HARRISON, N.J. – The New York Red Bulls II announced on Tuesday that they had exercised contract options on five players for the 2019 USL Championship season, with the club’s 2018 goalscoring leader Amando Moreno and assists leader Jared Stroud among those set to return for the new campaign.

Joining Stroud and Moreno in having contract options picked up are defender Jordan Scarlett, midfielder Chris Lema and forward Tom Barlow.

Moreno scored 11 goals in the 2018 USL season, including the club’s game-winning goal in its Eastern Conference Semifinals victory against FC Cincinnati in October. Stroud recorded 11 assists to finish sixth in the league and tied the Red Bulls II’s single-season assists record previously set by Vincent Bezecourt in the 2017 season.

New York also announced it had declined options on goalkeeper Scott Levene, defenders Niko De Vera and Lucas Stauffer, and midfielders Jose Aguinaga and Steven Echevarria, and had parted ways with defender Andrew Lombard.

Both midfielder Andrew Tinari, who finished second in the league with 102 chances created during the 2018 regular season, and defender Allen Yanes are out of contract.

“For those that are moving on, we want to wish them long, successful careers," said Red Bulls II Head Coach John Wolyniec. “I've enjoyed working with each of them and am looking forward to the 2019 season.”

The Red Bulls II – who claimed the USL Cup in the 2016 season – reached the Eastern Conference Final in the USL Cup Playoffs for a third consecutive season in 2018 before falling to eventual USL Cup champion Louisville City FC after a fifth-place finish in the Eastern Conference during the regular season.