Houston Dynamo FC acquired forward Corey Baird from the Los Angeles Football Club in a trade for $68,675 in 2021 General Allocation Money; $681,325 in 2022 General Allocation Money; an international roster slot for 2022; the clubs announced today.
The Escondido, Calif. native joins the Dynamo after scoring three goals and finishing with two assists in 14 appearances for LAFC this season in nine starts. The 25-year-old has earned four caps with the U.S. Men’s National Team and tallied an assist in his debut, a 3-0 victory over Panama on Jan. 28, 2019.
“We are thrilled to welcome Corey to the Houston Dynamo,” said Senior Vice President and General Manager Matt Jordan. “He can play a variety of positions in the attacking third while adding important league and National Team experience to our group. When you look at his age, character, and skillset, he is the type of player and person we want to be a part of our club moving forward.”
The forward began his MLS career with Real Salt Lake after signing a Homegrown contract and finished with 15 goals and 13 assists in 83 appearances for the Claret and Cobalt. Baird qualified for the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in 2018 and 2019 with Real Salt Lake. He tallied an assist in the 2-1 victory over the Portland Timbers on Oct. 20, 2019 in the qualifying round.
“Corey is a versatile attacking player with a relentless work rate. He fits perfectly into the team we are continuing to build,” Dynamo head coach Tab Ramos said. “He will be a key piece as we continue to fight for a playoff spot down the stretch.”
The California native won three national championships at Stanford University from 2015-2017, including the 2016 College Cup at BBVA Stadium. He tallied 16 goals and finished with 28 assists in his four seasons with the Cardinal. He made 69 starts and finished with 77 appearances for Stanford. Baird has also represented the U.S. National Team at the U-18 and U-17 levels.
