2026 MLS SuperDraft Preview: Jasinski, Stenner, Budler highlight eligible player list

MLS announced the eligible player list for the 2026 MLS Superdraft, taking place on Thursday, December 18 at 2 pm ET. The 436-player list includes graduating seniors as well as underclassmen, who may now return to college upon being drafted while their MLS franchise retains their rights.

Once again, the Philadelphia Union will not be involved in the SuperDraft, as the Union traded all of their 2025 draft picks to Colorado. Still, the list is flooded with players that have local ties, including some who play at local colleges and others that were developed locally before blossoming elsewhere. One of the most notable names on the list is Princeton senior defender Jack Jasinski.

A native of Charlotte, NC, Jasinski was a member of the Union academy before heading to Princeton for four years. Jasinski had an incredible 2025, helping Princeton win the Ivy League Tournament. For his monster season, Jasinski was named First Team All-Ivy and United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-American. He finished his Princeton career with 22
assists, good for third all-time in program history.

Delaware sophomore forward Marius Stenner is another name to watch in tomorrow’s draft. Hailing from Denmark, Stenner was a standout in both of his years in NCAA. In 2024, Stenner was named CAA Rookie of the Year as well as All-CAA First Team. In 2025, as Delaware transitioned to the Summit League, Stenner tallied 11 goals and 9 assists, winning Offensive Performer of the Week 3 times and earning First Team All Summit League honors.

Akron redshirt senior goalkeeper Mitch Budler is another product of the Union Academy to be up for grabs in the MLS Superdraft. Budler was invited to the MLS College Showcase after a strong season with Akron, when he earned United Soccer Coaches All-Region Team honors. Budler was named the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year for the second year running, so there is no surprise that MLS clubs are looking at him.

Below is a full list of players with local ties that are eligible to be drafted.

Ian Abbey – Providence (Union II)
Liam Beckwith – Princeton (West Chester United)
Mitch Budler – Akron (Union II)
Westin Carnevale – Cornell (PA Classics)
Patrick Cayelli – Penn
Connor Dawson – Penn
Mamadou Diarra – Florida Atlantic (Philadelphia Lone Star)
Giuliano Fravolini Whitchurch – Princeton (West Chester United)
Jackson Gilman – Pitt (Union II)
Aiden Gonzalez – Lehigh
Colin Griffith – Maryland (Stroudsburg, Pa.)
Yusef Gueye – Lehigh
Jack Jasinski – Princeton (Union II)
Mikey Johnson – Delaware
Jack Lucas – Bucknell
Joe McDaid – Columbia (FC Delco)
George Medill – Temple
Rich Monath – Delaware
Joaquin Niehenke – Penn
Oliver Pratt – Penn
Balthazar Saunders – Connecticut (formerly Villanova)
Trey Sheeler – Lehigh
Marius Stenner – Delaware
Joel Torbic – Wake Forest (Union Academy)
Evan Watt – Old Dominion (PA Classics)
Morgan Worsfold-Gregg – Drexel
Giacomo Zizzo – Lehigh