Portland Timbers sign Sawyer Jura to Homegrown contract + three academy players to T2

Ned Grabavoy and Phil Neville are backing up their words.

Credit: Portland Timbers FC

The Portland Timbers announced yesterday that they have signed Sawyer Jura to a Homegrown contract. The Bend, Oregon native is staying with his home state club, and will be with Timbers2 through 2025 and is set to join the Timbers roster in 2026 through the 2027 season.

Additionally, the Timbers signed three academy players — Adolfo Enriquez, Alex Moreno, and Noah Santos — to T2 contracts.

Since he arrived in Portland, Timbers head coach Phil Neville has been adamant about maximizing the Timbers’ academy — which has been criminally underutilized. These recent moves show how much he meant it, and how Neville and Timbers GM Ned Grabavoy are starting to build their youth academy vision together.

Jura made his professional debut on August 27, 2022, against St. Louis CITY2, playing 45 minutes as a second half sub. Jura, 17, has made 10 appearances (four starts) for T2 across the last two MLS NEXT Pro seasons, registering one assist. Jura’s first goal contribution came against Whitecaps FC 2 on Sept. 14, 2022, as he tallied the assist on the equalizer in a 2-2 draw.

The defender was also selected for the 2023 MLS NEXT All-Star Game where he started the match for former MLS All-Star Taylor Twellman, who served as coach.

Jura, a fullback, has made nine appearances for the U-17 USYNT since making his debut with the squad on September 21, 2022. He was part of the the U.S. squad that clinched a 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup berth, with Jura logging 90 minutes in the clinching 5-3 win over Guatemala on February 21, 2023.

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In addition to Jura, T2 also signed three Timbers Academy players to their first professional contracts. Midfielders Adolfo Enriquez and Alex Moreno and forward Noah Santos each signed two-year deals with T2 through the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro season with club options for 2026.

Enriquez, 17, made his professional debut in T2’s inaugural MLS NEXT Pro match on March 30, 2022. He scored his first professional goal on September 3, 2022 against Real Monarchs. In two seasons for T2 Enriquez has made 23 appearances (8 starts).

Moreno, 18, has played in 24 matches (12 starts) across two seasons for T2 since his professional debut on March 30, 2022. His first goal contribution came on June 15, 2023, against Houston Dynamo 2 as the equalizing assist. Moreno’s dribble success rate (64.3%) was the best for any non-defender for T2 last season.

Santos, 17, had his debut for T2 on June 10, 2023, against North Texas SC. The forward went on to make four appearances (one start) last season, recording 74 minutes.

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