025). There’s also a log jam ahead of him in Shaq Moore, Geovane, and Enzo Newman and more talent is coming along behind. I expect him to be with NTSC in 2026 but the clock is ticking. 19 yo. |
| Alejandro Urzua | 6/8 | Option Decline | Urzua finally locked down a starting spot with quality play once he stayed healthy (21 games, 11 starts, 1 goal, 1 assist in 2025), but CM is crowded at the club. This was Urzua’s 3rd season as a homegrown and 3rd with North Texas SC. The injuries have just wrecked his progression. 0 minutes at FCD in 3 years isn’t ideal. I would keep him, but I am predicting FCD will decline his option, as Urzua is moving into the more expensive part of the homegrown contract after 3 seasons at NTSC ($125k maybe?). 19 yo. |
Hybrid Contracts Moving to Homegrown
According to our sources, three players are moving from the Next Pro phase of their contract to the Homegrown phase. Will any of them roster with FC Dallas, or will they too be “Off-Roster” with NTSC?
I think all three will be “Off-Roster” and with NTSC again in 2026. Which is fine.
| Player | Pos. | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kaka Scabin | CB | Came back to training at the end of 2025 after a year out with an ACL injury. Having not played a single minute for NTSC, he’s not going to be with FCD. 18 yo. |
| Jaidyn Contreras | LW | Fighting for time, mostly with Baran. Left wing is a tough, talent-rich spot. Contreras needs to become a lock starter at NTSC to progress. 26 games, 10 starts in 2025 with 2 goals and 2 assists. 18 yo. |
| Caleb Swann | 8 | Swann played in every game in 2025 (28 games, 18 starts, 2 goals), but he’s also in a logjam position. So in 2026, I predict he will be an off-roster homegrown, and be with NTSC full time. He should start all 28 games next season. Depending on his progression, could he move up to FCD during the season? 18 yo. |
Players Under Contract for 2026
| Player | Pos. | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Zach Molomo | LB/CB | An Academy product on a straight Next Pro deal. NTSC needs to start him as he’s a young talent with a lot of upside. The fact that they don’t is a joke. 17 yo. |
| Marlon Luccin | 8 | He’s literally played 1 minute for NTSC. He’s a 2007; 19 yo. he needs to break into the rotation soon or his time here will end quick. |
| Favouor Aroyameh | 6 | Showed something in rare moments, but gets hurt way too much (just 8 games played). I’d prefer to release him, but he’s under contract. Maybe NTSC can sell or loan him out? 19 yo. |
| Sam Sedeh | 9/W | Sedeh has a hybrid contract, but it doesn’t elevate to the Homegrown phase until 2027. Made his debut in 2025. Keep pushing for more minutes as he should be with NTSC full time in 2026. Turns 17 next July. |
| Nico Montoya | GK | Earlier in 2025, he was splitting time with Harms, but lost the spot when the playoff chase hit. For his progression, he should get the bulk of the reps in 2026. 18 yo. |
Players with 2026 Options
| Player | Pos | Prediction | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leonardo Orejarena | W/10 | Pick Up Option | A talented former US U17, but not getting much minutes yet with the Baby Burn (7 games, 1 start, 98 minutes). A 2007, and while not a homegrown, FCD has been paying this kid since late 2023, and they might as well play it out. More of a 10 than a wing. Turns 18 in November. |
| Isaiah Kaakoush | 6 | Pick Up Option | Koush tore his ACL late in 2025, and he won’t be fit until right before his 2026 option runs out. FCD should give him a homegrown deal now, picking up the NTSC option, while they negotiate. Turns 18 in January (a 2008). |
| Gianluca Cangiano | 9 | Decline | He only played 2 games before tearing his ACL, but I didn’t see a player who would make it to FCD. He’s 23 in January. Pass. |
| James Bulkeley | CB | Pick up | Bulky started getting more minutes toward the end of the season (11 games, 9 starts) and might have ended up NTSC’s best CB. I’ll take another season to look him over, as he’s young enough (21 in May) and CBs mature later. A new Zealand U20. |
| Aaron Essel | 6/CB | Pick up | Coach Gall loves Essel, so the prediction is NTSC will pick him up. He’s probably NTSC captain in 2026. If Kaakoush wasn’t out, I’d make a case to let Essel go, but I’m fine with his return as it is. |
| JT Harms | GK | Decline | He had a nice 2025, but I don’t think he’s one for the future at FCD. Montoya should get the reps next season, and more keeper talent is coming soon in the Academy. 22 yo. |
| Mohamed Cisset | CB | Decline | Performances ranged from mid to outright disaster. I didn’t see any improvement. Despite being a lefty, FCD should give his minutes to someone else. 21 yo. |
| Faisu Sangare | 9 | Decline | I’ve seen nothing worth keeping. Lost the starting spot to an Academy player by season’s end. 23 in November. |
| Jackson DuBois | RB | End Loan | DuBois is on a loan with a buy. In 2026, Enzo Newman will need time with NTSC, and Malachi Molina should get the rest of the snaps. Also, Jonah Gibson and Christian Wygant are coming up from the Academy quick. |
| Gavin Gall | LB | Pick up | Molomo should get all the snaps. But Gall is the coach’s son, and this is a prediction, so much to my annoyance… |
Core Roster 2026
Which would leave NTSC with the following core roster in 2026, which is more than normal.
Goalkeeper: Nico Montoya
Defense: Malachi Molina, Kaka Scabin, Zach Molomo, James Bulkeley, Gavin Gall
Midfield: Caleb Swann, Marlon Luccin, Favouor Aroyameh, Aaron Essel, Isaiah Kaakoush (injured)
Forward: Daniel Baran, Jaidyn Contreras, Sam Sedeh, Leonardo Orejarena
This winter I’ll have the next version of the biannual potential Academy signings list.
i would retain Essel and Bulkely and dump the rest of the options. You need some level of continuity (and quality) to give the team a chance at winning games, otherwise players don’t play to their best. I think NTSC has gotten into the habit of turning over the roster too much and that can hurt the development of your younger players.
I haven’t been as engaged with FCD this year, so I haven’t seen it if you have been saying it for a while, but bless you for calling the NTX LB situation what it is.
It’s farcical that FCD has, it seems, at-least YNT-level left back prospects in each of ’07-’10 and they just spent a season giving basically all their second team minutes to the coach’s kid who couldn’t get minutes at two separate college programs before washing back to the club. (*to be clear, I think Gavin Gall’s a fine MLSNP player, but he’s an awful, awful investment relative to Torquato, Molomo, Vejrostek, and Jones [or even Dozier]*)