Centre-backs with the Best Potential in Major League Soccer 2026

The highest-potential centre-backs in Major League Soccer in 2026, ranked on Field Insider.

Best goalkeepers in Major League Soccer Best defenders in Major League Soccer Best midfielders in Major League Soccer Best attackers in Major League Soccer Most in-form centre-backs in Major League Soccer Top-scoring centre-backs in Major League Soccer

At a glance

M. Dos Santos of New York Red Bulls is the standout for raw talent across centre-backs in Major League Soccer, with a Field Insider Rating of 49.6, and M. Woledzi has been the form player this season, grading 61.4, and Neil Pierre leads the scoring with 4 goals.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: E. Segura has improved his Season rating most, up +40.1 on last season, while W. Sands's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +6.6 over the same span. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, Felipe Andrade of Houston Dynamo is the most valuable name in this group at 14.9.

New England Revolution · 24/25→25/26

Most improved

E. Segura+40.1SsN

Los Angeles FC · 24/25→25/26

Felipe Andrade14.9val

Houston Dynamo

50 players · ranked by best potentialCustomise →

	Player	Team
1	M. Dos Santos Centre-back	New York Red Bulls	17	15	50
2	T. Johnson Centre-back	Vancouver Whitecaps	21	4760.1%	497.7%
3	M. Dos Santos Centre-back	New York Red Bulls	18	14	48
4	M. Duah Centre-back	San Diego	21	42301.9%	479.5%
5	R. Roberts Centre-back	San Jose Earthquakes	22	35311.9%	4724.5%
6	F. Surman Centre-back	Portland Timbers	23	267%	471.3%
7	A. Resch Centre-back	Houston Dynamo	23	53	46
8	E. Kohler Centre-back	New England Revolution	20	25	4624.1%
9	N. Norris Centre-back	FC Dallas	21	27341%	4613.4%
10	M. Agyemang Centre-back	Charlotte	21	19	45
11	Felipe Andrade Centre-back	Houston Dynamo	24	5078.4%	459.2%
12	M. Woledzi Centre-back	Nashville SC	25	6124%	452.8%
13	T. Gray Centre-back	New York City FC	24	315.5%	457.2%
14	O. Verhoeven Centre-back	San Diego	20	26130.7%	456.2%
15	L. De Fougerolles Centre-back	Real Salt Lake	20	25	44
16	M. Duggan Centre-back	Minnesota United FC	25	3085.8%	447.1%
17	M. Mbokazi Centre-back	Chicago Fire	21	2213.7%	4374.7%
18	J. Marshall-Rutty Centre-back	New York Red Bulls	22	1350.2%	43±0%
19	Neil Pierre Centre-back	Philadelphia Union	18	102450%	4317.3%
20	D. Polvara Centre-back	St. Louis City	26	31130.6%	4217.2%
21	D. Munie Centre-back	San Jose Earthquakes	26	2656.4%	4214.9%
22	J. Díaz Centre-back	Minnesota United FC	25	2810.4%	423%
23	J. Che Centre-back	New York Red Bulls	22	1912.1%	423.7%
24	J. Orozco Centre-back	St. Louis City	22	19128.2%	4213.6%
25	W. Sands Centre-back	New England Revolution	26	28217%	4227.3%
26	Iago Centre-back	Orlando City SC	21	10227.6%	4133.2%
27	Leonardo Barroso Centre-back	Chicago Fire	21	1875.7%	414.3%
28	Z. Monlouis Centre-back	Toronto FC	22	12287.5%	4111.7%
29	R. Priso Centre-back	Vancouver Whitecaps	24	1816.2%	411.9%
30	O. Urhoghide Centre-back	FC Dallas	26	255.7%	415.2%
31	Jack Jasinski Centre-back	San Jose Earthquakes	22	12	40
32	J. Gilman Centre-back	Toronto FC	21	9	40
33	J. Neal Centre-back	CF Montreal	23	122.6%	406.6%
34	K. Trewin Centre-back	New York City FC	25	1759.6%	40130.6%
35	S. Hawkins Centre-back	Seattle Sounders	20	147100%	408.1%
36	J. Bazán Centre-back	New York Red Bulls	20	1212000%	4083.9%
37	Loïc Williams Centre-back	Colorado Rapids	24	1654.5%	4037.7%
38	I. James Centre-back	Sporting Kansas City	18	966.7%	397.4%
39	Nico Cavallo Centre-back	New York City FC	24	16178%	3913%
40	G. Luján Centre-back	Inter Miami	25	1716.3%	39±0%
41	J. Aude Centre-back	Los Angeles Galaxy	23	1663.3%	394.3%
42	R. Porteous Centre-back	Los Angeles FC	27	59303.4%	3821.9%
43	A. Bonetig Centre-back	Portland Timbers	24	634.1%	38126.8%
44	N. Romero Centre-back	Minnesota United FC	22	1446.9%	3818.9%
45	Micael Centre-back	Inter Miami	26	265.8%	3833.9%
46	Guilherme Biro Centre-back	Austin	26	2134%	387.8%
47	A. Lopez Centre-back	Seattle Sounders	23	12	38
48	Wyatt Meyer Centre-back	Sporting Kansas City	25	13746.7%	3813%
49	B. Vera Centre-back	CF Montreal	27	2728.6%	378.8%
50	R. Voloder Centre-back	New York Red Bulls	25	933.6%	370.8%