RENTON, WASH. – MLS NEXT Pro today announced that Sounders FC forward Osaze De Rosario has won the 2025 Pathway Player of the Year Award. The newly established award honors a player who demonstrated success at multiple levels of the pro player pathway in one season – excelling in two or more leagues across MLS NEXT, MLS NEXT Pro and MLS. De Rosario scored 10 goals for Tacoma Defiance, Sounders FC’s MLSNP side, before signing a contract with the First Team in May, then went on to tally five goals for the Rave Green in all competitions. The award was voted on by the Head Coaches and Chief Soccer Officers at MLS NEXT Pro Clubs, as well as League broadcasters and content teams.
De Rosario, 24, began the 2025 campaign with Tacoma and jumped to an early lead in the MLSNP Golden Boot race with eight goals in the first five games of the season, including braces against Ventura County FC (March 7), LAFC 2 (April 10) and Sporting KC II (April 23). He added strikes against Oakland Roots SC (April 15) and the Portland Timbers (May 6) during Defiance’s 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup run, giving him 10 tallies in eight games in all competitions to begin the season. Following his fast start in MLSNP, the forward signed a contract with the First Team on May 8. He scored a brace for Tacoma later in the season against Houston Dynamo 2 (October 5), giving him 12 goals for Defiance in all competitions in 2025.
“Osaze’s journey this year is a great example of what our professional pathway is designed to do,” said Sounders FC General Manager & Chief Soccer Officer Craig Waibel. “He came in, put in the work and made the most of every opportunity to grow within our system. This recognition speaks to his commitment and the support from our staff at every level. We’re excited to see how he continues to build on this foundation moving forward.”
Since signing with the First Team, De Rosario has five goals in 19 matches (six starts) for Sounders FC in all competitions. A standout during the club’s Leagues Cup 2025 championship run, he appeared in all six matches (three starts) and led the team with four goals, tied for second in the tournament behind Tigres forward and former Atlético Madrid standout Ángel Correa. De Rosario scored the opening strike in Seattle’s 3-0 victory over Inter Miami CF in the Leagues Cup 2025 final (August 31) in front of a record crowd of 69,314 on the Emerald Queen Casino Pitch at Lumen Field, as the Rave Green became the first MLS team to capture all five major North American soccer trophies.
“Osaze has made a real impact since joining the First Team,” said Sounders FC Head Coach Brian Schmetzer. “He’s brought energy and professionalism while taking everything he learned with Tacoma and applying it here. His time with Defiance helped him understand our standards and what it takes to compete at this level. He’s used that experience well, and this award reflects the effort he’s put in to be ready when called upon.”
De Rosario originally signed with Tacoma prior to the 2024 MLSNP season, scoring six goals in 22 appearances (13 starts), helping the club reach the Western Conference Semifinals. He also has nine career caps for Guyana, scoring a total of six goals, most recently appearing in a pair of 2026 World Cup qualifying matches in June. He is the son of MLS great Dwayne De Rosario, a seven-time MLS All-Star, six-time MLS Best XI selection and 2011 MLS MVP.
Prior to his time with Tacoma, De Rosario played for York United FC of the Canadian Premier League from 2022-2023, recording 19 goals and six assists in all competitions in 57 appearances (43 starts). He scored 12 goals and bagged four assists in league play in 2022, also recording a goal in the Canadian Championship against Pacific FC. De Rosario tallied an additional six goals and two assists in league play the following year, making appearances for York United FC in both the Canadian Championship and Canadian Premier League Playoffs. Prior to playing for York, the forward played in both Toronto FC’s and New York City FC’s academies and had his first professional stint with Ukrainian club Rukh Lviv before joining York United.
With one match remaining in the 2025 MLS regular season and the fifth seed in the Western Conference secured, Sounders FC hits the road on Saturday, October 18 for a Decision Day matchup with New York City FC at Citi Field (3:00 p.m. PT / Apple TV, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM). The Rave Green then begin their Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs run with the opponent, date and times for their Round One matchup to be determined following Saturday's results around the league.
Tacoma Defiance finished the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro season in sixth place in the Pacific Division with 36 points (10-14-4), missing the playoffs for the first time since MLS NEXT Pro was founded in 2022.
