Sacramento Republic sends Turlock native Hayden Sargis to MLS’ D.C. United team

Sacramento Republic announced Monday it reached a deal to send young defender Hayden Sargis to D.C. United of Major League Soccer.

The Turlock native has worked his way up through the Quails’ youth academy system, with 109 appearances and 92 starts while playing for Sacramento Republic’s academy. Once called up to the USL team in 2020, Sargis made an immediate contribution, playing in 14 games in 2020 and 18 in 2021. Sargis made 33 starts in 35 appearances with the Quails in logging 2,789 minutes and adding one assist.

“Hayden is a talented player, and an even better person who represents everything we are about in Sacramento,” Republic general manager Todd Dunivant said in a news release. “We have no doubt that he will go on to do great things in his career and will forever be a shining example of our indomitable club. He is a glowing example of the top-tier talent in Northern California and further proof that our academy player pathway allows for players to reach their highest potential.”

Sargis is the only product of Republic’s youth academy to log 1,000 minutes in consecutive seasons. He holds the team records for starts by a former academy player (16). In 2021, he finished second on the team with 62 clearances and he blocked eight shots.

Sargis is the third Republic FC academy player to sign an MLS contract. The Quails have had three more players from their youth academy selected in the MLS SuperDraft. More than a dozen other players have earned USL contracts and more than 50 players have gone to Division I soccer teams.

The first game of Republic’s USL season is March 12 against El Paso at Sacramento’s Heart Health Park.

Hayden Sargis was one of three Sacramento Republic academy players to sign a first-team professional contract in 2020.
Hayden Sargis was one of three Sacramento Republic academy players to sign a first-team professional contract in 2020.