First year professional attacker Sydney Wathuta plays in an MLS NEXT Pro playoff game for Colorado Rapids 2. Photo Credit: Spencer Baldwin
Commerce City, Colo. – Sydney Wathuta has signed a first team contract with Colorado Rapids, the club announced Monday. The contract is a 2+1+1, two seasons through 2027. Team options for 2027-28 and 2028-29. Wathuta was the 16th overall pick in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft. Wathuta played two years of college soccer at the University of Vermont, winning a National Championship in 2024.
After being drafted, he signed a one-year MLS NEXT Pro contract with Rapids 2. In 2025, he recorded six goals and six assists in 22 games for R2. He was called up multiple times to the first team, making two appearances and recording an assist in Leagues Cup in a match against C.F. Monterrey.
Wathuta quickly established himself as a top prospect with Rapids 2 alongside striker Billo Diop. While training with the first team, he looked like himself, which was a good sign. He is a very creative and technical player. Wathuta reported to preseason with the first team. He must have impressed new head coach Matt Wells.
Sources tell Burgundy Wave that Diop is still in training with the first team and is competing to earn a first team contract. Regardless, he is expected to get first team opportunities at some point in 2026.
He could spend time in 2026 getting minutes with Rapids 2, but will look to challenge for first team opportunities. Dante Sealy should start at one wing. Alexis Manyoma and Ted Ku-DiPietro will compete for the other starting spot. Bench opportunities will be between Wathuta, oft-injured Kimani Stewart-Baynes, Generation Adidas forward Alex Harris, and the new Bryce Jamison.
One of these kids has to come good. We’ll see who ends up at the bottom of that depth chart and what becomes of them. Wathuta has two seasons to turn looking like himself in first team training into contributing regularly in MLS games.
This is not our best picture of Colorado Rapids 2 Sydney Wathuta. But it does show how much he is limbs and hard to mark 1-v-1. Photo Credit: Spencer Baldwin
With this signing, the Colorado Rapids roster stands at 26 players, with the addition of Donavan Phillip. That is assuming Cole Bassett is leaving for Portland Timbers. Wells has indicated there will be more moves to make. The Pids have been linked to several center backs. Additions in attack and fullback are also possible. MLS rosters are limited to 31 players.
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Eamon Shaw 
Spencer Baldwin 