Sporting KC’s newest homegrown signing just finished freshman season at Notre Dame
Sporting Kansas City has made another young addition to its first-team roster for 2025.
The club on Thursday announced the signing of Jacob Bartlett to a homegrown contract. He is a 19-year-old native of Overland Park and graduate of St. Thomas Aquinas High School.
Bartlett represented Sporting KC at the academy level from U-12 to the U-19 before committing to play at Notre Dame. He also played with Sporting KC II in 2023 and 2024.
After spending his freshman year with the Fighting Irish, Bartlett becomes Sporting KC’s third homegrown signing of the offseason and 22nd in club history.
He is the first Kansas City native to earn a homegrown contract since Cam Duke in 2019 and the first graduate of Sporting KC’s “Center of Excellence,” a training program for potential academy players under the age of 12.
In terms of position, Bartlett is a defensive midfielder who can play along the back line — he made appearances with SKCII at right-back and center-back as well as midfield. As a freshman, he played in 16 games for Notre Dame, making eight starts.
He also comes from a soccer-crazed family. His two oldest brothers, Alec and Lucas, competed in college — Alec at Drake and Lucas at Drake and St. John’s. Both also played professionally — Alec was in the USL in 2016, while Lucas is currently under contract with DC United and has also played with FC Dallas and St. Louis City SC.
And that’s not all: Bartlett’s sister, Grace, is currently competing for Grand Canyon University.
Before enrolling at Notre Dame last spring, Bartlett made seven straight starts for Sporting KC II. The team went 4-2-1 during that stretch, and he played three different positions.
Bartlett’s addition to the Sporting KC midfield adds depth. It also brings manager Peter Vermes’ roster to 20 players, leaving 10 open roster spots.
The club was scheduled to hold a news conference on Saturday before departing for the first leg of the preseason in Florida.
Players are required to report to the team facility Saturday before heading to South Florida on Sunday. Sporting KC will remain in Florida for training through Jan. 29.
The team will hold a second stretch of preseason training in Southern California from Feb. 2-12, playing in the Coachella Valley Invitational.
Sporting KC opens its season Feb. 18 with a CONCACAF Champions League match against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami at Children’s Mercy Park.
Sporting KC’s MLS campaign, meanwhile, begins on the road against Austin FC on Feb. 22. KC’s MLS home opener is set for Saturday March 1 against the San Jose Earthquakes at Children’s Mercy Park.
Daniel Sperry covers soccer for The Star. He can be reached at sperry.danielkc@gmail.com.