Signing Breakdown: Lyam MacKinnon to Orange County
What the reigning USL League One MVP can bring to Orange County SC
Lyam MacKinnon is a special player, and he’s proven it consistently with the Greenville Triumph in USL League One. Now, he’ll get the opportunity to shine that talent with Orange County SC in the USL Championship - and few other clubs would be a better fit for MacKinnon’s talents.
The last time OCSC had a right-footed scoring winger that could tear defenses apart while inverted onto the left, they competed at the top of the Western Conference. That player - former Golden Boot winner Milan Iloski - eventually earned a move to Europe. MacKinnon’s tools are similar to Iloski’s, and his potential may well reach the heights of European transfer attention.
Last year in League One, the 25-year-old attempted 101 shots; no one else in the division tried more than 74. More importantly, MacKinnon did all that without becoming a black hole that turned Greenville into a one-note offense. Indeed, he created 37 chances, second in the division behind Richmond right back Simon Fitch. In the end, MacKinnon earned the league’s Golden Boot and took home the Player of the Year title for his efforts.
Whether getting out on the break, dishing in service for the wide areas, or breaking down set defenses, the former Greenville man does it all. MacKinnon understands his strengths and weaponizes them tremendously across phases of play.
Now, MacKinnon isn’t necessarily a great dribbler. In 2024, he successfully executed just 1.2 dribbles per game on a rather low 36.7% success rate; he converted at a sub-par 44% clip as a rookie in 2023 as well. Sharp cuts and quick thinking allow the winger to find separation in useful shooting positions and to find crosses from the endline.
Numbers aside, MacKinnon is quick, and he’s extremely good about finding opportunities on the break. The winger’s off-ball speed and positioning allow him to cherry-pick transitional looks without completely abandoning his systematic defensive responsibilities.
This sequence, broken down blow-by-blow, evidences MacKinnon’s uniquely strong read on the game.
Here, the Triumph have hit a pass from the back toward the right channel. The ball, highlighted in yellow, is arcing toward a pocket where the right winger and striker can compete to receive and hopefully push Greenville into the final third. All the while, MacKinnon (circled in dark blue and green) hews toward the left half space.
It’s a mark of MacKinnon’s assertiveness that he’d take up that position. A more passive winger might stick wider, hoping to stretch the defense and allow for a late-arriving center mid to emerge. MacKinnon knows his strengths and knows that he wants to be at the heart of the action.
When Ben Zakowski, the Triumph’s right winger, ends up on the ball, MacKinnon shifts his attention toward the edge of the box. Rather than immediately cut to the far post as the hopeful recipient of a difficult cross, the 25-year-old trusts the play to keep developing. Though he’s 6’1” and a decent header of the ball - he won 51% of his aerial duels in 2024 - MacKinnon knows that he’d prefer a touch on the ground.
Greenville’s next step is two-fold. Striker Leo Castro, noted in green, stutter-steps toward the nearest defender, thereby splitting between two foes and drawing extra attention. In doing so, Castro opens up a gap, and MacKinnon knows that it’s time to finally strike.
The result? MacKinnon can cut in hard, receive on his right foot, and bury an absolutely perfect shot into the bottom corner.
It’s a terrific sequence, and it ought to strike a familiar chord for Orange County supporters. Quick, long breaks into wingers like Bryce Jamison and Cameron Dunbar were this club’s stock and trade during the home stretch of 2024. A striker like Ethan Zubak knows how to knock down long balls and bring teammates into the game.
If OCSC needs a threat to cap off those plays, they couldn’t ask for a better player than Lyam MacKinnon.
The finish in question also highlights an important aspect of the new signing’s profile. In the league this year, MacKinnon added 1.3 xG to his total thanks to precise shooting. His net plus-1.8 mark across all competitions since 2023 is a top-eight number in League One during that timespan; the winger is a very, very strong finisher.
You get another taste of MacKinnon’s impact here, with this playing coming from a match where the attacker scored four goals(!) against the Chattanooga Red Wolves.
Orange County’s newest signing begins this play with a touch in the left half space. He dribbles left until an opposing center mid commits, thus opting to cut the ball back to Castro in additional space.
As Greenville switched the point to the right to force the Red Wolves into rotation, MacKinnon keeps probing. Ultimately, he’ll slice between multiple center backs for a point-blank left-footed finish. The proximity of the shot belies the difficulty: this is a volley to meet a driven cross, after all!
Finishes like that made Lyam MacKinnon the MVP in League One, but they’re also a testament to the opportunity he was given in Greenville. The Swiss-born attacker moved to the United States in 2019 to star for Villanova in the college ranks, but he didn’t get an MLS chance despite being a third-round pick in 2023.
The Triumph took advantage. Inking MacKinnon to a pro deal, they gave the rookie a chance to shine. He rewarded the club with seven goals in 29 appearances. It’s par for the course from a Greenville organization that regularly spots college standouts, and it’s the sign of a healthy pipeline that a player as good as MacKinnon can work up the pyramid in such a manner.
At the end of the day, MacKinnon is a complete package with a preternatural instinct that you can’t teach, and it gives him the upside to eventually earn a move to MLS or Europe. He’ll get a chance to make that potential a reality at the premier landing spot for young players in the USL. It’s a major signing, one that makes sense for OCSC and Lyam MacKinnon alike.