PAWTUCKET, R.I. – Rhode Island FC announced on Tuesday it had signed defender Hugo Bacharach for the upcoming 2025 USL Championship season. The transaction is pending league and federation approval.

Bacharach joins RIFC having spent his first professional season with Minnesota United FC of Major League Soccer, which selected him in the First Round of the 2024 MLS SuperDraft. The 23-year-old made his MLS debut last April against Houston Dynamo before a minor injury sidelined him until July. He returned in Leagues Cup action before recording nine appearances for reserve team Minnesota United FC 2, where he notched one goal and one assist.

“Hugo is a young defender that we believe has a lot of upside,” said Rhode Island FC Head Coach and General Manager Khano Smith. “He is very good in and out of possession and will add quality to our defensive unit.”

A native of Benicàssim, Spain native, Bacharach played collegiately at Fairleigh Dickinson University (2020-2022) and Indiana University (2023). In his final season with Fairleigh Dickinson, the defender was named the Northeast Conference Defender of the Year. Following his transfer to Indiana for his final college season, Bacharach started in all 20 of his appearances for the Hoosiers en route to a Big Ten regular season championship, scoring four goals and assisting four in almost 1,700 minutes.

He was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team and All-Big Ten Tournament Team after helping the Hoosiers to their 12th Big Ten Tournament Championship and 29th NCAA Tournament Quarterfinal appearance.

During his collegiate career, Bacharach also competed for Flint City Bucks in USL League Two, playing two seasons with the club (2022-2023). Bacharach helped the Bucks win consecutive Central Conference titles, and in 2023 he was named USL League Two Defender of the Year while also being named to the Central Conference Team of the Year in 2022 and the 2023 Team of the Year.