Da’vian Kimbrough, a 13-year-old forward, signed a contract with the Sacramento Republic of the second-tier USL Championship, which says he is the youngest athlete in American professional team sports.

Kimbrough, who joined the team’s youth academy in 2021, was 13 years, 5 months, 13 days when the deal was announced Tuesday.

After playing for North Bay Elite Futbol Club in Solano County and Woodland Soccer Club of Yolo County, Kimbrough scored 27 goals in 31 matches for the Republic’s under-13 team in 2021, when he was 11.

He played for the under-14 team last year, also joining the under-15 team for some matches. Kimbrough scored six goals this year as the New York Red Bulls Academy team won the Bassevelde Cup for under-13 teams in Belgium.

Kimbrough, born on 18 February 2010, is eligible to debut on Saturday against the Birmingham Legion.

Maximo Carrizo signed with Major League Soccer’s New York City on his 14th birthday on 28 February 2022. He has yet to make his MLS debut.

Sacramento made headlines last year with their charmed run to the final of the US Open Cup, where they came within one game of becoming just the second lower-division club to win the title in a quarter-century.

• This article was amended on 10 August 2023. An earlier version said that Maximo Carrizo signed with Major League Soccer’s New York City on his 14th birthday on 28 February 2008; that was his actual birthdate. He signed in 2022.