CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Charleston Battery announced on Thursday it had reached an agreement with Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer for the transfer of 2023 USL Championship Young Player of the Year Fidel Barajas. Per club policy, the terms of the deal were not disclosed and the transaction is pending league and federation approval.

Barajas’ move to RSL comes on the heels of his historic 2023 season during which the 17-year-old was also voted to the USL Championship’s All-League Second Team after recording five goals and 11 assists in 32 appearances across the regular season and playoffs. Barajas’ performances for the Battery and with the Mexico U-17 Men’s National Team saw him named to The Guardian’s Next Generation Class of 2023, the first USL Championship player to be named in the list of the top U-17 talents in the world in its history.  

“My time with the Charleston Battery was amazing, from the coaches to the teammates to the staff, they all helped me grow and develop immensely,” said Barajas. “The ability to get this experience with the club and at a high level in the USL Championship was priceless. Coach [Ben] Pirmann and the Battery owners’ belief in me gave me the confidence I needed, especially at such a young age, to perform day in and day out.”

Signed late in the 2022 season, Barajas recorded 13 assists and five goals in 37 appearances across all competitions for the club. In addition to helping the Battery claim the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference title last season, Barajas secured silverware with Mexico as he led the side to the 2023 Concacaf U-17 Championship title, recording three goals and five assists at the tournament. Barajas also recorded one goal and one assist last November at the FIFA Men’s U-17 World Cup.

“We have been intent with our goal of being a club that attracts top talent, develops them to their potential and moves them to a higher level,” said Battery Chairman Rob Salvatore. “Fidel is the prime example of that strategy. He and his family trusted our club to offer a meaningful chance against high-level professionals and that we’d elevate him to the next opportunity.

“Our point of view has always been that player development, featuring young players and winning are not mutually exclusive, and I feel strongly they are all highly correlated.”

“We are very happy for Fidel and his opportunity in MLS with Real Salt Lake, he is a generational talent with an incredible career ahead of him,” added Battery Head Coach Ben Pirmann. “This further shows how the Battery are a top club in terms of both competing for trophies and providing one of the best development environments for players.”

Barajas is the latest top young talent to make the move to top-flight competition from the USL Championship, and will join 2021 USL Championship All-League selection Diego Luna, a former standout at El Paso Locomotive FC, with RSL. In the past year, Louisville City FC center back Joshua Wynder was transferred for a USL Championship record fee to Portuguese powerhouse S.L. Benfica, while Orange County SC forward Korede Osundina was transferred to Feyenoord, one of the traditional powers in the Netherlands.

“Fidel Barajas’ transfer from the Charleston Battery to Real Salt Lake is another illustration of the opportunities being afforded young players to progress their careers in the USL Championship,” said USL President and Chief Soccer Officer Paul McDonough. “Fidel’s outstanding 2023 campaign and Young Player of the Year award – which came alongside the Battery’s on-field success – saw his profile rise rapidly, and he now joins another of the Championship’s outstanding alumni in Diego Luna at RSL to take the next step in his footballing journey.”

With his move to RSL, Barajas joins a club with strong ties to European sides such as Crystal Palace (Premier League), Estoril (Liga Portugal), Alcorcón (La Liga 2) and Brøndby IF (Danish Superliga), among others. Additionally, Barajas adds to a growing list of players from Charleston’s 2023 squad to take their talents to the next level as Dante Polvara (Aberdeen FC) and Trey Muse (Portland Timbers) have all made the jump to top-flight competition.

“Similar young players and their families should recognize the pathway Charleston and the USL provide; excellent coaching and competition on the field, and abilities to mature in a proper professional environment off the field,” said Salvatore.

Barajas carved his name into Battery and Championship record books throughout 2023, cementing his legacy as one of the best young players to feature for either; becoming the club’s youngest goalscorer, matching a single-season club assists record and being among the youngest in league history with a two-assist or two-goal game.

“To all the Charleston supporters, thank you,” said Barajas. “We created unforgettable memories together this year, I will miss the city and the people. The lessons I was taught at the Battery are ones I will always cherish and I hope to continue to make Charleston proud as I advance in my career.”