Atlanta United today announced the team has claimed forward Bryan Róchez off of waivers from Orlando City SC. Róchez will be added to Atlanta’s reserve roster (roster spots 25-28), carrying a Reserve Minimum Salary Budget Charge. Orlando City SC will retain the rest of his 2017 budget charge.
Róchez, 22, was born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras and broke through during his time with Real CD Espana. From 2012-14, Róchez scored 29 goals in 59 appearaces, which earned him a call-up to the Honduras National Team in late 2014. Soon after, he signed with then-expansion Orlando City SC as a Designated Player on Dec. 15, 2014 at just 19 years old. Overall in his MLS career, Róchez has appeared in 16 career matches and has scored three goals. In 2016, Róchez appeared in 10 games for Orlando City B and scored two goals before he was sent back on loan to Real CD Espana.
Internationally, Róchez shined with the Honduras U20s, scoring seven goals in 10 career matches. With the senior team, he’s made seven appearances with his last coming in December of 2015.
Róchez has a U.S. Permanent Residence card and qualifies as a domestic player under MLS rules.
Atlanta returns to action Saturday against Chicago Fire, with all four players available for selection. Kick-off from Bobby Dodd Stadium is scheduled for 4 p.m. and will be televised nationally on UniMas (available in English via SAP). The match will also be streamed on Facebook Live, the first-ever in MLS history, on the Univision Deportes Facebook page.
