Sunday’s 2-2 draw and 4-3 shootout loss against Columbus Crew 2 will be a result Revolution Academy prospect Matthew Jean Baptiste will remember for a while after playing a vital role in the result.

Jean Baptiste, who made his fourth appearance and second start of the season, was a solid contributor throughout the match, ending the night with four of eight passes completed, one tackle, one recovery, one interception, two ground duels won, and two aerial duels won.

The Academy prospect's biggest impact came in the seventh minute of stoppage time when he got onto a loose ball inside the left side of the box, turned toward goal, and sent a shot to the right side of the net that deflected off the right goalpost and in to seal the 2-2 draw!

Jean Baptiste did his part in the shootout as he stepped to the spot in the fourth round and converted a right-footed strike to the upper-left corner to keep Revolution II alive.

Throughout 2026, we’ve seen numerous players and even Head Coach Pablo Moreira downplay individual achievements and put more of an emphasis on how it helped the team as a whole, and it's something Matthew Jean Baptiste did following the result, emphasizing how crucial the result was after last week’s uncharacteristic loss to Philadelphia Union II.

“We’ve been working for this moment through training," he said. "During our off time, we’ve been working hard, especially when we still have that hunger mentality.”

Matthew Jean Baptiste is one of several Revolution Academy prospects who have earned opportunities to ascend to Revolution II to continue learning as they mold their game. They are opportunities Baptiste expressed great gratitude for, saying he’s working very hard for them. Baptiste then highlighted the growth he feels he’s had since joining the New England Revolution Academy and offered insight into how he approaches each game he plays.

“Since I got to the Academy in January, I've had the mindset to dominate in every game I went into," he said. "Seeing my progress through the Academy and second team, really grateful for that, and there’s more to come.”

Jean Baptiste and New England Revolution II make their 2026 Gillette Stadium debut on Thursday when they host New York City FC II at 11:00 AM.