How CITY’s Lucas Bartlett followed a winding path to St. Louis

Lucas Bartlett took the long route.

The Overland Park, Kansas native didn’t come from a Major League Soccer academy system. His hometown club, Sporting Kansas City, didn’t tab him as a Homegrown player. And by the fall of 2021, he was playing for his third college program, using the extra year of eligibility afforded during the COVID-19 pandemic to take a final shot at playing soccer on a big stage. 

After joining St. John’s, a Big East powerhouse, Bartlett surfaced as a key contributor for an NCAA Tournament team. He parlayed his success that fall, during which he tied for the team lead with five goals and anchored one of the best defensive teams in the country, into an invitation to the MLS Draft Combine.

Then he got food poisoning.

“I left the emergency room at 2 a.m. on Saturday night after getting an I.V. and then played on Sunday morning,” Bartlett said. “I thought I was screwed, but the reception was really good.”

Bartlett survived the foul meal and a rather nomadic college career to become the No. 6 pick by FC Dallas in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. But it took another year for Bartlett to establish himself as an MLS regular. For St. Louis CITY SC, Bartlett arrived in town this winter with no guarantees. After starting the preseason with CITY on a trial basis, the 25-year-old center back quickly demonstrated his staying power on the club’s back line. Now, midway through the MLS season, Bartlett has followed the long road to a new home in St. Louis.

“He’s gone from being trialist for two weeks to potentially an MLS Next Pro contract to then potentially being loaned up before we signed him to an MLS deal,” CITY head coach Bradley Carnell says. “He’s been rewarded for his commitment to the course.”

That reward has come in the form of regular playing time for a St. Louis defensive corps that has established itself as a clear strength for the expansion side. Bartlett has started 12 matches across all competitions for St. Louis, often lining up alongside fellow St. John’s product Tim Parker. It was at St. John’s where Bartlett helped his stock as a pro prospect. At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, Bartlett’s poise on the ball, positional play, defensive instincts, and leadership skills proved valuable to the Red Storm as they advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2021. After stops at Loyola Chicago and Drake, Bartlett’s success in New York City not only put him on the radar of MLS scouts, but also seemed to give him the internal boost he needed.

“All the teams in MLS are looking for players with his qualities,” Red Storm head coach Dave Masur says. “He’s good on the ball, tactical, and focused. I think his year at St. John’s gave him some extra confidence in himself.”

Even then, Bartlett was surprised by where he landed next.

“I had a pretty decent idea that I would be in the first round,” Bartlett says. “Three or four teams said that they would pick me if they got the chance, but Dallas never said a word to me or my agent. They picked me without saying a word to me.”

Like many college players taken in the MLS SuperDraft, Bartlett didn’t see a minute of regular season action. With Matt Hughes and Jose Martinez, Dallas had two high-paid center backs ahead of Bartlett when it picked him. That made Bartlett the odd man out the entire year. Though he made two starts in the U.S. Open Cup and stayed sharp by playing for North Texas in 12 USL matches, FC Dallas declined to renew his contract.

“I had a couple of months of really good play in Dallas, but they weren’t going to reward me with an opportunity like St. Louis has,” Bartlett says. “It’s tough when you’re a young pro and you think you’re doing everything you can.”

The hardships that come with trying to break into MLS didn’t deter Bartlett from following through on his plan. With his eyes set on being a first-team player, he worked his way into CITY’s lineup by focusing on the small details. Each week, for example, Bartlett meets with John Hackworth, CITY’s director of coaching, to review clips of game action in all situations. It’s Bartlett’s work ethic and coachability that made him an attractive signing for St. Louis in the first place—and what has allowed him to maintain a role with the club all season. 

“Bartlett fits into the same category as Tim Parker when it comes to willingness to work hard,” Carnell says. “We put our center backs in tough situations, and we ask them to survive, and Lucas has a tremendous mentality. He believes he belongs.”

In little time, Bartlett fine-tuned the skillset he showcased in college to emerge as a key piece of a first-place team roster. He’s gained valuable experience being paired at center back with Parker, and the two are golf buddies off the field. Their fast friendship has helped the new club form its identity. 

“It wasn’t an easy transition for Lucas coming from Dallas,” Parker says. “It’s two completely different styles. It required an all-in buy-in. His athletic ability is a tribute to our style here in St. Louis.”   

While finding his way as a first-team player in MLS, Bartlett oversees Boge, the boutique golf clothing line he started with a friend in 2021. When practice ends, Bartlett finds a coffee shop—recently he’s favored La Finca in The Grove—where he can handle some emails, review designs, and contact manufacturers about sourcing materials for the business. He rented a house in Dogtown so that his parents can stay with him when they’re in town for games. For the record, his folks still have season tickets for Sporting Kansas City; Lucas’ younger brother, Jacob, plays in SKC’s academy system.

Having shuffled across the country working towards an MLS career, Bartlett is happy to be in St. Louis. It took years for him to find himself here, but Bartlett is where he believes he’s meant to be. And if his track record is any indication, he’s not done growing.

“I’ll put my head down and work and in 12 months’ time, I’ll be better than you thought I’d be,” Bartlett says. “I’ll be patient about that.”