January 11, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Real Salt Lake News Release
HERRIMAN, Utah – Real Salt Lake today completed the transfer to acquire 17-year-old FW Fidel Barajas from the Charleston Battery (USL Championship). In order to ascend to the top of Major League Soccer’s waiver order and complete the Barajas transaction, RSL traded $50,000 in 2024 General Allocation Money (GAM) and its No. 17 overall waiver position to Toronto FC. Barajas, an active member of Mexico’s U-17 setup, born in Sacramento, Calif., and formerly a member of the San Jose academy, is signed with RSL through the 2026 MLS campaign, with Club options for the 2027 and 2028 seasons.
“Fidel’s obviously a very, very talented young player, able to represent both U.S. and Mexico at the youth national team level,” said RSL Sporting Director Kurt Schmid, now in his first window as the Utah side’s Chief Soccer Officer. “Fidel is technical. He’s got a great left foot. He has the ability to beat guys 1v1 from either flank. He has great vision on the field. He has good awareness. He’s a player that’s been highly thought of throughout youth soccer in this country.”
“What attracts us to guys like Fidel as a prospect – and Diego Luna before him – is the track record behind them, playing professionally at a young age and competing with men. It is difficult to step up to those levels and deal with the physical challenges as well as the technical and tactical challenges that are presented. Everyone’s bigger, faster, stronger and there’s reduced space and time on the ball. So Fidel’s ability to adjust to that quickly, certainly grabs our attention and gives us something that we can build on, and gives him a foundation as he adapts to the next level in MLS.”
On the global stage, Barajas has featured for the Mexican U-17 national team in 25 matches, scoring eight goals. The Sacramento-born starlet – the third USL-to-RSL acquisition since May, 2022, following the footsteps of MF Diego Luna (El Paso) and D/M Kevin Lambert (Phoenix) – also boasts five appearances in 2022/23 for the U.S. U-17 national team. Last year, Barajas secured silverware with Mexico by winning the 2023 CONCACAF U-17 Championship, guiding El Tri to continental glory with three goals and five assists in the regional tourney, later shining in the FIFA U-17 World Cup, tallying one goal and one assist while featuring in all four Mexico contests.
“I’m really excited, especially going from USL to MLS and picking an amazing club like…
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