CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Charlotte Independence announced the signing of forward Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. for the 2024 season, pending league and federation approval. He ventures to Charlotte from Pittsburgh where he lifted the 2023 USL Championship Players' Shield with Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. 

"Juan Carlos is a big addition for our group," Charlotte Head Coach Mike Jeffries said. "He's a proven goal scorer in the USL Championship. In addition, he adds a dynamic element to our attack and is very good both holding the ball and in combination with players. With a high work rate and his technical skills, he meshes well with the group we have."

Before playing collegiately, Obregón developed with the Metropolitan Oval Academy and LIAC New York in his native New York City. With LIAC New York, Obregón competed at the 2015 Viareggio Cup in Viareggio, Italy against the youth teams of Uzbekistan Super League side Pakhtakor FC and Italian Serie A clubs Hellas Verona FC and SSC Napoli.

Continuing his career at the pre-professional level, the New York City native played collegiately at Siena College (2015-16) before spending time in USL League Two with FA Euro New York (2016) and later the Club Necaxa U-20 team (2017-18) in Aguascalientes, Mexico. With the Liga MX side's U-20 team, Obregón scored six goals in 24 appearances.

In 2019, Obregón made his professional debut with Rio Grande Valley FC in the USL Championship. After spending the 2019 and 2020 seasons in Edinburg, Texas, Obregón spent the next two seasons with fellow USL Championship side Hartford Athletic. Across four seasons of USL Championship play, Obregón amassed 24 goal contributions across 70 matches with Rio Grande Valley and Hartford.

Obregón spent a portion of the 2023 season with FC Motagua in the top-flight Liga Betcris de Honduras. During his time in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Obregón made nine appearances for the Ciclón Azul across 2023 Concacaf Champions Cup and league play.

In July 2023, Obregón returned to the USL Championship with Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. Across 13 matches with the Riverhounds, Obregón scored three goals - two of which were match winners - and tallied one assist to help Pittsburgh claim its first Players' Shield.

Competing for Honduras' youth national team in 2021, Obregón saw the pitch seven times for the U-23 team. Obregón made five appearances for Honduras in the 2020 Concacaf Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship, helping Honduras win Group B which consisted of Canada, El Salvador and Haiti, defeat the United States in the Semifinal, and fall to Mexico on penalties in the Final. Obregón scored in his lone appearance for Honduras against New Zealand in group-stage action of soccer at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

"I'm very excited to be joining the club for the 2024 season and getting to know the players, coaching staff and fans," Obregón shared. "I hope to score lots of goals, help the team win games and compete for a championship."