There will be a new MLS NEXT Pro Cup champion after Red Bull New York II were eliminated by the top-seeded Crown Legacy FC on Sunday night.
After falling behind 2-0 within the first 31 minutes, Tanner Rosborough’s 78th-minute goal gave the Baby Bulls hope of a comeback, but Red Bull II ultimately fell short despite several close chances.
Though Red Bull New York II were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, the 2026 season was filled with impressive growth within the squad.
Red Bull New York II Continues To Push Young Talent Toward First-Team Opportunities
Dennis Nelich, Mijahir Jiménez, Sekou Koné, Nate Worth, Pedro Castro and Connor Faello were among Red Bull II players who earned first-team opportunities.
“We want to give them a platform, give them a frame where they can grow, and that’s our main priority,” Red Bull New York II head coach Dominik Wohlert said earlier this season. “That’s our pipeline from academy, second team, first team. That’s why we do it.”
Forward Christian Gallagher increased his sharpness by scoring nine goals in 19 MLS NEXT Pro regular-season games.
“Christian has made good progress over the past few months and has become more and more the focus of attention,” Wohlert said in July. “He has a lot of impressive qualities that we look for in a number 9 in our system, and we’re very happy that Christian is staying on board and continuing on this path with us.”
Nelich led Red Bull II with 13 goal contributions (seven goals, six assists) in 23 regular-season appearances.
The 58 goals scored by the Baby Bulls tied for fourth overall during the MLS NEXT Pro regular season.
Expect More Red Bull New York II Youngsters To Make The MLS Jump In 2027
A center-back partnership of Joshua Munson and Jason Bori looked formidable, physical and adept in the air. Bori will look to continue his progress once he recovers from a knee injury sustained in an August 23 match against Toronto FC II.
“In Jason, we’ve signed a very talented young center-back,” Wohlert said of Bori earlier this month. “During his time with Red Bulls II, he quickly adapted to the new speed of play and made a significant impact. We’re very excited to play a key role in his further development.”
Faello and Sean Baitinger demonstrated tremendous versatility, comfortably handling several roles at outside back and in attack.
Goalkeeper Tobias Szewczyk recorded two clean sheets across 1,476 minutes played, though he was sent off in two separate matches in which he had kept opponents scoreless up to that point.
2026 was a season of progress for Wohlert and his players. With the entire Red Bull New York organization embracing the academy-to-first-team pipeline, there will be more young faces making the jump to MLS in the future.
If you enjoyed this story, please consider supporting independent, local soccer journalism by buying me a coffee.
Contributions made through Buy Me a Coffee help support the time, travel and resources that go into bringing you on-the-ground coverage, reporting and original stories — without paywalls.
More Red Bull New York Coverage
Enjoyed this story? Follow us for the latest updates! | Bluesky | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Leave a Reply