MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Midfielder Ryan Baer of the West Virginia University men's soccer team was selected by Seattle Sounders FC as the No. 28 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 MLS SuperDraft.
 
Baer is the fourth Mountaineer selected in the first round of the MLS SuperDraft in the last two years, joining 2023 first-round selections Marcus Caldeira (20^th overall, Minnesota United FC), Yutaro Tsukada (25^th, Orlando City SC), and Jackson Lee (28^th, LAFC). Overall, he is the sixth WVU men's soccer player drafted in the 30-year history of the MLS SuperDraft.
 
A steady presence in the midfield the last five seasons for the Mountaineers, Baer leaves Morgantown after 92 games played with 87 starts, the most in program history. In 2024, he was named to the All-Sun Belt first team as well as the All-Southeast Region first team by United Soccer Coaches.
 
Over the course of his career, the Huntersville, North Carolina native led West Virginia to a 55-18-22 record and three NCAA Tournament berths, including the program's first NCAA College Cup appearance in 2023. In his final season, Baer led the Mountaineers to the Sun Belt regular season and tournament titles, the first in program history.
 
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.