Orlando City Signs Academy Product Gustavo Caraballo to MLS NEXT Pro Contract

Orlando City announced this afternoon that the club has signed U-15 academy player Gustavo Caraballo to an MLS NEXT Pro contract. The 14-year-old midfielder’s deal will see him play with Orlando City B through 2025, with club options for 2026, 2027, and 2028.

“We’re very happy today because Gustavo is another successful example of the fantastic work being done in our academy,” Orlando City Technical Director and Assistant General Manager Ricardo Moreira said in a club press release. “He had a great first season with our U-15 side, showing us what he’s capable of now and his possibilities for the future. Gustavo has a bright future and is continued proof of our development pathway at this club, from the academy to Orlando City B and hopefully the first team. He has the talent and we’ve provided the resources, now it’s up to him to continue putting in the work.”

At 14 years, 11 months, and 16 days old, Caraballo is the youngest player Orlando City has signed to a professional contract. The Orlando native won the golden boot at the 2023 Generation Adidas Cup at the U-15 level in April, tying two others with four goals in the competition. The club’s U-15 team made it to the semifinals of the tournament and Caraballo was named to MLSsoccer.com’s Best XI.

The signing of Caraballo will see the midfielder, who can play on the wing or in the middle, take the roster spot of another Homegrown talent, Alejandro Granados, who the club sold to Club Brugge last week. Internationally, the midfielder is eligible to play for Venezuela or the United States and has been called into U.S. Youth National Team camps.

Caraballo is the son of Gustavo Caraballo Sr., a former Venezuelan international. Following a playing career in which he took part in the Libertadores Cup with Sport Maritimo and the CONMEBOL Cup with Club Maritimo, the elder Caraballo has become a Pro A licensed coach in the area.

While this contract is strictly an MLS NEXT Pro deal, Orlando City has the MLS rights to Caraballo because he came through the club’s academy. As a result, the club can sign him to an MLS deal in the future if he reaches that level.