COMMERCE CITY – Wednesday morning, Colorado Rapids have announced contract details for their top three draftees from the 2024 MLS SuperDraft. Duke midfielder Wayne Frederick and Washington center back Nate Jones join Generation Adidas forward Kimani Stewart-Baynes from Maryland as first team contracted players.
Stewart-Baynes and Frederick have both signed three-year deans with club options. Stewart-Baynes has team options for 2027 and 2028. Frederick has just the one club . Jones has signed a one-year deal with three years of team options, the last of which is in 2027.
With this, Colorado currently has 28 of 30 roster spots occupied. That is without Sam Vines, a potential No. 6 signing, or any possible departures. Expect a departure or two before the window closes as the club continues to retool.
Sources tell Burgundy Wave that Colorado Rapids have interest in signing Kellyn Acosta. The former Rapids midfield war daddy (2018-21) is a free agent. He's wanted to play in Europe. That led to his departure in 2022. A reunion could happen if foreign targets don't work out. pic.twitter.com/uY8emlsnfJ
Stewart-Baynes was always going to be guaranteed for this year as GA players have guaranteed contracts. He comes in as an exciting young winger who has a slightly different skillset to the position. Chris Armas loves working with young players. He’s the right age profile to be a fun project for the first team coaching staff.
Burgundy Wayne is well regarded within the organization, but the sense is he might be a project due to his age. There will be competition for playing time in midfield should the club not make a big splash at holding midfield. If Frederick excels, he could take minutes away from Jasper Löffelsend and Ralph Priso.
Nate Jones might be the most professionally ready of the three. Listed at 6’3″, Club President Pádraig Smith said “I knew he was big. But when he walked into the locker room the other day and you see him in context with the other players, that kid’s a beast. It’s always exciting anytime you can find a left footed center back with those kinds of physical profiles.”
Interesting that Bouba Keita's not with the Rapids for preseason. Got hurt. Was never break into the first team. The club drafts and signs the first center back off the board in the draft. Maybe he's training with TSV Hartberg for a loan/transfer out of Colorado. Can't blame him. pic.twitter.com/uboweTc45k
That said, there’s competition at center back. Even if Aboubacar Keita leaves, there’s three other young center backs looking to get onto the field next to DP Andreas Maxsø. He was the highest taken center back in the draft. Both parties clearly want to see what he’s got in this first year. If it doesn’t work out, Colorado can get out of the contract. Even if he flames out, he’ll have suitors out of contract.
There’s also a very real possibility all three of these guys spend most of the year with Rapids 2, which would be fine.
No other draft picks from this past year have joined the club in preseason. Sources have told Burgundy Wave that UCF left back Anderson Rosa is looking to finish his degree this spring. He could finish up school, secure domestic status, then sign with the first team or MLS NEXT Pro in the summer. Originally from Brazil, he would currently be an international player in MLS.
Expect the lower picks Palmer Ault (forward, Butler) and Gunnar Studenhofft (forward, Manhattan College) to stay in school through the 2024 college soccer season.
Photo Credit: Mark Shaiken
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Brendan Ploen 