Josh Munson’s Breakthrough Week: First Pro Contract, First U.S. Call-Up

Josh Munson’s rise with the New York Red Bulls has taken another significant turn.

The 17-year-old center back has signed his first professional contract with Red Bull New York II, putting him on a long-term pathway toward the club’s MLS first team. Just a day later, Munson was called into his first U.S. Youth National Team camp, earning a place with the U.S. U-17 squad as the program enters the final stages of preparation for the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

It has been a rapid ascent for a player who only joined the Red Bulls Academy in 2024.

Munson’s new MLS NEXT Pro contract runs through the 2028-29 season and begins on January 1, 2027. The agreement also includes a clear pathway to the senior team, with Munson set to join the Red Bulls as a Homegrown Player for the 2029-30 MLS season, along with club options for the following two seasons.

Munson arrived in New York after developing with Michigan Jaguars, joining the Red Bulls Academy in 2024.

The move quickly accelerated his progression. This season, the 17-year-old made the jump to Red Bull New York II and made his MLS NEXT Pro debut on May 30 against Carolina Core FC.

Three weeks later, he scored his first professional goal in a 5-0 victory over Toronto FC II.

Munson finished the regular season with 14 appearances and 826 minutes for Red Bulls II, establishing himself as one of the young defenders the club sees as part of its long-term development pathway.

Only one day after the professional contract was announced, Munson received another piece of major news.

U.S. U-17 head coach Alex Aldaz included him in a 24-player roster for the September/October international window in Marbella, Spain. It is Munson’s first-ever call-up to a U.S. Youth National Team.

The timing could hardly be more significant.

This is the final U.S. U-17 camp before Aldaz selects the 21 players who will represent the country at the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar. The United States will face Ireland on September 30, Norway on October 3 and the Netherlands on October 6. 

Munson will therefore have the opportunity to make his international debut in a camp that could ultimately determine whether he earns a place on the World Cup roster.

The defender is one of three Red Bulls players included in the squad, alongside goalkeeper Tobias Szewczyk and midfielder Deven Cadigan.

Munson’s inclusion also reflects the progression he has made in a relatively short period of time.

When he joined the Red Bulls Academy in 2024, he was still working his way through the club’s youth setup. By the end of 2026, he had already made the jump to MLS NEXT Pro, scored his first professional goal, signed a contract that maps out a long-term professional future and earned his first opportunity with the U.S. youth national team.

The next challenge is considerably bigger.

The United States is preparing for a World Cup, and Munson now has a chance to compete for one of the spots on the final roster. If selected, the 17-year-old would go from academy football to the international stage in a remarkably short span.

For the Red Bulls, meanwhile, the pathway is already mapped out.

Munson will continue developing with Red Bull New York II before his planned transition to the MLS first team in 2029. For a club that has made youth development a central part of its identity, the center back’s latest week represents another example of how quickly an academy prospect can move through the system when the opportunity arrives.