Inaugural Pathway Player of the Year Honored
Defender, Goalkeeper, and Match Officials of the Year Also Named
MLS NEXT Pro announced today the winners of five 2025 regular season awards, including a new individual award. The Best XI recognizes top players at each position, with all but one earning the honor for the first time this year. The 2025 season marks the debut of the Pathway Player of the Year award: Osaze De Rosario has been named the inaugural winner for his standout performance with both Tacoma Defiance (MLS NEXT Pro) and Seattle Sounders (MLS).
Philadelphia Union II’s Neil Pierre has been named Defender of the Year for his role in the Club allowing the second-fewest goals in the League. Chattanooga FC’s Eldin Jakupović earned Goalkeeper of the Year honors after backstopping his team to its first MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs appearance. MLS NEXT Pro also honored the Match Officials of the Year for excellence in officiating.
The Pathway Player, Defender and Goalkeeper of the Year awards and Best XI were voted on by the Head Coaches and Chief Soccer Officers at MLS NEXT Pro Clubs, as well as League broadcasters and content team. The Match Officials were determined by Club coaching staff assessments.
Osaze De Rosario earned the first-ever Pathway Player of the Year award, in recognition of a player who demonstrated success at multiple levels of the pro player pathway in one season – excelling in two or more leagues across MLS NEXT, MLS NEXT Pro and MLS. De Rosario stood out in both MLS NEXT Pro and MLS in 2025. He started the season by going on a scoring streak with Tacoma Defiance, scoring eight goals in five matches, finishing with 10 goals in 12 appearances (12 starts, 870 minutes) for the MLS NEXT Pro Club. He made his MLS debut for the Seattle Sounders on May 3 and shortly after signed a first team contract on May 8, going on to spend the majority of the season with the first team. De Rosario scored his first career MLS goal on July 26 against Atlanta United FC, making 12 appearances (three starts) throughout the 2025 MLS season, to date.
With the Sounders, De Rosario took the next step in his development with a breakout performance in the 2025 Leagues Cup, helping the Sounders win the competition for the first time in Club history, leading Seattle in tournament scoring (four goals, 6GP (3GS), 281 minutes).
De Rosario, son of MLS Great Dwayne De Rosario, joined Tacoma Defiance ahead of the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro season from York United FC of the Canadian Premier League, where he made appearances in the league’s Playoffs and Canadian Championship matches. The Guyanese-international also played in both Toronto FC’s and New York City FC’s academies before making his professional debut with Ukrainian club Rukh Lviv. In the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro season, De Rosario scored six goals and started 13 of his 22 appearances. His younger brother, Adisa De Rosario (TOR), is a finalist for the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Goalkeeper of the Year award.
Finalists for Pathway Player of the Year: New York City FC II’s Seymour Reid, and Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2’s Rayan Elloumi.
Philadelphia Union II central defender Neil Pierre was the anchor for his team, leading a backline that allowed the second-fewest goals in the League. Philadelphia Union II’s (58 points, 15-5-8) imposing defense helped the Club clinch its fourth consecutive playoff berth in MLS NEXT Pro, one of just two teams to participate in every postseason of the League’s history. Pierre contributed in the attacking third as well, scoring a career-best four goals in 2025 to surpass his previous personal record (2), while also completing the fourth-most passes for Union II and starting each of his 20 appearances (1,592 minutes).
Pierre signed his first professional contract during the 2023 season, signing an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Union II from the Club’s academy. He made his professional debut on July 23, 2023, and scored his first professional goal a month later on August 19 (three starts in six appearances). After impressing in the 2024 season and starting 20 of his 22 appearances, as Union II finished as runners-up in the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro Cup, Pierre signed a first team contract as a Homegrown player in February 2025.
Finalists for Defender of the Year: Chattanooga FC’s Tate Robertson and St Louis CITY2’s Gabriel Mikina.
Chattanooga FC goalkeeper Eldin Jakupović (13-6-9) brought a wealth of experience to the Chattanooga FC roster this year, anchoring a defense that conceded the third-fewest goals in the Eastern Conference. Jakupović joined Chattanooga FC ahead of the 2025 season and recorded a League-best 10 clean sheets en route to the independent team clinching a playoff berth for the first time in MLS NEXT Pro. Jakupović recorded a League-leading 124 saves and was one of two goalkeepers who led the League in minutes played (2,520 minutes).
Prior to joining Chattanooga FC, Jakupović played at the MLS level with LAFC during the 2023 season and is an FA Cup winner with Leicester City, as well as a Russian Cup winner with Lokomotiv Moscow. The Swiss international also previously played for Grasshopper Club Zurich, FC Thun (where he made six UEFA Champions League starts), Olympiakos Volou, Aris Thessaloniki, Hull City, Leyton Orient, and Everton.
Finalists for Goalkeeper of the Year: Houston Dynamo 2’s Pedro Cruz, St Louis CITY2’s Christian Olivares and Toronto FC II’s Adisa De Rosario.
All members of this season’s Best XI, including those named as Honorable Mention, were selected for the first time in 2025 – with the exception of Mykhi Joyner. The St Louis CITY2 midfielder earned his second consecutive appearance on the Best XI list and is only the second player to earn multiple Best XI honors in League history (Jack Lynn (ORL), 2022-2023). The 11 players represent eight Clubs in MLS NEXT Pro, all of whom will participate in the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs beginning this weekend with the Conference Quarterfinals.
Goalkeeper (1):
Eldin Jakupović – Chattanooga FC
Honorable Mention: Pedro Cruz – Houston Dynamo 2
Defenders (3):
Gabriel Mikina – St Louis CITY2
Neil Pierre – Philadelphia Union II
Tate Robertson – Chattanooga FC
Honorable Mention: Jordan Knight – Huntsville City FC and Harbor Miller – Ventura County FC
Midfielders (4):
Nehuén Benedetti – New York Red Bulls II
Alan Carleton – Huntsville City FC
Marcos Dias – New England Revolution II
Cruz Medina – The Town FC
Honorable Mention: Miguel Perez – St Louis CITY2
Forwards (3):
Mykhi Joyner – St Louis CITY2
Sam Sarver – North Texas SC
Jason Shokalook – Chicago Fire FC II
Honorable Mention: Yu Tsukanome – Tacoma Defiance
After every MLS NEXT Pro match, a member of each Club's coaching staff evaluates the performances of the match officials. The cumulative assessments determined the top officials for 2025:
Referee: Calin Radosav
Assistant Referee: Adam Cook
Fourth Official: Eric Burton
Following the conclusion of the regular season on October 5, MLS NEXT Pro announced the winners of the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Golden Boot and Playmaker of the Year awards: Chicago Fire FC II’s Jason Shokalook was named Golden Boot winner after scoring 20 goals this season; New England Revolution II’s Marcos Dias earned the League’s inaugural Playmaker of the Year honors with an MLS NEXT Pro-record 13 assists.
MLS NEXT Pro MVP presented by adidas, Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year will be announced in the coming weeks.
