Houston Dynamo 2
Houston Dynamo 2 is the professional reserve soccer team affiliated with Major League Soccer club Houston Dynamo FC, competing in the MLS Next Pro league as a developmental squad focused on nurturing young talent for the first team.[1][2] Founded on December 6, 2021, as part of Major League Soccer's expansion into the third-division league, the team launched its inaugural season in 2022 with 21 founding clubs.[1] Houston Dynamo 2 plays its home matches at SaberCats Stadium in Houston, Texas, a venue with a capacity of approximately 4,000 that supports the club's emphasis on local player pathways.[3][4] Under head coach Marcelo Santos, appointed in January 2025, Houston Dynamo 2 prioritizes integrating academy products and young professionals into competitive matches to bridge the gap to the MLS first team.[5] In its debut 2022 season, the team earned MLS Next Pro Team of the Month and Coach of the Month honors for May, highlighting early success in player development.[6] Notable achievements include the historic first-team promotion of forward Beto Avila from Dynamo 2 in May 2022, marking a key milestone in the club's pathway system.[7] More recently, in the 2025 season, goalkeeper Pedro Cruz was named a finalist for MLS Next Pro Goalkeeper of the Year after a standout campaign, while the team signed academy forward Jahmani “JJ” Bell to a professional contract in October 2025.[8][9] Despite finishing 11th in the Western Conference with a 9-13-6 record and 37 points in 2025, Dynamo 2 continues to serve as a vital platform for emerging talent in Houston's soccer ecosystem.[10]History
Establishment
Houston Dynamo 2 was established on December 6, 2021, when the Houston Dynamo Football Club announced its participation as one of the inaugural 21 teams in MLS Next Pro, a new professional development league launched by Major League Soccer to begin competition in the 2022 season.[1] As the official reserve side of Houston Dynamo FC, the team was created to serve as a developmental bridge between the club's first team in Major League Soccer and its academy programs, particularly the U-17 and U-19 squads, by offering young players consistent exposure to professional-level matches.[1] This affiliation aimed to enhance player pathways within the organization, allowing prospects to gain experience while supporting the parent club's roster depth. The initial roster composition was planned to include a mix of loans from the Houston Dynamo FC first team, signings from the Dynamo Academy, and external talents sourced from colleges, U.S. leagues, and international markets.[1] In February 2022, the club formalized several academy promotions by signing forward Roberto “Beto” Avila, forward Joyner Castillo, midfielder Diego Gonzalez, and defender Mujeeb Murana to MLS Next Pro professional contracts ahead of the season opener.[11] Dubbed "Dynamo Dos" to highlight its secondary yet vital developmental role, Houston Dynamo 2 launched its 2022 campaign with this blended squad structure, sharing training and operational facilities with the parent club to foster integrated growth.[12][1]Competitive record
Houston Dynamo 2 entered the MLS Next Pro league in its inaugural 2022 season, finishing third in the Western Conference and fourth overall to secure a playoff berth. The team advanced to the Conference Semifinals, marking the club's first postseason appearance and demonstrating early competitiveness in the reserve league.[13] In 2023, Houston Dynamo 2 placed seventh in the Western Conference, qualifying for the playoffs once again before exiting in the Conference Quarterfinals.[14][15] This performance highlighted the team's ability to maintain postseason contention amid the expanded league format. The following year, 2024, saw the club finish eighth in the Western Conference and 19th overall, earning another playoff spot but falling in the Conference Quarterfinals to The Town FC. These back-to-back quarterfinal exits underscored consistent playoff qualification from 2022 to 2024, a key milestone in the club's young history.[16][17] The 2025 season brought challenges, with Houston Dynamo 2 ending 11th in the Western Conference and 21st overall, failing to qualify for the playoffs. This downturn occurred amid a coaching transition, as the club appointed Marcelo Santos as head coach in January 2025. Despite the setback, the season provided opportunities for young talent development within the MLS Next Pro framework.[18][5]Club identity and facilities
Branding and colors
Houston Dynamo 2, the reserve affiliate of Houston Dynamo FC, shares a visual identity closely aligned with its parent club to maintain brand consistency across the organization's professional pathway. The official name is Houston Dynamo 2, while the nickname "Dynamo Dos"—Spanish for "two"—highlights its role as the second team and acknowledges the significant Spanish-speaking influence in Houston's diverse community.[12][19] The team's crest is an adaptation of the Houston Dynamo FC primary badge, modified to incorporate the numeral "2" for distinction. It retains the hexagonal outline symbolizing strength, stability, and Houston's six original city wards, along with an interlocking "H" monogram formed by channels that evoke the city's interconnected bayou waterways. At the base, a quasar star element pays tribute to Houston's pioneering role in space exploration and innovation. This design, introduced as part of the parent club's 2020 rebranding, unifies the Dynamo family's identity from academy levels to the first team.[20][21] The primary color palette mirrors that of Houston Dynamo FC, featuring Electric Orange as the dominant hue to represent the club's energetic spirit, accented by Space City Blue for nods to the city's aerospace legacy, and Raven Black for depth and contrast. These colors were established in the 2020 rebrand and have remained consistent, emphasizing themes of vitality, innovation, and local heritage.[20][22] Since its inaugural 2022 season in MLS Next Pro, Houston Dynamo 2's home kits have predominantly utilized Electric Orange jerseys with Space City Blue and black accents, aligning with the first team's aesthetic without significant alterations through the 2025 campaign. This uniformity supports seamless player transitions and reinforces the club's overarching brand cohesion.[23][24]Stadium and training grounds
Houston Dynamo 2 plays its home matches at SaberCats Stadium, located in Houston, Texas, since the team's founding in 2022. The venue, part of the Houston Sports Park complex at 12131 Kirby Drive, has a seating capacity of 3,200 with a total maximum capacity of 4,000 including standing areas.[25][26] SaberCats Stadium is shared with the Houston SaberCats, the city's Major League Rugby franchise, which uses it as its primary home field. The first MLS Next Pro match hosted there by Houston Dynamo 2 occurred on March 26, 2022.[27][28] For training and development, the team shares the Houston Sports Park facilities with the Houston Dynamo first team and academy, which include the Memorial Hermann Champions Field, an artificial turf field, and five grass fields dedicated to professional and youth sessions.[29][30] Home attendance at SaberCats Stadium has averaged between 1,000 and 2,000 spectators per match from 2022 through 2025, with no reported changes in venue ownership or dedicated infrastructure for the reserve side.[31]Players and staff
Current roster
As of November 2025, following the MLS Next Pro regular season, Houston Dynamo 2 maintains a roster of 24 active players, comprising a mix of academy products, MLS Next Pro signings, and occasional first-team loanees.[32] The squad emphasizes youth development, with an average age of 19.8 years and 14 foreign players representing nationalities from Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Ghana, Honduras, Venezuela, Uruguay, Argentina, Czech Republic, Jamaica, Mexico, and Russia, alongside American talents.[32] Contract types include standard MLS Next Pro agreements, often through 2025 or 2026, with several recent academy promotions highlighting the club's pathway focus.[33][34] No major injuries impact the post-season roster, and recent additions include academy forward David Garcia, signed in June 2025 to a two-year MLS Next Pro contract, and forward Jahmani “JJ” Bell, inked in October 2025 through 2027.[35][36] The roster is structured as follows, with positions, nationalities, and contract details noted where available:| Position | Jersey # | Player Name | Age | Nationality | Contract Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | 1 | Pedro Cruz | 21 | Brazil | MLS Next Pro through 2025[37] |
| Goalkeeper | 43 | Roman Kerimov | 17 | Russia/USA | Academy product[32] |
| Defender | 38 | Omar Flores | 17 | USA | Academy product[32] |
| Defender | 5 | Nicolás Ramos | 20 | Uruguay/USA | On loan from Club Nacional de Football, through 2025[32] |
| Defender | 20 | Gavin Wolff | 17 | USA/Philippines | Academy product[32] |
| Defender | 23 | Daniel Barrett | 16 | USA/Jamaica | Academy product[32] |
| Defender | 34 | Micah Harris | 17 | USA/Dominican Republic | Academy product[32] |
| Midfielder | 36 | Noah Betancourt | 18 | USA | MLS Next Pro through 2026, academy signing (Sep 2025)[32][33] |
| Midfielder | 8 | Juan Viveros | 21 | Colombia | MLS Next Pro through 2025[32] |
| Midfielder | 70 | Jordy Burbano | 22 | Ecuador | MLS Next Pro through 2025[32] |
| Midfielder | 27 | Faraji Ramani | 17 | USA | Academy product[32] |
| Midfielder | 37 | Omar Bolaños | 17 | Mexico/USA | Academy product[32] |
| Midfielder | 40 | Enrique Correa | 18 | Venezuela | MLS Next Pro through 2026, academy signing (Sep 2025)[32][34] |
| Midfielder | 14 | Josh Bolma | 23 | Ghana | MLS Next Pro through 2025[32] |
| Midfielder | 18 | Diego Gonzalez | 23 | USA | MLS Next Pro through 2025[32] |
| Midfielder | 19 | Sebastián Rodríguez | 18 | Mexico/USA | MLS Next Pro through 2026, academy product[32] |
| Midfielder | - | Tomas Wiesner | 28 | Czech Republic | MLS Next Pro through 2026[32] |
| Midfielder | 44 | Lionel Gitau | 17 | USA/Kenya | Academy product[32] |
| Forward | - | Isaiah Reid | 24 | USA | MLS Next Pro[32] |
| Forward | 7 | Exon Arzú | 21 | Honduras | First-team contract through 2026[32][38] |
| Forward | - | Jahmani Bell | 18 | Jamaica | MLS Next Pro through 2027, academy signing (Oct 2025)[32][36] |
| Forward | 33 | Mattheo Dimareli | 16 | USA/Albania | Academy product[32] |
| Forward | 10 | Tomás Romero | 20 | Argentina | MLS Next Pro through 2025[32] |
| Forward | 29 | David Garcia | 17 | Venezuela/USA | MLS Next Pro through 2026, academy signing (Jun 2025)[32][35] |
Coaching staff
Marcelo Santos serves as the head coach of Houston Dynamo 2, having been appointed on January 24, 2025.[5] Prior to this role, Santos spent seven years with the New England Revolution organization, where he led the U-19 and U-17 academy teams as head coach from 2018 to 2019, served as assistant coach for Revolution II in 2023, and held interim positions including head coach for Revs II and assistant coach for the first team, contributing to 34 professional debuts and 15 first-team promotions.[5] Earlier in his career, he worked as a volunteer and full-time assistant coach at Marquette University for nine years (2008–2018), helping secure two BIG EAST Conference titles (2011, 2013) and two NCAA Tournament appearances (2012, 2013).[5] In his current position, Santos oversees tactical implementation and player development aligned with the club's philosophy, emphasizing opportunities for academy talents to progress toward the first team.[5] The assistant coaching staff consists of Jeremy Hurdle and Ryan Thompson, both promoted internally within the Houston Dynamo system.[40] Jeremy Hurdle joined Dynamo 2 as an assistant coach in 2022 after serving as head coach for the Dynamo Academy U-15 team, bringing experience from collegiate programs including the University of South Florida and the University of Pennsylvania, along with USSF National C and Elite Formation Coaching licenses.[41] Ryan Thompson was added as an assistant and goalkeeping coach on March 23, 2023, following a playing career that included stints with Houston Dynamo FC in 2018 and as head coach of Austin Bold FC in 2021; a former Jamaican international goalkeeper, he holds a USSF A License.[42] Support staff for Dynamo 2 includes professionals from the broader Houston Dynamo FC system, such as Head Athletic Trainer Jennifer Fenwick, Assistant Athletic Trainer Matthew Hutton, Sports Performance Coach Michael Higbee, Video Analyst Michael Gazaloues, Equipment Manager Daniel Trevino, and Team Administrator Charles Cunneff.[40] In January 2025, the club integrated several Dynamo 2 personnel into the first-team staff, including promotions of equipment coordinator Randy Beltran and team administrator Rico Baltazar, alongside former Dynamo 2 head coach Kenny Bundy as an assistant coach.[43] Santos' inaugural 2025 season emphasized youth integration, with Dynamo 2 finishing 11th in the MLS NEXT Pro Western Conference standings.[18]Player development and alumni
Houston Dynamo 2 serves as a critical development platform within the Houston Dynamo FC ecosystem, bridging the gap between the club's academy and the first team by providing professional minutes to emerging talents, particularly U-19 and U-23 prospects. The team emphasizes integrating academy products into MLS NEXT Pro matches to accelerate their growth, fostering a pathway that has seen multiple players transition to higher levels of competition. This approach aligns with the club's broader player pathway reorganization, aimed at producing more local professionals through targeted opportunities for youth.[44] In 2024, Dynamo 2 integrated 14 academy players into its roster, with those born in 2007, 2008, and 2009 accumulating 6,828 minutes—the highest total among MLS NEXT Pro teams—highlighting the club's commitment to substantial playing time for young prospects. This integration continued in 2025, as evidenced by multiple academy signings that underscored ongoing emphasis on development minutes for U-19 and U-23 players. A key example is the signing of forward David Garcia on June 5, 2025, marking him as the seventh Dynamo Academy product to ink a professional contract with the team since its 2022 inception.[16][35] Notable promotions from the academy via Dynamo 2 include defender Mujeeb Murana, who earned a homegrown contract with the first team in February 2023 after strong performances, and forward Roberto "Beto" Avila, signed to a professional deal in 2022 as one of the inaugural academy products. In January 2025, defender Obafemi "Femi" Awodesu was promoted to a first-team contract through 2025 following an impressive rookie season with Dynamo 2, where he started all 29 matches and contributed 2 goals and 1 assist. More recently, forward Jahmani "JJ" Bell signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Dynamo 2 on October 17, 2025, becoming the 10th academy product overall and the fourth in 2025 to do so, positioning him on a clear trajectory toward first-team opportunities after debuting at age 16 in 2024.[45][46][47] The development philosophy at Dynamo 2 prioritizes a blend of academy prospects seeking professional exposure and first-team players requiring match fitness, ensuring a competitive environment that prepares young talents for senior soccer. Since 2022, seven academy products had signed pro contracts by mid-2025, with the total reaching 10 by October, demonstrating the program's success in converting youth potential into professional agreements. Alumni contributions to the first team in 2025 include forward Exon Arzú, who was signed to a first-team contract through 2026 but featured primarily for Dynamo 2 with no first-team appearances due to injury.[48][35][38]Records and statistics
Season-by-season
Houston Dynamo 2 has competed in MLS Next Pro since the league's inaugural 2022 season. The following table summarizes the club's regular season performance and playoff results through 2025. Note that in MLS Next Pro, tied games after regulation proceed to a penalty shootout, with the winner receiving 2 points total and the loser 1 point; records are reported as wins (regulation and shootout), draws (shootout losses treated as draws in some summaries), and losses.[2]| Season | League | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | Position (West / Overall) | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | MLS Next Pro | 18 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 37 | 22 | 34 | 3rd / 4th | Conference Semifinals[49] |
| 2023 | MLS Next Pro | 32 | 12 | 7 | 13 | 48 | 49 | 43 | 7th / 12th | Conference Quarterfinals[50] |
| 2024 | MLS Next Pro | 28 | 10 | 7 | 11 | 42 | 45 | 39 | 8th / 19th | Conference Quarterfinals[16] |
| 2025 | MLS Next Pro | 28 | 9 | 6 | 13 | 40 | 47 | 37 | 11th / 21st | Did not qualify[51] |
Head coaching records
Kenny Bundy was appointed as the inaugural head coach of Houston Dynamo 2 ahead of the team's debut in the MLS Next Pro league in 2022, leading the side through its first three full seasons until his promotion to assistant coach with the Houston Dynamo first team in January 2025. Marcelo Santos succeeded Bundy as head coach on January 24, 2025, having previously served in various roles within the Dynamo organization. The following table summarizes the head coaching records for Bundy and Santos through the end of the 2025 regular season, separating regular season and playoff performances. Points per game (PPG) calculations are based on regular season matches only, accounting for the MLS Next Pro points system (3 points for regulation win, 2 for shootout win, 1 for shootout loss).| Coach | Tenure | Regular Season (Games - W - D - L) | PPG | Playoffs (W - L) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenny Bundy | 2022–2024 | 78 - 32 - 18 - 28 | 1.66 | 1 - 3 |
| Marcelo Santos | Jan 2025–present | 28 - 9 - 6 - 13 | 1.32 | None |