Sporting KC signs former Houston Dynamo center-back after preseason trial
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- Sporting KC signs Ethan Bartlow to a one‑year deal through 2026 with club options.
- Bartlow joins after a preseason trial, adding MLS experience and center‑back competition.
- Sporting KC now has 22 players under contract for the 2026 season.
Sporting Kansas City on Friday announced the roster addition of free-agent defender Ethan Bartlow.
The center-back’s signing comes one day after Sporting KC’s trade of winger Daniel Salloi to Toronto and acquisition from Tulsa FC (USL) of forward Taylor Calheira.
After five years with the Houston Dynamo, Bartlow, 26, spent this year’s preseason on trial with Sporting. He signed a one-year MLS contract through the 2026 season, with club options through June 2027 and the 2027-2028 season.
“We are happy to welcome Ethan to the roster,” Sporting KC president of soccer operations and general manager David Lee said in a statement. “Ethan performed well and fit into the group seamlessly during preseason. He provides good MLS experience from his time in Houston and he will offer our coaching staff depth and competition at center back.”
With the move to acquire Bartlow, Sporting KC now has 22 players under contract for the 2026 season:
Goalkeepers (4): Stefan Cleveland, Jack Kortkamp, John Pulskamp, Ryan Schewe
Defenders (7): Ethan Bartlow, Zorhan Bassong, Ian James, Wyatt Meyer, Jansen Miller, Jayden Reid, Justin Reynolds
Midfielders (6): Kwaku Agyabeng, Jacob Bartlett, Lasse Berg Johnsen, Jake Davis, Manu Garcia, Cielo Tschantret
Forwards (5): Stephen Afrifa, Taylor Calheira, Calvin Harris, Dejan Joveljic, Shapi Suleymanov