No Sounders selected in 2022 MLS Expansion Draft

Despite exposing several seemingly notable players, the Seattle Sounders escaped the 2022 MLS Expansion Draft relatively unscathed. The Sounders did send St. Louis City an international roster spot — at a below-market rate of $100,000 in General Allocation Money — but did not lose any players.

The player who seemed most likely to be taken from the Sounders was probably Jackson Ragen, a 24-year-old centerback who some analysts seem to think is a potential national teamer. Goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland also seemed like he would have been an enticing pickup.

Instead, St. Louis City instead chose Orlando City’s Nicholas Gioacchini, Inter Miami’s Indiana Vassilev, the New England Revolution’s Jon Bell, FC Cincinnati’s John Nelson and New York Red Bulls’ Jake Lacava. St. Louis then traded Lacava to Inter Miami for $150,000 in General Allocation Money and acquired Tim Parker from the Houston Dynamo for $500,000 in GAM.

All five players are relatively young and inexperienced. Gioacchini does have eight United States national team caps and Vassilev is actually on loan from Aston Villa (something St. Louis City will now need to extend), but St. Louis did not target any of the bigger names who were available.