Orlando City’s decision to withdraw Orlando City B from USL League One this year means that the club won’t have a team in the USL for the second time since 2016. While OCB won’t be participating in the league in 2021, there are still some reasons to watch the country’s professional lower leagues.
When a player is drafted into MLS, the club retains the player’s rights until they become a free agent or are traded. Orlando City has had several draft picks that didn’t work out and have ended up in the USL Championship or USL League One, the country’s second and third divisions. Since these players weren’t traded, the club still holds their MLS rights, even though it’s unlikely they’ll ever rejoin the club.