Position: Midfielder
Age: 17
Key Stat: 17 appearances over two years at NYCFC II
Jacob Arroyave is one for the future.
New York City FC signed the left-footed 17-year-old midfielder to a Homegrown contract last month after he spent two seasons with NYCFC II — and after finishing the 2024 season sidelined while recovering from an ACL injury.
He's currently in preseason training with the First Team in California, but he'll most likely return to NYCFC II once the season starts. Arroyave has just 11 starts over 17 appearances in two years with the team – he logged 980 minutes in all competitions last year and 27 minutes the year before that – and he needs more experience before he can think of breaking into the New York City midfield.
Homegrown pedigree
But we likely will see him suit up for the First Team at some point. Out of the 16 Homegrowns that New York City signed in their 10-year history, the first eight appeared with the First Team, and another seven (including Arroyave) are still with the squad and awaiting their MLS debut. Jonathan Jiménez is the only player New York City signed to a Homegrown contact who didn't take the field for the First Team.
New York City FC | Homegrown Signings*
| Name | Pos | Signed | MLS Debut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prince Amponsah | D | 2025 | — |
| Jacob Arroyave | M | 2025 | — |
| Alex Rando | GK | 2024 | — |
| Zidane Yañez | F | 2023 | — |
| Jonny Shore | M | 2023 | — |
| Drew Baiera | D | 2023 | — |
| Máximo Carrizo | M | 2022 | — |
| Jonathan Jiménez* | F | 2022 | — |
| Samuel Owusu | D | 2022 | 2022 |
| Nico Benalcazar* | D | 2022 | 2023 |
| Christian McFarlane | D | 2021 | 2024 |
| Andres Jasson* | M | 2020 | 2021 |
| Tayvon Gray | D | 2019 | 2021 |
| Justin Haak | M | 2019 | 2019 |
| Joe Scally* | D | 2018 | 2020 |
| James Sands* | M | 2017 | 2017 |
