Republic FC Adds More MLS Experience with Signing of Memo Rodriguez
Republic FC Adds More MLS Experience with Signing of Memo Rodriguez
A day after announcing the signing of Mark-Anthony Kaye, Sacramento Republic FC went back to the MLS well again — this time adding central midfielder Jose “Memo” Rodriguez.
If Kaye signaled intent, this move reinforces it.
Sacramento isn’t just adding talent this offseason, it’s adding experience in layers. Rodriguez arrives with nearly 200 MLS appearances, a track record of consistency, and the kind of versatility that gives Neill Collins options in how he shapes his midfield.
Listed primarily as a central midfielder, Rodriguez has spent stretches of his career out wide as well — a detail that matters for a team that has shown some tactical flexibility and could continue to evolve.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Memo to the club,” Collins said. “He’s a player with top level experience who brings quality in possession, leadership in the midfielder, and a relentless work rate that fits the identity we’re building.”
That identity hasn’t changed. But the tools within it are starting to.
Built Through Consistency
Rodriguez’s career doesn’t come with sharp peaks or sudden drops — it’s been steady, and that’s exactly the point.
He came up through the Houston Dynamo Academy, earned a Homegrown contract, and worked his way into a first-team role by 2017 after early loans to Charleston Battery and Rio Grande Valley.
From there, he became a constant.
Across six seasons in Houston, Rodriguez made 147 appearances in all competitions, scoring 21 goals and adding 10 assists. He became the Dynamo’s all-time leader in appearances for a homegrown player — not because of one standout year, but because he was trusted over and over again.
He also played a role in the club’s 2018 U.S. Open Cup win, contributing three goals and an assist during the tournament run.
Since leaving Houston, he’s continued to find minutes across MLS with LA Galaxy, Austin FC, and Sporting Kansas City. Over the last two seasons with SKC, he made 51 appearances, adding three goals and five assists.
It’s not just production — it’s presence. Coaches keep using him because he fits.
Where He Fits in Sacramento
Rodriguez isn’t coming in to be the focal point. He’s coming in to connect things.
He operates in the spaces between lines, keeps possession moving, and does the kind of work that helps a system function cleanly. Whether that’s centrally or drifting wide, his flexibility gives Sacramento another layer in how it can approach games.
That matters for a team that has often controlled matches but hasn’t always turned that control into consistent chances.
Rodriguez doesn’t solve that alone. But he can help smooth it out.
“I’m excited to join the club and I can’t wait to get started and see all the fans on opening night,” Rodriguez said.
A Midfield Taking Shape
Taken together with the addition of Kaye, this starts to look intentional.
Sacramento is building a midfield with experience, composure, and options. Players who understand tempo, who can handle different roles, and who don’t need everything built around them to be effective.
There may still be another move coming, and the system itself could continue to evolve. But as it stands, this roster is becoming more complete without losing what made it effective in the first place.
Rodriguez isn’t a headline-grabber in the traditional sense.
But alongside Kaye, he’s part of something bigger — a clear effort to raise the floor and ceiling of this team at the same time.
And for Sacramento, that’s where this season will be decided.
This must’ve been the sign and you were talking about in the other post. It’s good to see somebody that has a lot of experience coming into the squad. He might be a little past his prime, but he still should have a lot of minutes on those legs.