Without a doubt, Tacoma Defiance had their best on-pitch results ever in 2022. They won the division, won a playoff game, and had a player in the MVP conversation. From their start as Sounders 2 to their time at Cheney as Tacoma Defiance, they’d never been as good against their competition.
Jackson Ragen and Sota Kitahara climbed up the professional ladder to earn MLS deals. Former S2 keeper Jacob Castro earned an HGP deal. Wallis Lapsley even had a short-term contract earned. It’s become typical for 2-3 players to make the step up from Defiance to Sounders in a given year.