2025 MLS Preseason- Top 5 (ish) Center Backs in MLS

This might be the most difficult article to write out of all of the positional top fives. Simply put, basic and even advanced analytics are very weak when attempting to use to rank or judge center backs. This is the position that you have to use your eyes just as much, if not more, than any data sets. At least, any data sets that are openly available to the public. Center backs rely so much on positioning, awareness, and reading the game that it’s difficult for numbers to quantify that portion of the game. 

So while I am a big proponent of using numbers to back up what I am saying, that is going to be much harder to do in this article. In today's modern game, while a defender needs to be able to defend well, their real value lies elsewhere. The value lies in their passing. 

Think about this, when your team's defense has the ball, the opposing teams forwards and midfielders are setting up in specific ways off the ball. Sometimes, it's purely reactionary, to quickly shut down all the available passing lanes. Or if given the chance, they’re actually setting a trap. They really want you to pass the ball to a specific area or player, maybe one who is weak on the ball. They do this so that they can jump in, win possession back, and counter quickly. 

Now, knowing that, think of the value of a center back who can pass incredibly well. Of a center back who can pass the ball through these traps and get the ball straight to the forwards and into the attack. Completely bypassing the defending forwards, midfielders, and defensive plan that was set, and getting straight into the attack. That, my friends, is invaluable. An asset that really any team must have if they want to consider themselves a contender. 

As for the list, once again this was a very difficult one, I could have probably gone with 12 and it still would have left some very deserving names off. Andrew Privett was very good last season and I think he has USMNT level potential. Ranko Veselinovic of Vancouver was a name that I had on many iterations of this list. He is very much a classic, no frills center back that truly anchors a team. But his passing kept him off the list. 

Maya Yoshida also had a really great season by looking at some of the deeper numbers. His partner in LA, Carlos Garces is the one to watch out for this year. I think he has some serious breakout potential. He was so good the Galaxy traded Jalen Neal, who I am a HUGE fan of. 

Important note, I am going to quote some statistics and say, “so and so was in the 80th percentile.” Here's what that means, it's where they rank in that category when comparing them to their peers. For MLS, the stats are compared to other players in the “Next 14 competitions.” The next 14 competitions do not take into account the players in the: Premier League, Ligue 1, Serie A, Bundesliga, La Liga, Champions League, and Europa League. So basically we are comparing them to all the players not in the top 5 leagues. But the next 14 leagues, such as MLS, English Championship, Liga MX, Primera Division, etc. 

8.Jansson- Orlando City SC

Yes, yes, I know. This is cheating. But hey, more free content is more free content no? I had a really tough time choosing between several of these guys and they were all worthy. So I figured, eh, why not. And my editor (me) was cool with it, so thanks to that guy.

Have you ever wondered, what if you took that traditional hard guy center back, and gave him the ability to pass the ball? Well Robin Jansson is your answer. The Orlando City captain led a defense that was the 6th best in the league, only allowing 52 goals over the course of the year. Watching Jansson play defense, it harkens back to the past of the more traditional center backs like Materazzi and Godin. 

Robin is very good at reading the game and some of the timing of his tackles is excellent. He’s a guy who knows what he is good at and doesn’t venture far from it. He’s not super fast or a great dribbler, so he doesn’t do those things. But one thing that he’s amazing at, is his passing. He has a wonderful ability to pick passes out and get the attack going. Last year was his best year passing wise, while he probably took a small step back defensively. Still, Orlando has a true anchor at the back in which to build out from. 

7. Adilson Malanda- Charlotte FC

Adilson Malanda was absolutely brilliant last year with Charlotte FC. And as such, definitely needed to be on the list. 

It’s funny, I remember watching Charlotte play in person a few years ago against Cruz Azul in Leagues Cup. There were several times in that game that I noticed a certain player constantly in the right place at the right time or coming in with a perfectly timed tackle to stop a sure goal. I was shocked to learn the player was only 21 years old at the time. I walked away from that game thinking, “I need to remember this Malanda kid.” Well there was no need for me to remember it, because Adilson Malanda put himself on the stage front and center with his play in 2024.

It’s funny when looking at stats for center backs, they tend to be either good at passing or defending. And there is very little overlap. Only two names popped up consistently on both lists, and one of them was this young man. Malanda was wonderful last season both defensively and building up out of the back. 

One of the things to remember is that the center back position is a very tough position to play. That’s why you rarely see good young center backs. It typically requires repetition and experience to play it well, as tactical awareness is so key and there is zero room for error. The average peak age for most midfielders and forwards is around 24-25. The average peak for center packs starts at 27. So the fact that Malanda is on this list for his play as a 22 year old during the 2024 season, should underlie the fact of how talented he truly is. 

I am truly truly shocked that Charlotte were able to keep ahold of the French defender. His talent is evident, and I have no doubts that he will soon return back to Europe to ply his trade. So enjoy watching him while you can, because sadly I doubt he will be around to make the list for the 2026 season. 

6. Yeimar- Seattle Sounders

Some of the names on the list seem low, and I think few bother me as much as Yeimar does. Yeimar for years has been one of the best center backs in the league. Over the course of time in MLS, few have been as consistent as Yeimar has been. The 32 year old Colombian international has been the perfect pairing with Jackson Ragen and is a key piece of the success the Seattle Sounders have had over the years. 

Yeimar is the best center back in MLS in spotting the next pass for the opposing team. He ranked in the 99% in interceptions. Few things are as valuable as being able to stop an attack, win back possession, and counter. And Yeimar is the literal best at that. He is actually quite a solid passer to with his short passes, but anything over 15 yards and the numbers dip really quickly. But, that is where Ragen excels, and that’s not what the Sounders need. He is also towards the tops of the league in ball recoveries. Seattle fans really have no idea how good they have it with Yeimar and Ragen, it could be one of the best center back pairings in MLS history. 

5. Matt Miazga- FC Cincinnati

A lot of people would argue that Miles Robinson should have taken this spot. And I won't lie, I initially had him here. But the more I dug into the numbers, the more it became evident to me how important Matt Miazga is to the success of FC Cincinnati. The reigning 2023 MLS Defender of the Year had a great start to the 2024 campaign. However, an injury on June 15 wrecked his PCL and meniscus and he missed the rest of the year. 

Now we all know that Cincinnait struggled mightily and limped into the playoffs. And many people took that as a case of Lucho out with injury and not being at full health when coming back. And while that is undoubtedly part of it, I believe the Miazga injury was far more crucial. Of the remaining 17 games after Miazga went down, only twice did Cincinnati beat a team that made the playoffs. And that’s with Lucho playing in most of those games.

I believe this really does show the importance of Matt Miazga to Cincinnati and his leadership and tactical skill at leading the backline. Yes, he may be an average passer of the ball, but his defense is that good. He has the ability to really lock down and lead the line. For this 2025 season, not only does their success rely upon finding a good replacement for Lucho Acosta, but maybe even more so, its if Matt Miazga can come back healthy and hit the ground running.  

4. Jack Elliott- Chicago Fire

This one was really tough for me. I am personally more of an old school kind of guy. I want my goalkeepers to be elite shot stoppers rather than good with their feet. I want my defenders to be lock down defenders rather than great passers. But I understand that the game has evolved past that and I could be wrong. So because of that, I have Elliott at the number four spot even though I would like to have him higher. 

Regardless of your stance, Jack Elliott is one of the best center backs in the league and the Chicago Fire did an amazing job of bringing him in to shore up their backline. He is in the 96th percentile in blocks and is the upper tiers in interceptions and tackles. And he is shockingly high in the npXg+xAg (non penalty expected goals plus expected assisted goals). Ranking in the 95th percentile, showing that he contributes heavily towards any teams attack.

The only thing keeping him from topping this list is his passing. He is in the lower quarter of center backs in passing, and in the 15th percentile in progressive passes. He’s also deceptively quick, closing ground quicker than you would expect. It will be interesting to see how Elliott does this year. Elliott and Glesnes were a dream pairing, each perfectly complimenting the other. So it will be interesting to see how both of them fare without each other in 2025. 

3. Jackson Ragen- Seattle Sounders

I am a huge Jackson Ragen fan, the 26 year old very much epitomizes the modern center back. He was drafted in 2021 by the Chicago Fire who, in all their wisdom, deemed him not good enough to sign. The Seattle Sounders traded for his rights in February of 2022 and signed him to their first team. After some time in Tacoma, it was apparent that Jackson was very much ready for MLS. 

Jackson Ragen is an incredible passer out of the back. He is 77% in progressive passes and 83% in pass completion. Meaning that while constantly looking to move the ball upfield, he is actually fairly accurate. He seems to have a knack for finding those line splitting passes and getting the ball quickly into transition. 

The only thing keeping him at 3rd and not higher on this list is his defensive play. While not poor persay, it could definitely use some improvement. I’d also love to see him win more aerial duels with his 6’4” frame. Regardless, year after year he has continued to improve, and there’s no reason to think he won’t in 2025. I expect Jackson Ragen to be a perennial contender for the MLS Defenser of the Year as long as he’s in MLS

2. Jakob Glesnes- Philadelphia Union

I won’t lie, when I did my first rough draft of the list with the initial “5”, Glesnes wasn’t on it. Last year was a down year for Jakob Glesnes, but despite that his numbers were actually quite good. He had a famous moment early in the 2024 season when Matt Doyle famously compared him to a traffic cone. And indeed, it seemed very much like it. But his and the Union’s fortunes improved over the course of the season. 

Jakob Glesnes, while physically imposing, is quite good with the ball at his feet. He is infamous for his absolute bangers from distance, but his passing might be even more impressive. Surprisingly, Jakob is actually one of the worst center backs in the league in short passes, but it’s his long passing that set him apart from everyone else. He is one of the best CBs in the league at switching the field, and his passes into the final third were near the top as well. 

To complement his amazing field tilting passing ability, Jakob is a good defender. Something that really sets him apart from a lot of the better passing defenders on the list. His blocks, interceptions, and tackles all put him towards the higher end of the league. When it all comes down to it, Glesnes is a bit of a swiss army knife defender. Yes, there may be a better tool for certain specific jobs, but if you need a versatile no frills, do it all defender, few can do it better than Jakob Glesnes. 

Steven Moreira- Columbus Crew

I initially had the reigning MLS Defender of the Year at the number three spot. I think #1-4 each have a strong case for the number one spot. Some of the stats point to Ragen and Elliott as being more valuable. But this is proof once again, where analytics fails and the Defender of the Year vote comes mostly off of what we visually see.

No matter what you see though, Steven Moreira is integral to the play of the Columbus Crew. He has an incredible ability on the ball and really plays more like a wingback. And in fact, prior to Nancy taking over as head coach, he was a right back. So, being able to drop him at CB says a lot about his ability and versatility. I mean just look at this chart. 

This really shows you everything you need to know about why Moreira tops this list and won the Defender of the Year Award. His assists, progressive carries, progressive passes, shot creating actions, etc. This is ELITE level offensive production from a center back. Even if his defensive play is lacking, his ability to help his team going forward FAR outweighs any defensive deficiencies.