Orlando City
2025 Orlando City Season in Review: Javier Otero
The young goalkeeper got minutes with the first team for the second straight season.
Goalkeeper Javier Otero signed as a Homegrown Player on July 10, 2023, becoming a first-team player for Orlando City after advancing through the club’s academy and starring in net for OCB. At the time, Otero was the third goalkeeper option behind Pedro Gallese and Mason Stajduhar. Otero became the primary backup in June of 2024 when Stajduhar sustained a season-ending injury in a road match at New York City FC and Orlando’s first Homegrown goalkeeper ultimately left the club prior to the 2025 season. The Lions picked up Otero’s contract option in December of last year, locking him up through this year.
Although he spent the season as the first-team backup, Otero still saw action in four OCB matches, including keeping one clean sheet, in an effort to get him some more minutes in competitive action.
Let’s take a look back at Otero’s second season as Gallese’s primary backup.
Statistical Breakdown
Otero made two appearances in the MLS regular season (both starts), going the distance in both matches and logging 180 minutes in league play. He backstopped the Lions to a win and a draw in those games, conceding just one goal in open play and a second goal on a Prince Owusu penalty in the 1-1 draw July 12 vs. CF Montreal. He made his first MLS start and picked up his first victory in a 4-1 home win vs. D.C. United on March 22, not losing the clean sheet until stoppage time, when multiple Lions in front of Otero lost aerial battles. Otero made five saves on seven total shots for a 71.4% save percentage in league play and finished with a 1.00 goals-against average in MLS play. He completed 85% of his passes and 33% of his long balls. Defensively, he logged three interceptions on the season. Otero did not appear in Orlando’s lone playoff match.
The 22-year-old Venezuelan started and played the full 90 minutes in Orlando City’s 5-0 shutout victory over the Tampa Bay Rowdies on May 7, finishing with three saves on Tampa’s three shots on frame. The goalkeeper completed all 12 of his passes in the match, including his lone long ball, and logged six ball recoveries.
Otero did not play in any Leagues Cup matches.
Best Game
Although he kept a clean sheet against Tampa Bay, I’m going with his March 22 victory against D.C. United. Otero made five saves and could do little about the stoppage-time goal he allowed, as his teammates allowed D.C. to ping the ball around the box on headers before Lukas MacNaughton directed one into the right side of the net while Otero was recovering from covering his back post. D.C. compiled 1.75 expected goals in the game, so Otero kept United under that number and faced his season high in shot attempts to pick up his first MLS victory, coming within just moments of a clean sheet. His 76.5% passing rate could have been better, but he completed four of his seven long balls. Defensively, Otero logged 11 ball recoveries and a clearance. It was a strong outing for the young goalkeeper against MLS competition.
2025 Final Grade
Because Otero fell short of the 450-minute threshold across all competitions (MLS regular season, playoffs, U.S. Open Cup, and Leagues Cup) to earn a fair grade, The Mane Land gives him an incomplete rating for 2025. The backup goalkeeper provided the necessary coverage for Gallese when El Pulpo was unavailable, and that’s what every MLS club needs from the position.
2026 Outlook
Otero is out of contract following the 2025 season, so he would need to be re-signed if he is to return in 2026. Not re-signing him prior to the end of the season doesn’t necessarily mean the club doesn’t see him in the plans for next season, although it likely means Orlando City doesn’t see him at this time as a potential replacement for Gallese, who is also out of contract, barring another automatically triggered option year we don’t know about. If the club is planning on moving on from Gallese, which we don’t know at this point, one would assume the club would have placed more urgency in locking down Otero to a new deal if he was seen as the next guy.
It’s reasonable, therefore, to assume that Otero will be considering his options this off-season before determining his next move. He has been a serviceable backup for Orlando City, but until/unless he sees more minutes, it’s difficult to know if he’s MLS-caliber starting material, although it speaks highly of him that he allowed just one goal in the run of play in three matches with the first team in 2025. The technical staff has the luxury of seeing him every day in training and no doubt has an opinion on whether he is capable of playing more at the MLS level. If Otero re-signs, it seems likely he would remain the primary backup for 2026, either behind Gallese or a new starter.