Toronto FC II announced today that the club has signed defender Jalen Watson to an MLS NEXT Pro contract. He will be added to the club’s roster pending league and federation approval.
“Jalen is a physical presence that is strong in the defensive duels,” said Toronto FC II Head Coach Gianni Cimini. “He is a solid defender that offers versatility on the back line as he is able to play both as a left-back as well as a centre-back.”
Watson, 22, was selected 32nd overall (second round) by Toronto FC in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft out of Pennsylvania State University. A native of Mississauga, Ontario, Watson spent the past four seasons at Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), where he made 59 appearances, starting 51 games in which he played. He was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 2019 before earning Academic All-Big Ten honours in his sophomore (2020) and junior (2021) seasons. During his senior year, he started all 16 sixteen matches for the Nittany Lions and was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team in 2022. Prior to Penn State, Watson played two seasons for the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy (USSDA) and spent five seasons playing youth soccer with Erin Mills Soccer Club.
TRANSACTION: Toronto FC II sign defender Jalen Watson to an MLS NEXT Pro contract.
JALEN WATSON
Position: Defender
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 165 lbs.
Birthdate: March 23, 2000 (Age – 22)
Hometown: Mississauga, ON
Nationality: Canadian
College: Pennsylvania State University
