MLS roster rules are rather complicated but
Supplemental RosterPlayers occupying roster spots 21-24 do not count against the club's salary budget, and are referred to collectively as the club's Supplemental Roster. A club may have no more than four players on its Supplemental Roster, subject to the
Season-Ending Injury Replacement,
Disabled List, and
Loan exceptions.
- Slots 21-24 may be filled with (i) Senior Minimum Salary Budget Charge Players (US$67,500 in 2018) which may include Homegrown Players, (ii) Generation adidas Players, or (iii) any specifically Designated Players eligible for the MLS SuperDraft; or (iv) Homegrown Players earning more than the Senior Minimum Salary subject to the Homegrown Player Subsidy.
- All Generation adidas players are Supplemental Roster players until they graduate from the program.
- All players on the Supplemental Roster must be paid a base salary that is at least the Senior Minimum Salary (US$67,500).
Reserve Roster- Players occupying roster slots 25-28 may be filled with players earning either (i) the Reserve Minimum Salary (US$54,500 in 2018) or (ii) Homegrown Players earning more than the Reserve Minimum Salary subject to the Homegrown Player Subsidy.
- Reserve Minimum Salary Players must be 24 years or younger during the League Year (age of player is determined by year - not date - of birth).
- These slots may not be filled with Senior Minimum Salary Players or Generation adidas Players.
- All players in slots 25-28 must be paid a base salary that is at least the Reserve Minimum Salary (US$54,500).
Bottom line is 8 roster positions are protected for players like Bakero, Spencer, Morgan, etc
Guys on the board have constantly bitched about them over the years but the reality is it's them or no-one