Mount Vernon, NY, January 21, 2025- Westchester Soccer Club today added three more players to their roster for their inaugural season in USL League One. The three, midfielders Bryan Vazquez and Andrew Jean-Baptiste and defender Joel Johnson, join a growing mix of veterans and young, athletic talent as WSC readies to officially open their first season on March 8 in Greenville, SC against Greenville Triumph SC with their home opener at The Stadium at Memorial Park against Rhode Island SC on April 27. All three contracts are subject to approval by the league.
‘One of the key elements of our club will be making sure we have both depth and experience, and our latest three signees continue to add to both areas for us,’ said Simon Baines, Sporting Director of WSC. “All three will fit well into the structure we are creating.”
The three newest players include:
Andrew Jean-Baptiste (Brooklyn, NY) joins Westchester SC with over a decade of professional and international experience, most recently as center-back for Valour FC. Baptiste starred at the University of Connecticut, earning 2011 Big East Conference Defensive Player of the Year before being selected 8th overall by Portland Timbers in the first round of the 2012 MLS SuperDraft. He played in MLS for Portland, Chivas USA the New York Red Bulls from 2012-2015, before heading abroad to join Swedish side Ettan side Nyköpings BIS in 2016. In February 2019, Jean-Baptiste continues is Euopean career until 2020, when he joined Canadian Premier League side Valour FC, where has played the past three seasons. Andrew has played internationally for both the Haitian National and US National teams in his career as well.
Joel Johnson Alajarín (Torrent, Valencia) is a right-back who spent the last eight seasons in USL League One, most recently for Charlotte Independence last season. Prior to his USL time, Johnson played on virtually every level of professional soccer in Spain, coming up through the club system of Valencia FC before joining Real Madrid C and then with Real Jaénand CD Buñol. He has also played internationally as a member of the Liberian National team since 2016.
Bryan Vazquez officially joins the professional ranks with the club having previously made one appearance as an amateur signing for FC Cincinnati 2 of MLS NEXT Pro during the 2024 season. The 18-year-old midfielder has previously made two appearances for the El Salvador U-20 Men’s National Team at the 2024 Concacaf U-20 Championship.
These are the newest additions to a roster that already include a strong group of Americans with USL experience, including: wing back Kemar Lawrence, fullback Samory Powder, midfielder Conor McGlynn and defender Stephen Payne and a trio of Dutch natives in midfielders Daniel Bouman, Dean Diego Guezen and striker Koen Blommestijn
The club will be announcing several more signings in the coming weeks, as they ready for their initial season this coming April. The full schedule is at https://www.westchestersc.com/
About Westchester Soccer Club
Westchester’s first homegrown professional sports team, will join USL League One in the 2025 season. The club is dedicated to celebrating the region’s profound love for soccer through exciting game experiences and community-focused events. With a strong commitment to nurturing local talent, WSC aims to build a world-class developmental pipeline for both boys and girls in Westchester. For more information and updates, follow WSC on social media: Twitter/X: @westchestersc · Instagram: @westchestersc · Facebook: @westchestersc
