NEW ORLEANS – Seven Sun Belt men’s soccer players were selected in the 2025 Major League Soccer SuperDraft on Friday afternoon, tying the most selections in a draft in conference history.
West Virginia Midfielder Ryan Baer was the highest selection in the Sun Belt at 28
th overall. Marshall led the league with three selections total, South Carolina had two of their own selected and Kentucky one.
Ryan Baer, M, West Virginia
Round 1, Pick 28 - Seattle Sounders FC
Baer is the fourth Mountaineer selected in the first round of the MLS SuperDraft in the last two years, he joins teammate Marcus Caldeira who was selected in the 2023 first-round selection by Marcus Caldeira Minnesota United FC. Baer is the sixth West Virginia player to be drafted in the 30-year history of the MLS SuperDraft. The midfielder spent the last five seasons with the Mountaineers and leaves Morgantown with 87 starts, the most in program history. In 2024, he was named to the All-Sun Belt first team as well as the All-Southeast Region first team by United Soccer Coaches.
Lineker Rodrigues Dos Santos, F, Marshall
Round 1, Pick 29 - Real Salt Lake
Rodrigues dos Santos totaled 35 points on the season which led the Sun Belt and ranked third in the nationally. His 15 goals also led the Sun Belt and ranked fourth nationally. The forward had a dominant postseason, tallying 10 goals in the last 12 matches including seven goals in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The senior was also a MAC Hermann Semifinalist, a United Soccer Coaches First-Team All-American, USC First-Team All-Southeast Region and an All-Sun Belt Conference First-Team honoree.
Logan Dorsey, F, Kentucky
Round 2, pick 55 - Minnesota United
Dorsey was a United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region Second Team member, Sun Belt Conference All-First Team, Sun Belt All-Conference Tournament honoree, United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America Second Team and an Academic All-District and Academic All-America Third Team member. Dorsey led the Wildcats in goals-scored with 14 while also recording three assists totaling 31 points. His 14 goals ranked third in the league, while his 31 points ranked third.
Ethan Ballek, F, South Carolina
Round 3, Pick 66 - Nashville Sound
Ballek and Biggar were drafted and for the first time in program history two Carolina players have been taken in the same MLS SuperDraft and the first Gamecocks to be drafted since 2017. Ballek was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Region Second Team, was a Sun Belt All-Conference Second Team pick, and earned Academic All-America Second Team honors. He finished the regular season with nine goals and five assists for 23 points.
Jonah Biggar, D, South Carolina
Round 3, Pick 70 - D.C. United
Biggar has contributed in the backfield for the Gamecocks over the last two seasons, starting in 33 of 35 matches. In 2024 Biggar finished third on the team with four assists. He played 1,390 minutes on the field, second most by a Carolina player this season.
Takahiro Fujita, D, Marshall
Round 3, Pick 87 - Orlando City
Fujita saw action in 21 matches with 15 starts this season. He played on a backline that produced 11 clean sheets and gave up just 20 goals in 2024. Fujita is the youngest player in the Sun Belt to be drafted this season.
Aleksandar Vukovic, D, Marshall
Round 3, Pick 89 - Real Salt Lake
Vukovic made 10 starts in 21 matches played this season. The senior registered four points on a goal and two assists and played a key role in the Herd’s post season run to the NCAA College Cup.