The Sounder at Heart Breakout Player of the Year award started in 2020. That first year’s winner was Alex Roldan who went from back-end of the bench guy that was cut to clear starter at right back on the Western Conference winning team.
Existing to honor a Seattle Sounders player that most exceeded expectations, the Breakout Player isn’t necessarily for someone who returned from injury. It is, in some ways, an award for the fanbase to admit “we may have been wrong about this guy.”
The list of 2021 contenders is presented in alphabetical order by last name.