Position: Defender
Birthdate: 1/31/1996
Hometown: Key Largo, Florida
Previous Club: Bethlehem Steel FC
College: Wright State University
Height: 6-2
A strong, attacking defender, AJ Paterson is back for his fifth season in Black and Yellow, having made 82 appearances across all competitions for the club.
The club captain balanced his role with the Battery while also captaining the Grenada national team during the Concacaf Nations League in 2022. Paterson made 23 appearances in league play, registering 68 clearances, 32 interceptions and 102 duels won.
Among the top moments of the 2022 season was AJ’s dramatic equalizer at the death on the road against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. His bar down off a free kick subsequently won the league’s Goal of the Week.
AJ was a key piece throughout the 2021 season, leading the Battery in aerial duels won (45) and tallying the second-most interceptions (39).
Paterson was drafted by Major League Soccer side New York City FC in 2018 after a standout career at Wright State University.
The Key Largo native had a short stint with Bethlehem Steel FC, now Philadelphia Union 2, in 2018 before signing with Charleston. Paterson scored four goals on the year in 2019, good for third-best on the team.
Internationally, AJ was called up to the Grenada Men’s National Team for the first time in 2018 and has been capped 19 times (four goals). He most recently played for his country during the 2022-23 Concacaf Nations League, captaining the Spice Boys against the United States and El Salvador.
