FC Dallas announced on Monday the signing of four new Homegrown Players to the roster ahead of the 2026 season.
On what is now becoming the club's annual Homegrown Signing Day, FC Dallas signed Academy alums forward Jaidyn Contreras, defender Kaka Scabin, defender Slade Starnes, and midfielder Caleb Swann to first-team contracts. The quartet becomes the club's 45th, 46th, 47th, and 48th Homegrown signings.
FC Dallas continues to have the most Homegrown signings in MLS.
Contreras joined the FC Dallas Academy in 2022 after relocating to Frisco from the Houston area. He made his professional debut with North Texas SC on July 27, 2024, becoming the 24th FC Dallas Academy player to appear in MLS NEXT Pro for NTSC. He logged 26 appearances, two goals, and two assists during the 2025 season. Contreras won the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro Cup and the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Invitational with North Texas SC.
Scabin began his playing career in Brazil and later joined the Inter Miami Academy, where he helped win the 2022 U-15 MLS NEXT Cup at Toyota Stadium in Frisco. He joined the FC Dallas Academy later that year and signed his first professional contract with North Texas on July 19, 2024. Scabin made his professional debut on Sept. 29, 2024. He did miss all of the 2025 season with an injury but has returned to training.
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Starnes transferred to SMU for his senior season in 2025 and captained the Mustangs to their first ACC championship. He earned tournament MVP honors and received United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-American recognition. He was also named a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist.
Before joining SMU, Starnes played three seasons at Furman University, where he appeared in 45 matches and recorded six goals and seven assists. He earned Second Team All-Southern Conference and First Team All-Southern Conference honors and served as team captain during his junior year.
Swann joined the FC Dallas Academy in 2022 after winning the U-15 Dallas Cup with Solar Soccer Club. He signed his first professional contract with North Texas SC on Dec. 20, 2024. During his first professional season in 2025, Swann became the sixth player in club history to appear in every regular-season match. In 1,711 minutes, he scored two goals, completed 82% of his passes, and helped North Texas win the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Invitational.
FC Dallas confirmed with Big D Soccer that Starnes is signed through June 2027, with club options for the 2027-28 and 2028-29 seasons. Swann, Scabin, and Contreras are signed through 2027 with club options for 2028 and 2029.
BDS Take
I was unable to get around to my annual "Who Should Move Up From NTSC" post over the last few weeks, but this one will take its place for me. I had heard rumblings in recent weeks that we were going to see three or four HGPs signed this winter.
Out of the four signed, I think Stanes is the most likely candidate to get minutes with the first team in 2026. Dallas needed more defensive depth, and Starnes can certainly provide that after four years of college. He was on my college watch list last fall.
I do think it is possible that all four remain on the club's 'off-budget' roster this season, or at least that will be the case for Swann, Contreras, and Scabin. Those three are still very intriguing players for me, as each did very well last year with North Texas SC. Unlike prior HGP signings like Daniel Baran or Ajeandro Urzua, those three established themselves as viable players for the MLS NEXT Pro side.
