#19 Kalani Kossa-Rienzi – 2025 Overall Rating: 5.55 in 31 appearances
Community Rating: 5.89
MLS Regular Season: 5.73 in 22 appearances
MLS Playoffs: 5.00 in 1 appearances
Concacaf Champions Cup 4.50 in 2 appearances
Club World Cup 5.50 in 2 appearances
Leagues Cup: 5.25 in 4 appearances
MOTM = 3 | High = 8 | Low = 4
After three mid-season appearances in 2024, it was unclear what, if any, role Kalani Kossa-Rienzi would have in 2025. A player with fantastic athleticism and a nose for offensive play, there was no obvious role on the team and he didn’t appear to be poised to break out. At age 23, it was important that he show well in 2025 to remain on the competitive Sounders roster. Luckily, the amount of fixture congestion allowed opportunities to see what KKR could bring to the team.
How it started: Kalani immediately showed skills, an upside that could translate to MLS play. His ability to control the ball in traffic while moving forward at full speed on the wing served him well early in the year as he started to pick up minutes. A brilliant match against LAFC for Seattle’s first league win of the year earned KKR an 8 rating for his midfield role, highlighted by a lovely goal. The finish was good, but it was his fantastic run through the defense and connection with teammates that made the goal happen.
How it ended: Kalani became a trusted player who was plugged in a number of areas throughout 2025. Sometimes as a wing back, sometimes as a right back, even a winger, Kossa-Rienzi got a lot of minutes. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to beat out the depth in front of him, as issues with his defensive positioning and connection limited his starts. Away against Inter Miami, he had a particularly poor match, showing poor positioning and being beaten for multiple goals. These up-and-down performances were part of a developmental season for Kalani, as he displayed the highs and lows of his play.
Where do we go from here? This was a breakout season for Kossa-Rienzi. He earned the trust of the coaches, made 31 appearances for the team, and should be regularly involved going forward. He played at a number of positions, and in order for him to build off his 2025 success, he should establish a clear positional strength next year. His offensive skillset is clearly ahead of his defense, but moving forward, he has plenty of opportunity to improve.
#18 Paul Rothrock – 2025 Overall Rating: 5.59 in 48 appearances
Community Rating: 6.20
MLS Regular Season: 5.58 in 33 appearances
MLS Playoffs: 5.00 in 3 appearances
Concacaf Champions Cup 5.00 in 4 appearances
Club World Cup 5.67 in 3 appearances
Leagues Cup: 6.4 in 5 appearances
MOTM = 2 | High = 9 | Low = 4
After a breakout season last year, Paul Rothrock increased his 36 appearances in 2024 to a massive 48 in 2025. This was due to his incredible physical resiliency, and an ability to play effectively both in starting and bench roles. A player with above average tactical understanding and good old fashioned hustle, Rothrock willed himself into being a key member of the team through hard work. At times throughout the year, though, he could be a positive game-changer, or he could be completely ineffective. His wide range of ratings was indicative of this volatile play.
How it started: Featuring in nearly every match in every competition, Paul took great care of his body, even while playing a physical style. This meant he only missed two matches in July, playing in every other Sounders game in 2025. This resiliency built trust with the Sounders coaching staff, and they responded by adding Rothrock to nearly any situation. His grit and occasional tactical brilliance showed up during Seattle’s successful runs, as Paul relentlessly pushed forward and pressed opponents into mistakes. He wasn’t always effective, however, and he sometimes lacked the technical skill to create for others, to take advantage of a teammate’s moves, or to impact matches when the opponent shut down his direct play.
How it ended: Rothrock became the poster child for the Leagues Cup triumph. After tongue-in-cheek marketing beforehand, he magically scored a late champagne goal. It couldn’t have been scripted any better, and the glorious tournament win will be forever intertwined with Paul Rothrock. This match was a microcosm of his play, however, as there were plenty of errors, lost duels and missed crosses, but he was still able to impact the match in his own way. Paul’s 2025 playstyle meant there were some great matches, a lot of okay ones, and a final statline of four goals and seven assists in MLS this season. A huge part of Seattle’s success, he wasn’t always a starter caliber player.
Where do we go from here? Not surprisingly, the Rothrock camp expects a big raise for 2026. Turning 27 in January, Paul probably won’t have much higher stock than right now, so he’s correct to bet on himself and ask for more. But if his asking price has been reported correctly, it doesn’t make a ton of sense for Seattle to pay that. His value to the team is high, due to the intangibles he brings (xDAWG) as a local player and his fit in the system, but it’s likely he’ll get paid a lot to go somewhere else. This might be the smart move for Seattle’s budget and Paul’s bank account, but losing such a popular and charismatic player will be an adjustment, likely more so than replacing his physical stats which were just okay.
#17 Osaze De Rosario – 2025 Overall Rating: 5.67 in 21 appearances
Community Rating: 5.27
MLS Regular Season: 5.25 in 12 appearances
MLS Playoffs: 5.00 in 2 appearances
Club World Cup 5.00 in 1 appearance
Leagues Cup: 6.833 in 6 appearances
High = 8 | Low = 5
After coming over to the Tacoma Defiance a year ago and playing decently, Osaze De Rosario lit up the MLS Next competition, scoring consistently and forcing himself into contention for first team minutes in 2025. A single Sounders appearance in the Open Cup last season ballooned into 21 appearances for the full team in 2025, as he burst into the spotlight and showed incredible potential while adding ready-now effectiveness.
How it started: With 10 goals in 12 Next Pro appearances, ODR’s goal per match average earned him the call-up in May. With an incredible pedigree, he showed a high upside and physical tools that were different enough to add intriguing value to the first team. His physical size and finishing skills are already positive attributes, and he has exceptional creative and combinational foot skills. He scored four goals in just six appearances over 313 minutes in the Leagues Cup.
How it ended: Scoring the first goal of the Leagues Cup final was part of the De Rosario breakout story. His unique combination of aerial presence and nifty foot skills meant he excelled in multiple aspects of the offense, getting into good spots to score and showcasing intriguing creation skills. Between starting and coming in off the bench, in Leagues Cup competition his average rating was nearly 7 over his six appearances. As Seattle surged after hoisting this trophy, Osaze continued to bring strong effort, but minutes were hard to come by as a deep Sounders team returned to full health to close out the season.
Where do we go from here? With a fantastic upside that has yet to be fully realized, there is a ton to like about Osaze. He is currently, at best, third on the striker depth chart, so unless things change, he’ll go into 2026 as a great bench option who will need to out-perform those in front of him to earn time. There is potential to break out even more, or have injuries/movement by others, but ODR will need to build on this breakout season with consistent scoring and forward play to gain a larger role next year.
#16 Kim Kee-hee – 2025 Overall Rating: 5.71 in 21 appearances
Community Rating: 6.19
MLS Regular Season: 5.867 in 15 appearances
Club World Cup 5.00 in 1 appearance
Leagues Cup: 5.40 in 5 appearances
High = 8 | Low = 4
A familiar face, Kim Kee-hee was part of the 2018 and 2019 seasons, and he appeared 65 times over those years. Paired with Román Torres in the back, they ended as MLS Cup winners in 2019. After that season, Kim returned to his native South Korea, and we carried good memories of that year and his play which helped Seattle win trophies. Five years later, Seattle made an inspired move to call back their old friend Kim to add to their defensive depth.
How it started: Unlikely to be on most people’s radar, he arrived to provide veteran defense, a player who knew the system and culture, and fit in seamlessly. KKH is the consummate professional; he added depth and the opportunity to bring players like Stuart Hawkins along at their own speed, while spelling teammates all across the backline as a versatile defender.
How it ended: There weren’t too many minutes to be had, but Kim still managed 21 appearances and solid ratings overall. Outside of a single poor rating against Colorado, Kim was a near perfect depth piece. He was a halftime sub in that match, which fell apart in the second half as the Sounders were unable to hold a 3-0 lead. When offered a rare start against the LA Galaxy a few weeks later, he was paired with Yeimar and was fantastic, showing his distribution, solid combinations, and clean passing. Kim quietly and efficiently came in and did his job all season.
Where do we go from here? Kim is a fantastic depth piece. Even as a sub, he consistently showed MLS level play and continues to be a great option to spell teammates. He fits the Seattle culture and can come into any match and provide cover in any capacity. He is the kind of quality veteran that Seattle is known for, and his performance in 2025 was another underrated addition. As he and other defenders age, there will be opportunities for younger players to assert themselves, but the Sounders can rest easy knowing Kim is ready to step in and provide solid veteran play.
#15 Danny Musovski – 2025 Overall Rating: 5.74 in 42 appearances
Community Rating: 5.84
MLS Regular Season: 5.87 in 30 appearances
MLS Playoffs: 6.00 in 3 appearances
Concacaf Champions Cup 5.00 in 3 appearances
Club World Cup 5.50 in 2 appearances
Leagues Cup: 5.25 in 4 appearances
MOTM = 4 | High = 9 | Low = 3
Danny Musovski arrived in Seattle in 2024. It was a low investment opportunity to see if he could support across the attacking band. He wasn’t as impactful as hoped, and the expectations for him in 2025 were admittedly low. Seattle desperately needed to pair their league-best defense with more attacking, and nothing suggested Moose was the answer. The Sounders made some big moves in the offseason to bolster their attack, which pushed Musovski down the depth chart even more.
How it started: Musovski was a struggling journeyman attacking player who was expected to get spot minutes late in matches to spell Jordan Morris or perhaps provide some wing play. In 2024, his ratings averaged under 5 as primarily a late sub who showed some quality movement but didn’t produce enough. This season, with injuries and fixture congestion, Danny was pushed into more consistent time, and he responded. Playing in a massive 42 games, he turned into a crucial performer who drove much of the Sounders’ success. He suddenly showed dynamic play, but sometimes a volatile playstyle. Musovski could get a silly red card, then earn a 9 rating for a hat trick three days later.
How it ended: Calling this a career year understates how effective Danny was. Often leading the league in xG, he continually got into high value positions and finished clean. With an improved offense around him creating opportunities, he delivered on those chances and carried much of the scoring load. With 14g/5a in MLS play, he added two playoff goals and tallies in Leagues Cup and CCC, to finish with 18g/6a in all competitions, a massive output, especially compared to his 2g/2a in the prior year. He also had four MOTM awards as he scored goal after goal for the Sounders. In addition to his positive play, however, he made some blunders, including childish outbursts on multiple occasions. Getting sent off in Leagues Cup for bumping the referee in a winning match was nonsensical, and he missed the LC final as the disciplinary team added a match. Losing their top scorer in this fashion was annoying, although it allowed others to step into the spotlight.
Where do we go from here? For Danny to rate as low as 15th after he nearly broke the team record for goals in a season, indicates a flawed player who had great games, but some drastic lows, games where his impact was minimal or negative. “Just scoring” is great, but the types of goals he scored suggest the possibility that the system is creating goals. Moose’s poor holdup ability and penchant for overly physical play begs the question, how much of his success is a 30-year old player breaking out, and how much is luck and system? Going into 2026, Musovski’s option was picked up, but it’s unclear how much of his future will be with Seattle. He’s at his highest value right now, and some would like to see him move on, but if that happens, Seattle will need to replace a large part of their 2025 offensive output, an important consideration for the offseason.
