The Colorado Rapids selected their players in Tuesday’s 2024 Major League Soccer SuperDraft with the mindset that it was a once-in-a-burgundy-and-blue-moon opportunity. After much wheeling and dealing, the draft ended with three of the first five picks in Colorado colors.
Armed with advantageous rule changes and a clear strategy, Colorado had three picks in the top 15 for the first time since 2000. It first selected Duke sophomore midfielder Wayne Frederick with the No. 2 overall pick, added Generation Adidas striker Kimani Stewart-Baynes out of Maryland at No. 4, and later sent $250,000 in 2024 general allocation money (GAM) to Austin FC to acquire the rights for Washington center back Nate Jones.
The new draft rules implemented in October made sophomores and juniors draft eligible for the first time, expanding the eligible list to nearly 400 athletes. As club president Pádraig Smith viewed the draft, it was an opportunity to find top talent that could only be selected this year.
“The new rules, as we looked at them as they came into existence, we really felt this was a one-off opportunity,” Smith told the media following the draft. “You can only have this number, this batch, available once, and after that it’s only the new freshman class that are moving up a year that become available.
“We looked at this as a chance to bring in young talent at the top level at the top of the draft. … Ultimately the success of this draft will only be seen in time, but as we looked at it today for what we wanted to do, we’ve ended up with six of our top 14 and three of our top four. There are some really exciting players, and the potential is there. We think this can be a very exciting haul for years to come.”
Stewart-Baynes recorded three goals and seven assists and was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Smith described him as having “an explosiveness that you don’t often see at that level,” in addition to a knack for goal scoring. Frederick is viewed as a “top-class player” as a defensive midfielder, who has a high ability to press and is physical on the ball. Jones is an experienced left-footed center back who was first-team All-Pac-12 this season.
In rounds two and three, Colorado selected three more players: Butler midfielder Palmer Ault, Central Florida defender Anderson Rosa and Manhattan College striker Gunnar Studenhofft. As part of the rule change, underclassmen who were selected can return to school if they choose, but the Rapids hold their draft rights for the next two years. Tuesday night, the club confirmed it will talk through a development pathway with each player individually.
Colorado started the afternoon with six total picks, and while it ended up with six players, it didn’t come without an ambitious plan. The Rapids traded with three different teams as they amassed $175,000 in 2024 GAM, $75,000 in 2025 GAM, and traded the 12th, 14th and 21st picks — all in the span of under an hour. The Rapids had enough GAM in the pot from the Michael Barrios and Anthony Markanich trades in August. Just as quickly as the $250,000 in 2024 GAM added up, it vanished and was sent to Austin FC to acquire the draft rights for Jones, Los Verdes’ initial pick at five.
Now, Colorado has one final roster-building event this week before the January international transfer window opens. Smith said the team is actively in negotiations with players for additional signings. New head coach Chris Armas will lead the team next season.
“There’s a real buzz about the place, to be honest,” Smith said. “There was huge excitement in the draft room today … What Chris has brought, that energy, it’s infectious. Everybody’s pleased after a day like today.”
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