Homegrown Player Spotlight: Snyder Brunell's consistency paves way to First Team opportunity

The Homegrown Player Spotlight series, in partnership with American Family Insurance, celebrates young Seattle athletes who dream of taking their soccer aspirations to new heights. Through dedication, community support and the Sounders’ Development Pathway, players like Snyder Brunell turn that pursuit into reality before making their way to the First Team.

This past August, midfielder Snyder Brunell made it to the big leagues, signing a Homegrown contract to the Seattle Sounders.

It was a special moment for the 18-year-old, achieving something he’s worked toward since a young age. But it was even more significant knowing that he would be kickstarting his MLS career at his hometown club.

“It means everything,” said Brunell.

Following a brief stint at local youth club Crossfire FC, Brunell made his way to the Sounders organization at 14, where he competed with the Academy and MLS NEXT Pro’s Tacoma Defiance before earning a roster spot on the First Team.

Technical Director Henry Brauner credits Brunell’s consistency in helping him develop as a player and reach the MLS level.

“He was a very steady, very professional, just very consistent midfielder,” said Brauner. “And that in itself, obviously, is a talent. And he just slowly and gradually, like every day, just got a little bit better. He really took to the environment that we could provide.”

From supporting the U-17’s to a GA Cup title in 2022, to being a vital piece on Defiance over the last few years, Brunell has been impactful at every stage of the Sounders pathway. That commitment to his development has led him to bigger and brighter opportunities.

“There were times when he was playing up with the U-17’s, and it looked like he fit in, and then he was training [and playing] with Defiance and it looked like he fit in. He went to the First Team preseason, fit in, played with the First Team, fit in,” said Brauner.

Brauner looks back on Brunell’s First Team debut during the 2024 U.S. Open Cup, specifically, as a key moment that showed that the Kirkland native had the quality to continue his career in Rave Green.

“He represented the Sounders after having played for Defiance for a couple of years. And he really did well with that,” said Brauner. “He took a penalty in the penalty kick shootout against Louisville. He did really well in that game. Never looked out of place.”

And while that was only a year ago, the midfielder has already made massive strides since joining the First Team, full-time, over the summer.

In his first MLS appearance as a contracted player, Brunell tallied a goal for the Sounders within 12 minutes of subbing into the match. He finished the year with two goals and three starts in six matches.

“Scoring a goal in my debut was such a surreal moment,” said Brunell. “Just [seeing] all the work that I put in, because, I don't score very many goals, but to know that, it can translate and I can continue improving on that whenever I scored, I knew that this can be something I can definitely add into my toolbox, and just continue working.”

In addition to adding more goals to his resume, Brunell is looking to improve on his progressive passing, making sure that each pass can break lines, and overall, make more key passes — especially in the final third — to really open up defenses.

In gaining more international experience as captain for his USYNT age group, along with playing more consistent professional minutes, Brunell will have no issue in achieving these objectives all while supporting the Sounders toward another successful year ahead.

“Based on where we are right now, he's going to be in that midfield with Cristian [Roldan], Obed [Vargas] and him kind of in that 6/8 role, supporting Albert [Rusnak] as the 10,” said Brauner. “And so through rotation and through national team camp, Cristian with the national team, he's going to be playing a substantial part next year with what we're trying to do.”

“And he's ready.”