At the age of 19, Emi Ochoa has turned a lot of heads with his impressive defense on the goal over the course of the season with the San Jose Earthquakes. This has later seen him rewarded with a contract extension from the team that will see him playing through 2027, along with team options for the next two years.

Ochoa has been quite the talent for the club at his young age. It is rare for goalkeepers to be as talented as he is, and it is even safe to say that developing in the Earthquakes Academy has definitely paid off, and now he is on the verge of even becoming the main goalkeeper of the team for the years to come.

At this point, one can say that this is a well-deserved reward for a young stalwart like Ochoa, who has been showing off in this season for the Earthquakes. The fact that he is the youngest homegrown signing in the history of the MLS says a lot about his talent in the game – how well he has honed his craft to be able to deliver on the big stage for the club.

Next Man Up

Ochoa made his debut in the Earthquakes’ squad during the US Open Cup, where he delivered a promising clean-sheet finish against Oakland Roots. Most of his earlier games were spent with The Town FC, which is San Jose’s MLS NEXT Pro affiliate in the league, playing a total of 40 matches and coming up with impressive performances for the team.

“We’re pleased to have Emi Ochoa continue his professional journey as a homegrown player with the San Jose Earthquakes,” general manager Chris Leitch said in a release. “Emi is one of the most promising young goalkeepers in North America, and he proved that again this past weekend winning the Concacaf Under-20 Championship. We are looking forward to fostering his development both on and off the field for the years to come.”

The Mexican youth international has been a standout over the years, showing how well he deserves the extension offered by the club at this point. Being with the team since November 2019, Ochoa now takes on a bigger role as he seeks to take a bigger leap in the game in the years to come.

Happiness Beyond the Game

Signing an extension with the Earthquakes has been a dream come true for Ochoa, who now gets the chance to prove his worth on the big stage as the club seeks to use him at a higher level this season. With the second half of games coming up for the Earthquakes, he is sure to get more exposure at this point.

“I’m excited to be continuing my career with the Earthquakes,” said Ochoa. “Coming up as a homegrown player in the Academy, it’s been an incredible journey so far. I feel like making my first official start earlier this year and earning a clean sheet was just the beginning. There comes a certain pride in being able to represent the club in my home region, and I’m going to keep working harder every day to reach my full potential as a pro.”

San Jose sits dead last in the Western Conference standings with a 4-19-2 record, which means they do have the room and the luxury of allowing Ochoa to see more minutes with the team heading into the next half of the campaign.