As the 2026 roster puzzle continues to come together, Rhode Island FC has addressed a necessary but quiet need: a backup for Koke Vegas. Earlier today, the club announced the signing of Jacob Castro, a 25-year-old goalkeeper coming out of the Seattle Sounders system. (Be sure to check out our Offseason Tracker to get an up-to-date view of all the incomings and outgoings this season!)
Who is Jacob Castro?
Castro spent the last few seasons with MLS Next Pro side Tacoma Defiance, formerly Seattle Sounders FC 2, where he served as a reliable, if not flashy, option in net. He was a standout in college at the University of Washington and then San Diego State, where he became a two-time All-Pac-12 honoree.
He entered the MLS through the Seattle Sounders FC academy as a homegrown player, and while he was quite successful the collegiate level, his professional numbers in MLS Next Pro suggest he’s still finding his footing at the senior level.
Looking at his last two seasons with Tacoma:
- 2024: 19 appearances, 54 saves, and 2 clean sheets.
- 2025: 14 appearances, 45 saves, but notably 0 clean sheets.
One bright spot is his comfort on the ball. He maintained an 83.4% passing accuracy last season, which fits the profile Khano Smith generally looks for in a “ball-playing” keeper, a la Koke Vegas.
Having a goalkeeper with this skillset allows the team to have a numerical advantage during the build-up. This forces the opponent’s first line of pressure to decide if they stay on the centerbacks or press the keeper. If they press the keeper, a CB is open. If they don’t, the keeper carries the ball forward. This is a core tenant of build-up in Khano’s system, so it makes sense that he would bring in a keeper with that skillset.
To drive home the point, here is an excerpt from a match report from the 2024 season:
He also integrated well into Defiance’s less-potent-than-usual attack. His strong arm put Tacoma in possession opportunities on the run at the centerline after his catches. Castro also showed a decent ability to dribble and pass. A Sounders fan worried about the post-Frei future should watch this highlight reel to see how strong Seattle’s third keeper is.
Essentially, Castro is a 6’4” frame with a decent wingspan who has been decent in a developmental league. He isn’t coming in to unseat Koke Vegas, and I doubt he will prove to be as good as our last backup keeper, but he provides a professional body in training and a fallback option if things go sideways. It’s also possible this is meant to be the 3rd string goalkeeper to replace Will Meyer if there is a stronger backup option set to join the squad, but my guess is that this is our number 2 for 2026.
In case you are a sicko and were wondering, I couldn’t find much in the way of highlight reels, but did find this clip from late 2024.
Not much to see there, although he didnt exactly cover himself in glory at the 14 second mark. That said, what USL level goalkeeper has not had plays like this?
Replacing Jackson Lee
The club is obviously in need of a backup to Koke with the departure of Jackson Lee. Jackson was a steady hand for us during each our first two seasons and a seemingly popular figure in the locker room and with fans, but with his contract up, he’s rightfully looking for a starting gig elsewhere.
Replacing a backup isn’t usually the headline-grabbing move fans are waiting for, but it’s a standard piece of roster maintenance. Castro provides a similar profile to Lee, but we’ll see if he is ready to step in for Cup matches or short-term injury spells.
My Take
This isn’t a splashy move, and it shouldn’t be treated as one. Castro is a depth piece with some raw tools that the coaching staff likely thinks they can refine. For a team coming off an Eastern Conference Final run, having a competent #2 is about insurance while hopefully planning for some development from that backup option.
That said, starter Koke Vegas has missed big chunks of gametime in each of his two seasons at Rhode Island, so having a competent backup GK is not just a luxury, but a necessity.
While I do think this is the Jackson Lee replacement, it wouldn’t shock me to see this actually turn into a Will Meyer replacement as 3rd string goalkeeper. We’ll see what other signings Khano has up his sleeve, though.
Welcome to the club, Jacob. We’ll see you at Tidewater.
Up The Tide
Tide Talk 
Leave a reply to Rhode Island FC Offseason Tracker – 2026 Season – Tide Talk Cancel reply