ST. LOUIS – Thanks to modern medicine and sports science analytics, St. Louis City SC Head Coach Bradley Carnell and his staff have a fairly specific idea about how much fuel is in the tank for their players every day they hit the MLS practice pitch. Carnell described the team’s first practice Wednesday as a “600 day,” taking into account metabolic loads, and other factors. These days, everything can be measured and projected.

They’re going to have a projection for one of the team’s latest additions, but they’re keeping those close to the vest.

This week, City SC announced the signing of 15-year-old Caden Glover, of Columbia, Ill. to a 5-year MLS contract as its first “Homegrown” player. The forward came to the SC Academy from the Scott Gallagher Soccer Club, appeared for City2 in the Next Pro League last season and also played in the international friendly against Bayer Leverkusen.

It’s a lot for a player who isn’t old enough to drive yet and hasn’t reached 11th grade, but it isn’t unprecedented.

According to MLS, at least eight players have signed league contracts before turning 15. The youngest signed on his 14th birthday last February. The youngest to play in MLS was Freddy Adu, who was 14 when he first appeared for DC United in 2004.

The team did not make Glover available on the first day of the expansion team’s preseason practice Wednesday.

“I have no expectations for him. We’re just supporting him in his journey….So we don’t say he has to come on and have 800 minutes this year and five goals. There’s no way we would like to put the kid in that situation because Caden at 15 he’s setting history here, here’s our first ever homegrown and this is a process he should enjoy but he doesn’t have to carry the city of St. Louis on his own shoulders,” Carnell said.

Defender Josh Yaro, a City2 captain elevated to the senior roster for 2023, saw Glover up close in the Next Pro League and said he’s earned the opportunity in front of him.

“He’s someone that’s willing to learn because every time you talk to him, he listens and then he learns those things and when you’re a player with that much talent that’s willing to listen and learn and put in the work,” Yaro said. “It’s a high ceiling, I think he has that and I’m really excited to see how he integrates himself into the team, and how his future is shaped by this team and the culture that this team has built.”

The MLS as a whole, has built systems that were not in place when Adu debuted and was annointed as the next "Pele". He played parts of six seasons for DC United, Real Salt. Lake and Philadelphia Union, while also playing internationally as recently as 2021.

Brad Davis, the Chaminade graduate who played 15 seasons in MLS, was one of Adu’s older contemporaries. Now President of Scott Gallagher Soccer, Davis said the league has come a long way since then.

“There were no MLS NEXT Academy pathways, there were less MLS clubs, and the focus wasn’t on developing the youth players for MLS. It was about building the business model and the infrastructure to support the league. Many clubs didn’t have the means to build staffing and support the way they do now,” David told Spectrum News.

With the Homegrown program, Glover is in a position to get fully immersed in a pro environment while being close to home and his own family support system. While he has a MLS contract, he may spend time in Next Pro with City 2, and will also likely get more development through the various youth national teams.

“We’re gonna have a nice projection for him without putting him in any harm’s way of being a one hit wonder who might come on the scene and disappear two years down the line so we have to be very careful how we nurture this but we’re excited about this journey and this process,” Carnell said.

If his pro head coach says he doesn’t have to put the city on his shoulders, Davis, who saw Glover first in the Gallagher Academy system, says it’s still a big development for the local soccer scene.

To have the first Homegrown player signing come from Scott Gallagher is a historic moment in our club. Caden is a pioneer for the next generation of players, and it is no surprise to see him get this opportunity,” Davis wrote. “I had the opportunity to get to see Caden train and play and you could tell immediately that he was special.”