Sporting KC Signs Midfielder Danny Flores

January 13, 2023 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Sporting Kansas City News Release

Sporting Kansas City has claimed 20-year-old midfielder Danny Flores off MLS waivers, the club announced today. Flores has signed an MLS contract for the 2023 season with options for 2024, 2025 and 2026.

A former U.S. youth international, Flores begins his professional career after a two-year college stint at Virginia Tech. He was recognized as one of the country’s top freshmen in 2021 and led the Hokies in goal scoring as a sophomore last fall. Flores also boasts three seasons of experience in the USL Championship, representing Philadelphia Union II from 2019-2020 and Oakland Roots SC in 2021.

Flores recorded two goals and two assists in 32 USL Championship matches across three seasons. He made his league debut in September 2019 for Union II, formerly Bethlehem Steel FC, and was an ever-present fixture for the club the following year by playing in all 16 matches and scoring his first goal in a wild 5-4 loss to New York Red Bulls II on Sept. 26, 2020.

A native of Half Moon Bay, California, Flores returned to his home state in 2021 as he moved cross-country to join Oakland Roots SC for the club’s inaugural USL Championship campaign. He made his first Roots appearance on May 9, 2021, and bagged his first Oakland goal two weeks later in a dramatic 3-2 victory over LA Galaxy II. He started in 10 of 12 matches for a team that ultimately punctuated its first season with a trip to the playoffs.

Following his successful spell in Oakland, Flores began his college journey by returning to the East Coast and becoming an integral part of Virginia Tech’s midfield. He started all 19 matches during his first season in Blacksburg, Va., pushing the Hokies to an 11-5-4 record and an appearance in the 2021 NCAA Tournament. Flores, who tallied a goal and three assists as a deep-lying midfielder, was named the No. 3 freshman in the country by Top Drawer Soccer and earned ACC All-Freshman Team accolades.

Flores continued to lead the Hokies in 2022, scoring a team-best four goals and adding two assists. He ended his time at Virginia Tech with five goals, five assists and starts in 31 of 33 career appearances.

As a youth, Flores was a member of the United States U-17 Men’s National Team, where he competed alongside Sporting KC Academy products Gianluca Busio and Tyler Freeman. Flores and Busio notably helped the U.S. U-17s capture the 2018 Sportchain Cup in Spain with a perfect 4-0-0 tournament…