Orlando City SC has signed Ecuadorian midfielder Jhegson Sebastián “Sebas” Méndez via transfer from Independiente del Valle of Ecuador’s Serie A.
“Sebas is a very exciting, young player who we’ve been following for a while. He adds a level of versatility, athleticism and overall quality to our team,” said Orlando City SC EVP of Soccer Operations Luiz Muzzi. “There was a lot of international interest in him, and we are thrilled he chose Orlando and MLS as his next career move. Looking forward to integrating him into the roster next season.”
Méndez, 21, joined Independiente del Valle of Ecuador's top flight of soccer in 2015. In his time with Valle, Méndez appeared in 81 total competitions for the club, including two starts at defensive midfield in both legs of the 2018 Copa Libertadores. He also had a loan stint with Cultural Leonesa from August 2015 to January 2016.
At the international level, Méndez has earned five caps for Ecuador. Méndez’s first appearance came on Sept. 12, 2018, in a 2-0 victory over Guatemala where Méndez recorded 73 minutes in the defensive midfield. In Méndez’s five starts for the national team, Ecuador owns a record of 3-1-1, allowing just four total goals while recording three clean sheets.