UCLA men’s soccer announces top-ranked recruiting class for 2025
LOS ANGELES – UCLA men’s soccer head coach Ryan Jorden officially announced the program’s newest recruiting class, a group of nine players from the academy ranks that will join the team in 2025.
UCLA’s incoming group has been ranked No. 1 nationally in TopDrawerSoccer’s most recent college recruit class rankings. It marks the fourth top-ten class for the program in the last five seasons.
“With this group of incoming players, we have added an abundance of quality and potential to our roster” head coach Ryan Jorden said. “They will fill a wide variety of positional roles and we are excited about the impact these players will make in our team.”
The 2025 recruiting class consists of one goalkeeper, four defenders, two midfielders, and two forwards.
Below are capsules on all nine of the incoming Bruins, featuring bios of their soccer careers as well as a short scouting report from Coach Jorden.
Bridger Baltes – Forward – Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Soccer Club
Bio: Center Forward from Santa Barbara Soccer Club (MLS Next)… Ranked #155 in TDS top-200.
Jorden’s Scouting Report: “Bridger is a soccer junkie and is constantly working on his technical quality. The combination of his physical frame, tactical sense and goal-scoring knack is not easy to find. He will enroll at UCLA in January 2025.”
Blake Bayless – Center Back – Plano, TX – FC Cincinnati Academy
Bio: Center Back from FC Cincinnati U-18 Academy…Has been training with FC Cincinnati’s second team at MLS Next Pro… Formerly played for Solar Soccer Club in Dallas, Texas… Ranked #125 in TDS top-200.
Jorden’s Scouting Report: “Blake is a competitor, leader and good technician. He has a big personality, dominating physical presence and will be a terrific addition to the cultural demeanor in our team.”
Francis Bonsu – Forward/Winger – Old Akrade, Kumasi, Ghana – Millbrook School in New York
Bio: Forward/Winger for the Millbrook School in New York… Selected for the 2024 National High School All-American game… Played in USL2 with the Hudson Valley Hammers during the summer in 2024.
Jorden’s Scouting Report: “We did not see a quicker player anywhere in the 2025 recruiting class than Francis. His ability to use his pace and quickness to score goals (102 in three HS seasons) along with his competitive nature, will be big assets to our team.”
Dylan Cantafio – Central Midfielder/ Winger – Orange, CA – Real Salt Lake Academy
Bio: Central Midfielder/Winger for Real Salt Lake U-18 Academy… Prior to Real Salt Lake, played for Strikers FC Academy in Irvine, CA (MLS Next).
Jorden’s Scouting Report: “Dylan is an attacking player with great technical quality and tactical insight, which is evidenced by his positional flexibility and ability to create goals and assists. He also may cover more ground in a game than anyone else at the MLS Next level. His physical capacity is tremendous.”
Ian Charles – Center Back – Frisco, TX – FC Dallas Academy
Bio: Center Back for the FC Dallas U-18 Academy… He has captained his academy age group for the past two seasons… Ranked #116 in TDS top-200.
Jorden’s Scouting Report: “Ian is physically robust and athletically gifted. He is a warrior and competitor and has great technical qualities. Ian has led a team that dominates possession and his ability to manipulate defenses is very good.”
Kian Concepcion – Left Back – Austin, TX – Austin FC Academy
Bio: Left Back for Austin FC’s U-18 Academy… He has been training regularly with the MLS Next Pro team during this past season… Ranked #60 in TDS top-200.
Jorden’s Scouting Report: “Kian has very good athletic qualities, is comfortable technically in possession, and has an ability to join in the attack and get significant output in terms of goals and assists from a defending position. He will enroll at UCLA in January 2025.”
Zach Mastrodimos – Central Midfielder – Hoboken, NJ – Philadelphia Union Academy
Bio: Central Midfielder from Philadelphia Union’s U-18 MLS Next Academy… Regularly playing with Philadelphia’s MLS Next Pro team… Led the Philadelphia Union U-17 squad to the MLS GA Cup Championship in 2024… Ranked #48 in TDS top-200.
Jorden’s Scouting Report: “Zach has an incredible engine, competitiveness and ability to play the team forward from his central midfield position. Zach led his team to the MLS GA Cup Championship and was influential in playing multiple positions during their run to winning the Cup.”
Ethan Pendleton – Right Back – Washington DC – DC United Academy
Bio: Previously for DC United Academy… Currently playing with Louden United FC of the USL Championship where he has played with and against former top college players at the professional level… Ranked #57 in TDS top-200.
Jorden’s Scouting Report: “Ethan has a great physical capacity and motor to get up and down the touchline. His willingness to join the attack in combination with being a robust defender are characteristics that will translate to the collegiate level.”
Ryan Tiltack – Goalkeeper – Toronto, Canada – Toronto FC Academy
Bio: Goalkeeper for the U18 MLS Next Academy of Toronto FC… Has trained with both the Toronto FC First and Second Teams and has been invited to train with the Senior Canadian National Team.
Jorden’s Scouting Report: “Ryan’s athletic skillset and profile are very good, and his technical quality and communication skills are strong assets that will be a platform for his transition to the collegiate level.”
