Tim Parker to Join the New York Red Bulls

Former St. Louis CITY SC centerback and vice captain Tim Parker is reportedly set to join the New York Red Bulls in the coming days, Sacha Klejstan first announced on X. Parker, a current free agent, finished the 2024 MLS season with the New England Revolution after being dished alongside $600,000 in General Allocation Money in a trade which sent Henry Kessler to St. Louis. He acquired almost 2,200 minutes in total between the two MLS sides in 2024.

The move is seemingly pleasant for Tim Parker, as he is a New York native himself and previously played for the Red Bulls. It makes sense for the club, with the Red Bulls in need of a big presence in the back line following the departure of John Tolkin and while pursuing a continuation of their 2024 successes in 2025, following a MLS Cup Finals appearance in 2024. It also makes sense for Parker, who is still able to be a major contributor to a MLS squad, but may want to go somewhere familiar, after appearing for 5 teams already in his career.

Parker joined St. Louis after being selected from the Houston Dynamo in the 2022 MLS Expansion Draft. His aerial prowess and excellent leadership were essential in forming an expansion side in the eyes of CITY Sporting Director Lutz Pfannenstiel. Parker grew up in New York before playing college ball at St. John’s University in Queens. He was drafted 13th overall in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft by the Vancouver Whitecaps, where he quickly became a staple of their back line and a well known name across MLS. In 2018, he got his first opportunity to go home to New York following a large trade which saw him leave Vancouver for $500,000 in Targeted Allocation Money, an international slot, and Brazilian midfielder Felipe Martins. In 2020, the Houston Dynamo acquired him in a trade involving $450,000 in General Allocation Money plus $600,000 in additional performance-based incentives.

During his time in St. Louis, Parker accumulated 4 goals, including the first in club history at Austin, and over 4,300 minutes. A strong leader, the MLS veteran served as vice captain alongside goalkeeper and captain Roman Bürki. His aerial dominance continued, posting above a 70% aerial duel success rate in both 2023 and 2024. Parker was an integral component in St. Louis’s 2023 successes, where they topped the Western Conference and broke all sorts of records, permanently redefining the term “expansion club.”