St Louis CITY2 signed midfielder Cooper Forcellini, defender Zack Lillington, and defender Sidney Paris to one-year MLS NEXT Pro contracts. Forcellini and Lillington are signed through December 2026 with club options through June 2028, while Paris is signed through December 2026 with a club option through June 2027.
“Cooper, Zack, and Sidney are three versatile players who will make an immediate impact on our roster this year,” said CITY2 Head Coach David Critchley. “All three players were with the first team in preseason and that experience will be valuable to their young careers. We look forward to helping them continue to grow and adapt within our system.”
Forcellini, who St. Louis selected in the second round (43rd overall pick) of the 2026 MLS SuperDraft, made 69 appearances for Bellarmine and Xavier University, scoring 13 goals and adding six assists. The Kansas native had his breakout season in his final year with the Musketeers, earning All-BIG EAST First Team and United Soccer Coaches All-East Region Third Team honors. In 2025, Forcellini started all 15 matches and ranked among the BIG EAST Conference and national leaders with 10 goals and 22 points. He helped Xavier to multiple conference championships and NCAA Tournament appearances while also earning recognition at the MLS College Showcase and CSC Academic All-District.
Lillington, who was selected in the first round (7th overall) of the 2026 MLS SuperDraft, joins CITY2 from UC Davis. He completed his senior season in 2025, starting 17 of 18 matches, scoring three goals, and earning three assists. Lillington led UC Davis in 2025 with 24 shots on goal, scoring two game-winning goals. Over four seasons with UC Davis, Lillington made 68 career appearances, recording eight goals and nine assists. During his junior year, the California native started all 18 matches for the Aggies. As a result, the defender was named to the All-Big West Second Team and the United Soccer Coaches All-Far West Region Second Team.
Paris joins from Spanish club Sigüeiro FC. Prior to his professional career, Paris attended Wake Forest University where he made 11 appearances, starting six consecutive matches for the Demon Deacons, helping them go 4-0-2 while adding one goal. In his junior and senior seasons at Wake Forest, Paris made 33 appearances, scoring three goals and recording five assists. He earned All-ACC Academic Team honors in back-to-back seasons (2022 and 2023). Prior to his time at Wake Forest, Paris played two seasons at the United States Naval Academy, starting in 23 of 24 matches, scoring four goals and tallying seven assists. In 2021, he was named to the All-Patriot League First Team.
Internationally, Paris represents Puerto Rico and has made 15 appearances for its senior national team. He made his international debut against the British Virgin Islands in March 2023 during the CONCACAF Nations League where he later earned CONCACAF Nations League Best XI (League C) honors.
TRANSACTION: St Louis CITY2 signs midfielder Cooper Forcellini and defender Zack Lillington through December 2026 with club options through June 2028. Defender Sidney Paris is signed through December 2026 with a club option through June 2027.
PLAYER INFORMATION
Name: Cooper Forcellini
DOB: 07/31/2003
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 160 lbs
Hometown: Olathe, Kansas
Name: Zack Lillington
DOB: 06/15/2004
Position: Defender
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 191 lbs
Hometown: Fairfax, California
Name: Sidney Paris
DOB: 04/26/2002
Position: Defender
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 160 lbs
Hometown: Oakville, Ontario, Canada
