Mark McKenzie lone finalist for MLS year-end awards

For the third straight year, the Philadelphia Union have a finalist for Rookie of the Year.

Defender Mark McKenzie was announced as one of three finalists for the award on Wednesday. Real Salt Lake forward Corey Baird and Orlando City forward Chris Mueller are the other finalists.

Jack Elliott was a finalist in 2017 and Keegan Rosenberry a finalist in 2016. Elliott lost out to Atlanta United midfielder Julian Gressel and Rosenberry to Seattle Sounders forward Jordan Morris.

McKenzie, 19, was the lone Union player on the list of finalists for year-end awards released by the league. Seven Union players were nominated for awards along with head coach Jim Curtin for coach of the year. Borek Dockal and Alejandro Bedoya were among the nominees for MVP. Andre Blake, Auston Trusty, Cory Burke and Ray Gaddis were the others.

The Philadelphia Union Academy grad from Bear, Delaware split time with Elliott at center back this season along with Trusty, who despite making his MLS debut the first game of the season has been a professional since 2016. He made 19 appearances and 18 starts this season after signing a first team contract following a season at Wake Forest.

Baird, who helped lead Stanford to a third straight College Cup title at Talen Energy Stadium in December, had eight goals and five assists for RSL in 31 matches and Mueller, a standout at Wisconsin, had three goals and seven assists in 32 appearances for Orlando City.

Fifty-seven players were eligible for the Rookie of the Year award as first-year professionals, according to this list (Emrah Klimenta is listed by mistake). Of those players, 22 didn’t play at all.

McKenzie, the lone Union player eligible, finished third in minutes behind Mueller and Baird for all eligible rookies. He was one of just seven rookies to log 1,000 minutes.

2018 Major League Soccer Awards Finalists

Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player Finalists

Defender of the Year Finalists

Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year Finalists

Newcomer of the Year Finalists

For this award, “newcomer” is defined as a player with previous professional experience who made his MLS debut in 2018

AT&T Rookie of the Year Finalists

For this award, “rookie” is defined as a player without previous professional experience who made his MLS debut in 2018

Coach of the Year Finalists

Comeback Player of the Year Finalists

Honors an MLS player who has overcome injuries and/or adversity in order to achieve success during the 2018 regular season

MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year presented by AdvoCare – Finalists

Referee of the Year Finalists 

Assistant Referee of the Year

Matthew Ralph

Matthew Ralph is the managing editor of Philadelphia Soccer Now. He's covered soccer at all levels for a decade in the Philadelphia region and has also written for TheCup.us, NPSL, PrepSoccer and other publications. He lives with his wife and two young children in Broomall, Pa., but grew up in South Jersey and is originally from Kansas.

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