Columbus Crew Signs Free Agent Defender Jimmy Medranda

COLUMBUS – Columbus Crew today announced that it has signed Jimmy Medranda [pronounced: muh-DRAHN-dah] via Free Agency. The veteran defender joins the Black & Gold for the 2023 Major League Soccer season with an option for 2024.Over 10 seasons in MLS, Medranda has appeared in 145 regular-season matches, scoring nine goals and adding 11 assists. The 28-year-old has an MLS Cup, two Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cups and the 2022 Concacaf Champions League title to his credit.

“Jimmy is a proven winner, and we are proud to have a player with his MLS experience choose to sign with the Crew,” said Columbus Crew President & General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko. “Bringing a decade of MLS experience with him to Columbus, Jimmy’s addition to our roster will help provide depth and create competition on our backline, and we look forward to having him as part of our team.”

Medranda joins the Crew after most recently spending the 2020-22 seasons with Seattle Sounders FC, where he appeared in 48 regular-season matches. Medranda additionally made one appearance during Seattle’s run to the 2022 Concacaf Champions League title.

The left back made his professional debut for Colombian side Deportivo Pereira in 2012. He made 16 appearances across all competitions before joining Sporting Kansas City on loan in August of 2013 and completed a permanent transfer in 2014. Through 2019, Medranda appeared in a total of 96 matches (64 starts), scoring five goals and tallying five assists in league play. He captured the 2013 MLS Cup, in addition to the 2015 and 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cups during his tenure with Sporting KC.

Selected by Nashville SC in the 2019 Expansion Draft, he appeared in one match during the 2020 season before being traded to the Sounders in October of that year.

Crew players are set to report for entrance physicals and testing on Jan. 6. Head Coach Wilfried Nancy will assemble the group for the first time and train from Jan. 9-15 in the seasonal bubble encompassing the field at Historic Crew Stadium. The team will then travel to South Florida for the first trip of the preseason, where the Black & Gold will train in Port St. Lucie from Jan. 16-27. The Crew returns to Columbus and will train in-market from Jan. 28 – Feb. 5, before heading to Fort Lauderdale for the second trip of the preseason (Feb. 6-18).

The Black & Gold are set to open the 2023 MLS season on the road against the Philadelphia Union on Saturday, Feb. 25 and hosts D.C. United for the home opener at Lower.com Field on Saturday, March 4 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Fans looking to secure their seat for the home opener can purchase the 2023 Season Premier Holiday Pack, which includes two limited-edition scarves and four tickets to the Crew’s match at Lower.com Field on March 4, starting at just $159. Perfect for gifting, Holiday Packs can be purchased here.   

Single-game tickets are now on-sale for the general public and are available here.  

Soccer fans looking to experience Crew matches have a number of options as Season Ticket Membership for the 2023 season, which are currently on sale, includes benefits such as a subscription to Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass, exclusive, member-only events, a discount at the Crew Shop, monthly, interest free payment plans, the ability to purchase discounted parking, pre-sale access to all events at Lower.com Field, Historic Crew Stadium and FirstEnergy Stadium, and a dedicated account manager and service representative. Fans interested in purchasing Season Ticket Memberships are encouraged to call 614-447-2739, email seasontickets@columbuscrew.com, or visit www.columbuscrew.com/tickets/membershipsto get connected with a Season Ticket Member representative.      

The updated roster currently stands at 23 players for the Black & Gold, and is listed alphabetically by position below:

Goalkeepers (4): Evan Bush, Eloy Room, Patrick Schulte, Brady Scott

Defenders (8): Milos Degenek, Mo Farsi, Jimmy Medranda, Jonathan Mensah, Steven Moreira, Jake Morris, Will Sands, Josh Williams

Midfielders (9): Luis Diaz, Kevin Molino, Alex Matan, Aidan Morris, Darlington Nagbe, Isaiah Parente, Yaw Yeboah, Sean Zawadzki, Lucas Zelarayan

Forwards (2): Cucho Hernandez, Jacen Russell-Rowe

TRANSACTION: Columbus Crew signs defender Jimmy Medranda via Free Agency for the 2023 season with an option for 2024, announced on Dec. 23, 2022

Name:Jimmy Medranda [pronounced: muh-DRAHN-dah]
Position: Defender
Height: 5’5”
Weight: 152 lbs.
Born: Feb. 7, 1994, in Mosquera, Colombia 
Hometown: Pereira, Colombia 
Citizenship: Colombia and United States 
Acquired: Signed by Columbus Crew via Free Agency on December 23, 2022. 
Previous Experience: Deportivo Pereira (2012-13), Sporting Kansas City (2013-19), Nashville SC (2020), Seattle Sounders FC (2020-22)