PAWTUCKET, R.I. – Rhode Island FC announced on Tuesday it had signed goalkeeper Jacob Castro for the 2026 USL Championship season. The transaction is pending league and federation approval.

The 26-year-old shot-stopper joins the Ocean State club after spending the first three years of his professional career with Major League Soccer organization Seattle Sounders FC, where he featured prominently for the club’s MLS NEXT Pro affiliate, Tacoma Defiance, recording 47 appearances for the side.

“Jacob is a skilled goalkeeper who will bring valuable competition and depth to our goalkeeping department,” said Rhode Island FC Head Coach and General Manager Khano Smith. “His experience training and playing with a first-class MLS organization will be critical as we prepare for a busy schedule next season.”

After joining the Sounders Academy in 2017 and playing four seasons of collegiate soccer, the Spanaway, Wash. native inked his first professional deal with Seattle in 2022, signing a homegrown contract. In three seasons in MLSNP, Castro recorded 152 saves at a save percentage of 64.8 percent and logged five shutouts in 42 appearances while posting a Goals Prevented mark of +4.10.

Castro spent his collegiate career across two different programs, beginning at the University of Washington in 2019, where he made two appearances and posted a 2W-0L-0T record. After transferring to San Diego State University in 2021, his career blossomed. He started all 17 games and made 66 saves with seven shutouts during his first season with the Aztecs in 2022, becoming the program’s first goalkeeper since 2006 to be named to the All-Pac 12 First Team. During his senior season in 2023, he was named to the All Pac-12 Second Team after leading the conference with 52 saves and finishing second with a 3.1 saves-per-game average.