FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Growing up, Makai Wells played many sports. He dabbled in basketball and baseball, but soccer always stood out. It wasn’t just his skill that pulled him toward soccer; it was also where he had the most fun. Now, after pairing that passion with determination, Wells has signed his first professional contract with New England Revolution II at just 17 years old.
Wells is the 17th player to sign a professional contract with Revolution II directly from the Revolution Academy. The attacker joined the Revs Academy ahead of the 2025-26 MLS NEXT season, featuring for the Under-18 team while also making appearances with New England’s MLS NEXT Pro side. Now officially part of the Revolution second team, Wells has become yet another success story of the Revolution Pro Pathway.
For Wells, the club sees MLS NEXT Pro as a steppingstone in his long journey ahead, as the teen has spent time training with the first team, working to reach the next level.
“Makai is a completely different player from when he first started working with us. There’s a maturation process that comes with being in a professional environment and in a very competitive atmosphere. He had to learn along the way, but he did that rapidly,” explained Revolution II head coach Pablo Moreira. “I had to have a conversation with Marko [Mitrović] halfway through the year in terms of Makai and Judah Siqueira. For me, they reached a peak here where I thought they needed to be pushed. Makai deserved everything he got.
“If you look at the level of competition, the environment, the culture that Marko and the first team staff have created, iron sharpens iron. Being at that level is just going to allow them to continue to grow.”
Prior to arriving in New England, Wells trained in one of the sport’s most competitive atmospheres, Barca Residency Academy, where he was a standout performer. From there, putting pen to paper with Revolution II has been a dream come true for the Washington, D.C. native.
“Ever since I started playing and ever since I started watching pros play, it’s been my dream to be there one day. To be able to do it myself, it’s just a surreal feeling,” he said. “It’s a great accomplishment that I’ve been dreaming of since I was a little kid, so it is just a proud moment for me and my family.”
Wells has logged 802 minutes for Revolution II so far this season, appearing in 13 games and earning a goal and assist. The MLS NEXT Pro team currently sits fourth in the Eastern Conference as they work to secure a playoff spot with just four games remaining in 2026.
As Wells works to help Revs II make it to postseason action, he says it’s all been possible because of the support he’s been given in New England.
“The Revs do such a great job with their Pro Pathway. I came here a year ago when they presented me with my pathway, and every step of the way, from the Academy to the second team, there have always been people in my corner helping me get better,” Wells explained.
With the Revolution Pathway, Wells has had the opportunity to look not just to his coaches for support, but to those around him who have found success on a similar path. As Wells notes, someone who has been a particularly great role model for him is Peyton Miller, a fellow Revolution Academy product who has worked his way to becoming an integral part of New England’s starting lineup.
As he continues to grow, Wells can move forward knowing he has the whole club and teammates in his corner, including those players who have already traveled the path he’s on and can guide him toward whatever comes next.
“I’ve learned it’s not just about what you can do on the field that’s going to get you to the highest level. A lot of pros carry themselves professionally off the field. From the recovery they put in, the way they eat, sleep, those are the things that will separate you,” Wells said. “I hope to just keep learning and try to break into the first team. One of my biggest goals is to make my MLS debut this season, but I have to just keep growing every day to become a better player.”
