TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing
Seattle Sounders FC have signed homegrown defender Stuart Hawkins through the 2026 season with club options for 2027 and 2028, the club announced Wednesday.
The 16-year-old from Fox Island, Washington makes the leap to the first team after playing nearly two seasons for the club's MLS NEXT Pro affiliate Tacoma Defiance.
Hawkins originally joined the Sounders FC Academy at age 12 and earned his second straight MLS NEXT All-Star Game presented by Allstate nod this year. In 2022, he was named Most Valuable Player of the 2022 U-17 Generation adidas Cup after leading the Sounders FC Academy to its second consecutive title.
“We’d like to officially congratulate Stuart, a talented young player with a bright future ahead of him,” said Sounders FC general manager & chief soccer officer Craig Waibel. “He has performed well in our Academy and with Defiance, and we look forward to continuing his development in a professional environment."
Hawkins has represented the United States at both the U-16 and U-17 levels, most recently receiving a call-up this month to the U-17s for a tournament in the Czech Republic as the squad continues to prepare for the 2023 U-17 FIFA World Cup in Indonesia later this year.
“It’s always exciting to see players progress through our developmental system all the way up to the first team,” said head coach Brian Schmetzer. “Stuart is a promising young defender who has a great opportunity to learn and grow alongside our veteran players and coaching staff. I look forward to formally welcoming him into our group and seeing how he performs.”
Hawkins becomes the 23rd homegrown player in team history, and his addition marks the 11th homegrown player signing on Sounders FC's current roster. He joins a center back group that includes 2023 standouts Yeimar Gómez Andrade and Jackson Ragen, as well as Ecuador international Xavier Arreaga.
READ MORE: MLS Transfer Tracker presented by Avant
