Earlier this week Orlando City signed former academy forward Benji Michel to a Homegrown contract. The club’s future success depends on its ability to sign more of these players.
With the club’s academy starting in 2012, Michel is just the fifth Lion to be given a Homegrown contract after Tommy Redding, Tyler Turner, Harrison Heath, and Mason Stajduhar. The only players to come out of the academy and sign for the first team prior to Michel in the MLS era were Stajduhar and Pierre Da Silva. This caused the club to make a change in their academy setup and the purpose behind Orlando City B recently.