Best Right-Backs in the MLS (Oct 2025)
Ranked by Analytical Strength Score
Market Overview: MLS Right-Backs 2024-25
Our database tracked 12 MLS Right-Backs in the 2024-25 season, representing 10 clubs with a combined market value of €15.6M. The average market value for MLS Right-Backs was €1.3M, with the average age at 28.2 years old.
The most valuable right-back in the MLS was Sergi Palencia, worth €2.5M and played for Los Angeles FC at 29 years old. The top 5 Right-Backs averaged €1.9M in market value, including Jon Gallagher and Mikkel Desler.
Age distribution showed the youngest tracked right-back was Juan Mina (21 years, New York Red Bulls, €200K), while the oldest was DeAndre Yedlin (32 years, Real Salt Lake City, €1.2M). Research shows Right-Backs typically peak at age 27.
Historical analysis showed 2 Right-Backs (17%) increased in market value over the following 12 months based on age-curve trajectories, then-current performance trends, and playing time analysis. The MLS market for Right-Backs remained actively developing with emerging talent in the 2024-25 season.
💡 Use the search bar below to find specific players, or apply filters to narrow results by club, age range, or market value. Click the chart icon next to any player to view their historical value trajectory and forecast.
Explore Market Size by Position in MLS
Interactive bubble chart showing predicted 2-year growth vs current age for all MLS Right-Backs. Identify undervalued assets and track market momentum across 10 clubs with €15.6M combined value.
Age Distribution: MLS Right-Backs
The MLS RB market shows 3 distinct age segments, with the largest cohort in the 27-29 bracket (6 players, 50% of market). The 27-29 age group holds the most value at €9.0M, averaging €1.5M per player.
Top Right-Backs by Age Bracket
21-23 Years (2 players)
27-29 Years (6 players)
30+ Years (4 players)
Market Value Distribution
Elite Tier Concentration
The top 2 Right-Backs (17% of players) control €4.5M
Market Tiers
Market structure shows concentrated value with emerging (<€5m) tier representing 100% of the MLS RB pool.
Emerging (<€5M)
Club Distribution: MLS Right-Backs
Among 10 MLS clubs, Austin FC leads with 2 Right-Backs worth €3.8M (averaging €1.9M per player). The top 10 clubs account for 100% of tracked Right-Backs.
Austin FC (2 Right-Backs)
Los Angeles FC (1 Right-Backs)
Columbus Crew (1 Right-Backs)
Colorado Rapids (1 Right-Backs)
Player Rankings
Ranked by APE Strength Score. Click any player to view full profile, or click the chart icon to see value history.
Sergi Palencia
Los Angeles FC • 29 years old
€2.5M
€2.5M
+0.0%
Expected: €2.4M
37.1
Jon Gallagher
Austin FC • 29 years old
€2.0M
€2.0M
+0.0%
Expected: €1.9M
34.3
Mikkel Desler
Austin FC • 30 years old
€1.8M
€1.8M
+0.0%
Expected: €1.7M
32.3
Reggie Cannon
Colorado Rapids • 27 years old
€1.5M
€1.5M
+0.0%
Expected: €1.4M
32.2
Steven Moreira
Columbus Crew • 31 years old
€1.8M
€1.8M
+0.0%
Expected: €1.7M
31.5
Shaq Moore
FC Dallas • 28 years old
€1.5M
€1.5M
+0.0%
Expected: €1.4M
31.4
Willy Kumado
San Diego FC • 23 years old
€1.0M
€1.2M
+15.6%
Expected: €1.4M
30.1
Kyle Duncan
New York Red Bulls • 28 years old
€1.2M
€1.2M
+0.0%
Expected: €1.1M
28.7
DeAndre Yedlin
Real Salt Lake City • 32 years old
€1.2M
€1.2M
+0.0%
Expected: €1.1M
25.8
Ronald Hernández
Atlanta United FC • 28 years old
€350K
€350K
+0.0%
Expected: €332K
13.3
Andy Nájar
Nashville SC • 32 years old
€400K
€400K
+0.0%
Expected: €380K
12.1
Juan Mina
New York Red Bulls • 21 years old
€173K
€200K
+15.6%
Expected: €252K
5.6
Scout Tools
Advanced analytics for scouting and recruitment decisions. Each tool provides unique insights into player value, potential, and market dynamics.
Pre-Peak Value Efficiency (PPVE)
Identifies pre-peak players offering exceptional value relative to their age bracket. Higher PPVE = better value.
Understanding Pre-Peak Value Efficiency (PPVE)
2 pre-peak players found. PPVE compares market value to age bracket median to identify exceptional value opportunities.
PPVE by Age Bracket
| Rank | Player | Age | Bracket | Current Value | Bracket Median | PPVE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Willy Kumado San Diego FC | 23 | 21-23 | €1.2M | €1.2M | 1.00× |
| #2 | Juan Mina New York Red Bulls | 21 | 21-23 | €200K | €1.2M | 0.17× |
Return-to-Peak Potential (RPP)
Recovery potential from current value to forecasted peak. Shows how much upside remains for players approaching their prime.
No RPP data available (requires forecast values in database)
Risk-Adjusted Upside (RAU)
Upside potential weighted against forecast uncertainty. Higher RAU = better risk-reward profile.
Understanding Risk-Adjusted Upside (RAU)
New York Red Bulls's Juan Mina leads with 75.2 RAU (26% upside vs 0% uncertainty).
How RAU is calculated: RAU = Upside % ÷ Uncertainty %. Higher RAU means better risk-reward. Target RAU ≥2.0 for strong appreciation with manageable risk.
Risk-Adjusted Upside by Player
| Rank | Player | Expected | Range | Upside % | RAU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Juan Mina New York Red Bulls | €252K | €218K-287K | +26% | 75.2 |
| #2 | Willy Kumado San Diego FC | €1.4M | €1.2M-1.6M | +16% | 57.7 |
Roster Pressure Index (RPI)
Squad depth pressure based on Z-score distribution. Negative RPI = thin depth, positive = deep roster.
What This Shows
Z-Score explained: Measures how many standard deviations a player's strength is from the position average. Z-Score = 0 means average, +1.0 is one standard deviation above average, -1.0 is below average.
How to use: RPI < -1.0 indicates critical depth shortage. These positions need immediate reinforcement. RPI > +1.0 suggests strong depth, allowing selective, high-value additions only.
Current market: right-back position shows strong depth (avg Z-score: 0.00). RPI: 0.00.
Position Depth Analysis
Highest Z-Scores
Lowest Z-Scores
Age-Share Concentration (ASC)
Identifies players capturing disproportionate value relative to age group representation. Positive ASC = value concentration.
Understanding Age-Share Concentration (ASC)
Los Angeles FC's Sergi Palencia in the 27-29 age bracket has the highest Age-Share Concentration at +7.8%. That means Sergi Palencia captures 57.8% of total market value while representing only 50.0% of players in their age group—showing dominant elite status.
In second is FC Dallas's Shaq Moore with a +7.8% ASC (57.8% value share vs 50.0% player share in 27-29 bracket). Third is Kyle Duncan of New York Red Bulls with a +7.8% ASC (57.8% value vs 50.0% players in 27-29 bracket).
How ASC is calculated: ASC = (% of total value) - (% of total players) in age bracket. A +7.8% ASC means the player captures 7.8% more market value than their numerical representation—indicating marquee status. ASC > +15% = elite dominance, ASC < -15% = potential value targets.
Value Concentration by Player
| Rank | Player | Age Bracket | Value Share | Player Share | ASC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Sergi Palencia Los Angeles FC | 27-29 | 57.8% | 50.0% | +7.8% |
| #2 | Shaq Moore FC Dallas | 27-29 | 57.8% | 50.0% | +7.8% |
| #3 | Kyle Duncan New York Red Bulls | 27-29 | 57.8% | 50.0% | +7.8% |
| #4 | Ronald Hernández Atlanta United FC | 27-29 | 57.8% | 50.0% | +7.8% |
| #5 | Reggie Cannon Colorado Rapids | 27-29 | 57.8% | 50.0% | +7.8% |
| #6 | Jon Gallagher Austin FC | 27-29 | 57.8% | 50.0% | +7.8% |
| #7 | Juan Mina New York Red Bulls | 21-23 | 8.9% | 16.7% | -7.7% |
| #8 | Willy Kumado San Diego FC | 21-23 | 8.9% | 16.7% | -7.7% |
| #9 | Andy Nájar Nashville SC | 30+ | 33.2% | 33.3% | -0.1% |
| #10 | Steven Moreira Columbus Crew | 30+ | 33.2% | 33.3% | -0.1% |
| #11 | Mikkel Desler Austin FC | 30+ | 33.2% | 33.3% | -0.1% |
| #12 | DeAndre Yedlin Real Salt Lake City | 30+ | 33.2% | 33.3% | -0.1% |
Buy-Now vs Wait-List Map
Categorizes players by age position and upside potential to guide timing of acquisition.
What This Shows
How to use: "Buy Now - High Upside" = immediate priority targets. "Watch List" = monitor for 6-12 months. "Peak" = pay premium for proven performers. "Aging" = short-term depth only.
Current market: 2 immediate targets, 0 standard acquisitions, 0 watch-list prospects, 4 at peak.
BUY NOW - High Upside
WATCH LIST - High Upside
No players in this category
BUY NOW - Medium Upside
No players in this category
PEAK Players
Price vs Peer Z-Score
IQR-based pricing analysis relative to position peers. Identifies over/undervalued players vs market.
What This Shows
How to use: Z-score < -1.5 = significantly undervalued (potential bargain). Z-score > +1.5 = premium pricing (requires strong justification). Within ±1.0 = fair market value.
Current market: Position median is €1.8M. 1 undervalued, 0 premium.
Value Positioning vs Peers
| Player | Market Value | Position Median | Z-Score | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Andy Nájar Nashville SC | €400K | €1.5M | -2.33 | Undervalued |
Ronald Hernández Atlanta United FC | €350K | €1.5M | -1.44 | Good Value |
DeAndre Yedlin Real Salt Lake City | €1.2M | €1.5M | -1.00 | Good Value |
Juan Mina New York Red Bulls | €200K | €1.5M | -1.00 | Good Value |
Kyle Duncan New York Red Bulls | €1.2M | €1.5M | -0.38 | Fair Value |
Steven Moreira Columbus Crew | €1.8M | €1.5M | 0.00 | Fair Value |
Mikkel Desler Austin FC | €1.8M | €1.5M | 0.00 | Fair Value |
Shaq Moore FC Dallas | €1.5M | €1.5M | 0.00 | Fair Value |
Reggie Cannon Colorado Rapids | €1.5M | €1.5M | 0.00 | Fair Value |
Willy Kumado San Diego FC | €1.2M | €1.5M | 0.00 | Fair Value |
Jon Gallagher Austin FC | €2.0M | €1.5M | +0.63 | Above Market |
Sergi Palencia Los Angeles FC | €2.5M | €1.5M | +1.25 | Above Market |