This month, Hudson River Blue will hand out 2025 Final Grades to New York City FC‘s players and front office. We will update this page as new grades are issued, so check back daily.
Front Office
• Pascal Jansen: A
The club found the exact right coach for the 2025 team as Jansen’s “Bulletproof mindset” and tactical flexibility helped the team exceed expectations.
Read more here.
Andrew Leigh
• David Lee: B-
The former sporting director’s hits include bringing in Nico Fernández Mercau and Aiden O’Neill, and signing Matt Freese to a contract extension. But he let Justin Haak slip away, and incoming Sporting Director Todd Dunivant will need to find a place to park Jovan Mijatović and Talles Magno while their contracts remain on the club’s books.
Read more here.
Oliver Strand
Attackers
• Alonso MartĂnez: A+
El ClĂnico finished the season strong, cementing his place as one of the greatest goal-scorers in club history before sitting out the final playoff games with an ACL injury suffered while on international duty with Costa Rica.
Read more here.
Mark Radigan
• Seymour Reid: B
The 17-year-old wasn’t supposed to be here: He originally signed with NYCFC II, not New York City FC. But the striker earned a spot on the First Team, and became the youngest goal-scorer in club history.
Read more here.
Oliver Strand
• AgustĂn Ojeda: B-
The 21-year-old winger had a stretch of summer productivity as an assist-maker, but his attacking output was missing for much of the season despite playing in all 43 of the club’s matches.
Read more here.
Andrew Leigh
• Julián Fernández: B-
The 21-year-old winger scored three goals and added five assists, giving him the best season of his career. So why does it feel like he didn’t meet expectations?
Read more here.
Abe Shire
• Hannes Wolf: B+
The Austrian got off to a hot start and finished the year as one of New York City FC’s main scoring threats, but he faded as the season went on.
Read more here.
Mark Radigan
Midfielders
• Nico Fernández Mercau: A-
The 25-year-old Designated Player bolstered the creative side of NYCFC’s attack and saved his best and biggest goals for the MLS Cup Playoffs after arriving at midseason.
Read more here.
Andrew Leigh
• Andrés Perea: A-
Andrés Perea had a breakout year in 2025, but after suffering a leg fracture in the MLS Cup Playoffs his immediate future with the club is unclear.
Read more here.
Matthew Mangam
• Máximmo Carrizo: Incomplete
The 17-year-old made his First team debut in 2025, and gave us a taste of what we can expect from the creative midfielder over his five appearances. Will 2026 be his breakout season?
Nicholas Gordon
• Maxi Moralez: A
The ageless 38-year-old made 34 starts and had the third-most minutes for New York City FC in league games, showing again why he’s so important to this squad.
Read more here.
Abe Shire
• Keaton Parks: Incomplete
The 28-year-old played just 880 minutes, the fewest since he rose to the First Team in 2019. He’s one of the club’s essential players, but his 2025 season remains a what-if.
Read more here.
Oliver Strand
• Aiden O’Neill: A
The Australia international isn’t flashy, but he slotted right into NYCFC’s midfield after joining the team at the end of the winter transfer window — and he became an essential part of the squad that made a run to the Eastern Conference Final.
Read more here.
Liam Fitzpatrick
• Jonny Shore: A-
The 17-year-old Homegrown played 1390 minutes in leagues games in his debut MLS season, eclipsing the previous high when 19-year-old Andres Jasson played 676 minutes in 2021. Even better, Shore looked completely comfortable in the lineup.
Read more here.
Oliver Strand
Defenders
• Thiago Martins: A-
It wasn’t a perfect season Thiago Martins, but the 30-year-old remains one of the top center backs in the league.
Read more here.
Andrew Leigh
• Justin Haak: A+
It was a career year for the the 24-year-old, who started in every single NYCFC match this past season, logging a team-high 3,840 minutes. But will the Homegrown be back next year?
Read more here.
• Raul Gustavo: B
The center back, who made just 10 appearances since joining NYCFC in August, is physical, technical — and frustratingly inconsistent.
Read more here.
Starts: 9
Minutes: 778
Age: 26
Key Stat: 1 goal involvement in 5 league games Will the real Raul Gustavo please stand up? Sometimes, Raul Gusatvo is the left-footed center back any club would dream of signing: Physical, confident, and technical, a two-way threat that frustrates the opposition’s
Oliver Strand
• Tayvon Gray: A-
The Pigeon’s best attacking wingback in 2024 took major steps to becoming one of the best overall defenders in MLS in 2025.
Read more here.
Mark Radigan
• Kevin O’Toole: B
The left back was a locked-in starter for one the best defenses in MLS, and earned his first international call-up in November.
Read more here.
Liam Fitzpatrick
• Mitja Ilenič: C+
It wasn’t a year to remember for Mitja IleniÄŤ. Will we see him out there again with NYCFC in 2026?
Read more here.
Andrew Leigh
Goalkeepers
• Matt Freese: A+
The 27-year-old is now firmly established as among the best in Major League Soccer — and is USMNT’s the first-choice No 1 heading into the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Read more here.
Matthew Mangam
• Tomás Romero: A
The 24-year-old made 5 appearances this season, allowing three goals while compiling a record of 3W-0D-2L — that works out to just 0.71 goals per 90 minutes. You can’t ask much more of a backup goalkeeper.
Read more here.
Oliver Strand
