2025 Final Grade: Seymour Reid

This year, three of New York City FC’s teenage Homegrowns had their First Team debuts under Head Coach Pascale Jansen: Máximo Carrizo, Jonny Shore, and Seymour Reid.

Out of the three, Reid’s was the most unexpected. Unlike the 17-year-old Carrizo, the club’s long-term star in the making, or the 18-year-old Shore, who inked a First Team contract in 2023 when he was just 15, the 17-year-old Reid joined the club’s Academy only last year. He started the year at NYCFC II, with an agreement in place to move to the First Team as a Homegrown in 2026. But that timeline was accelerated in late May, after a First team that desperately needed healthy bodies to fill out the gameday lineup cards ran through Reid’s limited number of Short-Term Agreements that allowed the striker to join from NYCFC II.

He spent much of the rest of the year with the First Team, making eight appearances in the final 17 games of the season and scoring one goal. He even made two appearances in the MLS Cup Playoffs, coming in off the bench in the dying minutes of the Game 1 win over Charlotte FC, and the Eastern Conference Final loss to Inter Miami. Reid only logged 74 minutes in the regular season – plus another 100 minutes over the playoffs, US Open Cup, and Leagues Cup – but with his debut season out of the way, Reid is in a position to become a regular fixture in this squad next year.

13 goals in 15 appearances for NYCFC II

To be clear, Reid’s final grade only takes his time with the First Team into account. But we have to acknowledge that the striker had a spectacular season with NYCFC II, scoring 13 goals over 15 appearances. With just 1,233 minutes played for the Baby Blues, that works out to one goal every 94.9 minutes.

Reid’s 13 goals give him the third-most in NYCFC II history, behind only MD Myers (18 in 28 appearances in 2023) and Taylor Calheira (14 in 24 appearances in 2024). If Reid managed 13 goals in less than half a season, you have to think he could have easily reached 20 goals with a full 28 games under his belt.

Notably, six of those goals came in his final four appearances for NYCFC II, all of which took place after he officially signed with the First Team on May 27: He scored three braces, one each against Atlanta United 2, Chicago Fire II, and Philadelphia Union II. Not only was Reid a goal machine for NYCFC II, he improved dramatically under the instruction of Jansen and the First Team coaches. When you take in the full picture, it’s clear that Reid was good and getting better, and following the upward trajectory everybody wants to see in a young player.

17 years, 5 months, 10 days

That said, Reid didn’t make much of an overall impact on the First Team outside of coming in as a strategic late sub. Six of his nine league appearances came after the 80th minute, with the other three coming after the 70th minute. He made just one start, and that was in the forgettable 3-0 loss to Club Puebla in Leagues Cup.

But Reid still found a way to get on the scoresheet, and become the youngest player to score a goal at 17 years, 5 months, and 10 days. It came on September 13, when New York City defeated Chicago Fire 3-1 on the road in Matchday 28. Reid’s goal came in stoppage time, and it was instrumental in sealing the win over a Chicago that had dominated the run of play for the final 15-plus minutes of the game.

It was a well-taken goal: Agustín Ojeda feeds the ball to a wide-open Reid, who controls it with his left foot, squares his hips as if he’s going to fire a shot at the near post, then sends the ball across the goal to the far post to beat the Chicago goalkeeper. The ball tucks in just inside the post to give New York City an insurmountable lead.

Reid vs Mijatović

It was a confident goal, and gave New York City fans a taste of what Reid was doing with NYCFC II earlier in the season. In that one moment, Reid displayed more quality and composure than we ever saw in Jovan Mijatović, who served as the backup striker last year.

In case you forgot, Mijatović was the 18-year-old Serbian who was reportedly heavily scouted by Manchester City, but who joined NYCFC for a reported $8.6 million fee just before the start of the 2024 season. Unlike Reid, Mijatović looked utterly disconnected from the rest of the team. He was a stocky player who could be muscled off the ball, a striker who managed just two shots on target in 11 league appearances. Like Reid, Mijatović made appearances with NYCFC II. Unlike Reid, Mijatović didn’t ever score for the baby blues.

But maybe the biggest distinction between the two is the shape of their learning arcs: While Reid improved over the course of the year, Mijatović became increasingly testy and insecure. The Serbian, whose contract ties him to NYCFC through the end of 2028, is currently on loan with OH Leuven through June 2026. New York City fans should hope that another team find something to like in Mijatović, and continue to keep him off the books.

At the same time, New York City fans should be hopeful about what Reid will bring in 2026, when he will turn 18, and will continue to develop as a player.

Until then, his 2025 final grade reflects what he accomplished this past season: One nice goal with the First Team, plus some good looks in other games. No doubt Reid will accomplish more in 2026, and his future report card will reflect that. Until then, consider this grade a remarkable achievement for a player who was supposed to spend the year playing in MLS NEXT Pro, not facing down Columbus Crew, Nashville SC, and Red Bull New York, never mind scoring on Chicago.

2025 Final Grade: B