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Professional sports teams are increasingly signing teen athletes as young as 13 to high-value contracts, raising questions about contract enforceability and developmental risks for minors.[1] In 2023, 13-year-old Da’vian Kimbrough became the youngest athlete in the history of American team sports when the Sacramento Republic soccer team signed him to a professional contract. That same year, 15-year-old Melanie Barcenas signed a three-year contract with the San Diego Wave and the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), debuting as the league’s youngest athlete ever. Barcenas joined a growing number of teen players advancing their careers to professional levels at ages when most teens are navigating hormonal changes, fitting in, social media, and college admissions.