CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Charleston Battery announced on Wednesday the club had signed forward Aidan Apodaca to the 2022 roster, pending league and federation approval. Apodaca has made 65 USL Championship appearances since 2018 and is the club’s fourth new signing ahead of the 2022 season.

The 25-year-old joins the Black and Yellow following a 2021 campaign where he made 20 appearances for both El Paso Locomotive FC and Orange County SC following a mid-season loan from El Paso. Apodaca made 15 appearances during the regular season with Orange County and was part of the team during their USL Championship title-winning run last fall.

“I’m looking forward to getting to Charleston and hitting the ground running,” said Apodaca. “Can’t wait to make this a successful season with Coach Casey and to begin making a statement in the league.”

Before making the move to El Paso, the California native enjoyed a productive two-season tenure with Reno 1868 FC where he recorded eight goals and three assists across 28 matches. In 2020, Apodaca led Reno with a minutes-per-goal average of 72.7, posting a shooting accuracy rate of 87.5%. His attacking efficiency helped the side claim the best record in the regular season that year.

“I like his physical makeup, Aidan's quite aggressive in the attack, in terms of retaining the ball and then getting forward,” said Battery Coach Conor Casey. “I think those elements combine quite well, and we're looking for him to be a key part of our offense to help generate goals.”

Apodaca was selected 55th overall in the 2018 Major League Soccer SuperDraft by the Philadelphia Union and later signed with the Philadelphia Union II, where he made his professional debut. He made 17 appearances, notching two goals and two assists.