Fire sign Mauricio Pineda to Homegrown deal

The Fire have added another Homegrown player to their roster. And this one has a chance to contribute in 2020.

The team announced Friday it has signed Mauricio Pineda to a Homegrown contract. Pineda, 22, can play as either a defender or midfielder and spent four seasons at the University of North Carolina. He appeared in 79 games over four seasons for the Tar Heels, starting 74 times and scoring 17 goals.

“We’re very happy that Mauricio has decided to return to Chicago to begin his professional career,” Fire coach Raphael Wicky said in a news release. “He has all of the abilities necessary to become an impactful player. I’m looking forward to working with Mauricio to help him reach his potential.”

If Pineda had been in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft, he likely would’ve been a top 10-15 pick. His signing also represents a turn of fortune for the Fire, after they were unable to ink top prospects Andrew Gutman and Cam Lindley.

Considering the Fire’s lack of depth on the back line and his relative experience, Pineda figures to get an opportunity to play a role this season.

“I’m so happy to sign my first professional contract with the Fire,” Pineda said. “I joined the club when I was 10 years old and have been dreaming of playing for the Fire since then. I can’t wait to get started.”

A product of Plainfield East and the Fire’s academy and youth system, Pineda is the younger brother of Victor Pineda, the club’s first-ever Homegrown signing. He is one of six Homegrown players on the current roster (Jeremiah Gutjahr, Djordje Mihailovic, Andre Reynolds II, Gabriel Slonina, Nicholas Slonina).

“There’s a quiet confidence about him when he plays,” former UNC teammate Lindley told the Daily Tar Heel last year about Pineda. “He never will speak about it. He’ll never talk about himself.”

The deal includes club options for the 2021, 2022 and 2023 seasons.

NOTE: The Fire acquired $75,000 in allocation money from Montreal as a result of last year’s trade for Micheal Azira.