2024 MLS SuperDraft Recap And Predictions
The 2024 MLS SuperDraft has come and gone. If you all missed it, here is how the top 10 picks went:
1. Toronto FC - Tyrese Spicer (Forward from Lipscomb)
2. Colorado Rapids - Wayne Frederick (Midfielder from Duke)
3. FC Dallas - Logan Farrington (Forward from Oregon State)
4. Colorado Rapids - Kimani Stewart-Baynes (Forward from Maryland)
5. Austin FC - Nate Jones (Defender from Washington)
6. Chicago Fire - Bryan Dowd (Goalkeeper from Notre Dame)
7. D.C. United - Jacob Murrell (Forward from Georgetown)
8. NYCFC - Malachi Jones (Forward from Lipscomb)
9. Minnesota United - Hugo Bacharach (Defender from Indiana)
10. CF Montreal - Grayson Doody (Defender from UCLA)
Now as we know at this point… unless you’re a striker selected by Orlando City/Oscar Pareja or a late round midfielder drafted by Real Salt Lake… the SuperDraft is a bit of a crapshoot. A variety of players that we won’t truly see their potential until their second or third professional seasons. But, I am going to take this opportunity to predict the drafted rookie that I think will have the best first season out of this draft. Now necessarily this pick does not need to come out of the top 10 that I listed out above, but my pick will. I am going to go with Kimani Stewart-Baynes.
The Colorado Rapids are entering a new era under Chris Armas. An era that seems like it will be led by a lot of young talent, especially within the assumed “energy drink style soccer” that Armas will bring. The 18 year old is clearly a big time talent as he was given the opportunity to sign a Generation Adidas contract. I feel like with many “question marks” surrounding the Rapids winger situation, there is an opportunity for Stewart-Baynes to impress enough in pre-season to earn a key spot on this roster. Now again, the whole SuperDraft every year is a crapshoot for initial year’s production for these players. But with the ability I’ve seen on tape, his collegiate statistics, and the club situation he was drafted too… I'm going with Kimani Stewart-Baynes.
