San Jose signs top prospect in California to HG contract

The San Jose Earthquakes announced on Friday that the club has signed 15-year-old Cruz Medina Cruz Medina M State CA to a Homegrown Player contract through the 2026 season with a club option for 2027. Medina is the 11th player to sign a Homegrown contract with the Earthquakes. He is the third youngest to do it at 15 years and 252 days old.

Medina is a member of the U.S. Men’s Youth National Team program. He was part of the U17 team that traveled to Argentina and also part of the group that recently traveled to Europe. He scored a goal against Argentina, and recorded assists against Uruguay and Portugal. He also trained with Bayern Munich this year.

San Jose Earthquakes Academy coach Dan DeGeer chatted with PrepSoccer about the club’s philosophy in developing players including Medina, who looks to have a bright future with both club and country. Medina was recently named as the top prospect in the state by PrepSoccer.

San Jose Earthquakes Press Release 

The San Jose Earthquakes announced today that the club has signed 15-year-old midfielder Cruz Medina Cruz Medina M State CA to a Homegrown Player contract through the 2026 season with a club option for 2027. Medina is the 11th product of the Quakes Academy to sign with the first team and third to do so in 2022, following Niko Tsakiris and Will Richmond. At 15 years and 252 days old, he becomes the third youngest player in club history and the 15th youngest player in MLS history.

“Cruz is an incredibly talented young individual that we think very highly of, and we have a plan in place to maximize his potential here in San Jose,” said Earthquakes General Manager Chris Leitch. “I’d like to thank all of the coaches within the Quakes Academy as well as Cruz’s parents, Antonio and Laura, for developing him into the person and player he is today.”

The South San Francisco native joined the Quakes Academy at 12 years old in 2019 after previously competing for BayCity and later the San Francisco Glens, where he tallied 31 goals and 28 assists at the U13 level. He continued to ascend within the Quakes Academy and earned the Golden Ball at the 2021 MLS NEXT Cup as the elite competition’s top player at the U15 level.

Medina was one of four Quakes Academy players called to the United States U17 National Team for a training camp and pair of friendlies against South American powers Argentina and Uruguay in March. Medina scored the match’s opening goal vs. Argentina and later tallied the game-winning assist vs. Uruguay. He also completed a training stint with Germany’s Bayern Munich in February.

Medina competed again for the U.S. U17s at the UEFA Development Tournament against Italy, Belgium, and Portugal in May 2022. After starting vs. Italy and helping the U.S. to a 3-0 win over Belgium, Medina tallied a goal and the game-winning assist vs. Portugal.

In addition to competing for the Quakes Academy, including at the 2022 Generation adidas Cup, Medina has also made two appearances for Earthquakes II in MLS NEXT Pro.

San Jose currently has nine Homegrown Players on its roster, with Medina joining goalkeepers JT Marcinkowski and Emi Ochoa, defenders Tommy Thompson and Casey Walls, midfielders Gilbert Fuentes, Will Richmond and Niko Tsakiris, and forward Cade Cowell.

Cruz Medina Cruz Medina M State CA

Position: Midfielder

Height: 5-7

Weight: 134 lbs.

Born: Sept. 24, 2006, in South San Francisco, Calif.

Preferred Foot: Right

Hometown: South San Francisco, Calif.

Previous Club: Quakes Academy

College: N/A

Roster Designation: Domestic, Homegrown

Citizenship: USA

Transaction: San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) – Earthquakes sign 15-year-old M Cruz Medina Cruz Medina M State CA to a Homegrown Player contract through 2026 with a club option for 2027.