Position: Forward
Birthdate: 1/14/2007
Hometown: San Diego, California
Previous Club: Houston Dynamo FC
Height: 5-11
Ezekiel “Zeke” Soto enters his second season with the Battery after signing to a multi-year professional contract on July 4, 2024. Soto has been a rising star within the USYNT setup since debuting for the U-17s at just 15 years old.
Soto, 17, featured in three matches in the USL Championship, coming off the bench against Miami FC, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and Loudoun United FC. The 2024 campaign marked Soto’s first season in senior football and the second division after previously competing in academy leagues and MLS NEXT Pro.
The San Diego, Calif., native arrives in Charleston after spending the past four years within the Houston Dynamo Academy. Soto initially joined Houston’s academy when he was 14 years old before progressing through the ranks. He made 20 appearances for Dyanmo 2 in MLS NEXT Pro from 2023-24.
On the international stage, Soto has been a regular with the U.S. U-17 national team. Soto has earned 14 caps and scored five goals and was teammates with former USYNT player and Battery product Fidel Barajas. Soto helped the U.S. qualify for the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup when they ended as finalists in the 2023 Concacaf U-17 Championship.
