Analysis: Could Nashville SC’s midfield injuries lead to surprise debuts?

The odds of two Nashville SC newcomers making unexpected debuts this weekend have skyrocketed amid concerns over the club's injury-riddled midfield. 

Matthew Corcoran, 19, and Wyatt Meyer, 24, both started Nashville's last two preseason matches, presumably occupying the defensive midfield roles. While preseason games often serve as a stage to test younger players in a low-stakes environment, the consecutive starts for Corcoran and Meyer could carry more significance given the injury concerns among Nashville's veteran midfielders.

The midfield was the focal point of Mike Jacobs’ offseason overhaul, yet just days before their season opener, the availability of several key players remains in question. 

Neither Gastón Brugman nor Patrick Yazbek featured in the last two friendlies due to injury concerns. Additionally, Bryan Acosta joined the duo on the sidelines with a knock of his own for the final preseason match against Austin FC. 

Following the team's final tune-up, manager BJ Callaghan addressed the injury situation.

"I'd say for Gastón right now, we're trying to get a good timeline on him. He's probably furthest away in terms of being with an injury," Callaghan said. "Patrick and Hany are more in 'let's see how we get through the week.' It was very conservative. Bryan Acosta not starting and not playing was us trying to be extremely safe."

Callaghan emphasized the club's cautious approach: "Even the guys playing 45 minutes today, a lot of those guys could have played longer. But again, we wanted to put our best foot forward for the opening night at Geodis. We felt like it was a good decision to stay as conservative as possible."

Who are the next midfielders up? 

Nashville's potential reliance on Corcoran and Meyer stems from the uncertain status of the veterans ahead of Saturday's clash with the New England Revolution. When asked about whether the club's depth can step up if needed, Callaghan expressed confidence in the roster’s younger players.

"Throughout this preseason, the way that we've performed, I think we've seen a lot of players step up, a lot of players gain great experience," he said. "We want to be a club that plays young players. And so for us, whether it's Jonny Pérez, Adem Sipić, Isaiah Jones, Matt Corcoran – we have a great amount of confidence in them. And they show a great amount of confidence in themselves because the things that we're asking them to do, they're doing."

Among those names called out by Callaghan, Corcoran stands out. 

The teenager, signed from Birmingham Legion earlier this month, has been involved with the U.S. Youth National Teams and is considered a promising talent. With Acosta and Yazbek's status still unclear, Corcoran could find himself in the starting XI if either veteran is unavailable or on a minutes restriction. Even if Corcoran starts on the bench, the teenager might see significant second-half action.

For those unfamiliar with Corcoran's game, my colleague, Jeff Remlinger, provided an in-depth breakdown ahead of his signing.

The Meyer mystery

Wyatt Meyer's potential involvement is more complicated. To public knowledge, Meyer has yet to sign a deal with Nashville SC. 

The club selected Meyer 12th overall in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft more than a year ago, but Meyer opted to return to Cal-Berkeley for his senior collegiate season rather than immediately join Nashville or its Huntsville affiliate.

Despite his unofficial status, Meyer started Nashville's last two preseason games, suggesting he's left a positive impression on Callaghan and his staff. 

Should Meyer make the team-sheet this weekend, Nashville will first need to sign him to a contract beforehand. This could come via a direct deal with the parent club. Alternatively, Meyer could be signed to a contract with Huntsville City, but nevertheless feature for Nashville via an Affiliate Short-Term Agreement.

The MLS Roster Rules permit a club to sign a player, age 25 or younger, from its MLS NEXT Pro affiliate to a maximum of four Short-Term Agreements (up to four-day contracts). An individual subject to a Short-Term Agreement may be included on the roster in up to four MLS season matches but may appear in no more than two matches. Importantly, this restriction does not apply to other competitions, such as U.S. Open Cup. 

Regardless of the method, an announcement will need to be made prior to Saturday’s match if Meyer is to make his Music City debut. 

With the season opener fast approaching, more clarity could arrive Thursday morning when Callaghan speaks at his pre-match press conference. Additionally, the club's official player availability report on Friday may provide insight into the status of Acosta and Yazbek.

Stay tuned to SixOneFive Soccer for the latest updates as Match Week 1 unfolds.