Sporting KC signs 19-year-old midfielder, Kansas native

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (WIBW) - Sporting Kansas City signed a homegrown player on Thursday, Jan. 9, the club announced.

Jacob Bartlett, a 19-year-old midfielder, signed a three-year MLS contract with Sporting KC. The contract goes through 2027 with club options in 2028 and 2029.

The signing makes Bartlett the 22nd homegrown player to come up through the Sporting Kansas City Academy. In addition, Bartlett is Sporting’s third homegrown addition this offseason.

Sporting also added 16-year-olds Ian James and Jack Kortkamp. The duo joined Sporting in December 2023.

Bartlett is from Overland Park and will return to Kansas City this winter after spending last fall at Notre Dame University where he played 16 matches as a freshman.

According to the club, Bartlett is the first homegrown player born and raised in the Kansas City area since Cam Duke in 2019. Bartlett joined the Sporting KC Academy as an 11-year-old in 2017 after playing for Sporting’s affiliate, SPORTING Blue Valley and trained in the Center of Excellence.

He first signed in amateur contract with Sporting KC II in early 2023 and earned his MLS NEXT Pro debut that April with a start in central defense against FC Cincinnati 2.

Prior to the 2024 college soccer season, TopDrawerSoccer ranked Bartlett as a top-50 prospect nationally and the No. 2 player in the Heartland Region.

Bartlett’s oldest brother, Alec, played for the USL’s Charlotte Independence in 2016. His older brother Lucas is entering his fourth MLS season and his second year with D.C. United. His sister Grace Bartlett plays collegiately at Grand Canyon University.

Bartlett will wear No. 16 with Sporting.

Sporting KC Roster as of Jan. 9, 2025:

Goalkeepers (3): Jack Kortkamp, John Pulskamp, Ryan Schewe
Defenders (7): Joaquin Fernandez, Ian James, Tim Leibold, Logan Ndenbe, Dany Rosero, Khiry Shelton, Robert Voloder
Midfielders (6): Jacob Bartlett, Zorhan Bassong, Jake Davis, Nemanja Radoja, Memo Rodriguez, Erik Thommy
Forwards (4): Stephen Afrifa, William Agada, Daniel Salloi, Alenis Vargas

The club will host Inter Miami CF on Feb. 18, 2025, to kick off the 2025 season. This will be Round One of the Concacaf Champions Cup at Children’s Mercy Park.