Alex Freeman of Orlando City celebrates after scoring the team’s second goal during the MLS match between Orlando City and Toronto FC at Inter&Co Stadium on March 01 in Orlando, Fla.
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We got our latest look at MLS salary data from the roughly semi-annual MLS Players Salary Guide on Thursday.
And while most of the attention centered on how much money went some of the league’s best-known stars making, the report released by the MLS Players’ Association is just as useful for determining who is getting the biggest bargains.
One (admittedly somewhat crude) data-driven way to do that is to compare guaranteed annual compensation against a metric produced by American Soccer Analysis called “goals added.” Essentially, goals added was created as an attempt to be for soccer what “wins above replacement,” or WAR has become for baseball, a baseline stat that can be applied uniformly to players in all positions on all teams to rate relative quality.
Here’s the opening paragraph of American Soccer Analysis’ own explanation of the metric:
Goals added (g+) measures a player’s total on-ball contribution in attack and defense. It does this by calculating how much each touch changes their team’s chances of scoring and conceding across two possessions.
It’s certainly not a perfect measurement, as the folks at ASA would be the first to admit. But it’s a useful tool for answering questions like who deserves to be making more money.
Below is a list of the five most underpaid players in MLS in 2025, as judged by comparing goals added against salary data. One interesting trend is that most (but not all) of the list is comprised not late-teens or early-20s breakthrough talent, but rather late bloomers in their mid 20s who have been existing in the bottom tier of the MLS salary range for multiple seasons now.
5) Preston Judd
Striker, San Jose Earthquakes
Preston Judd salutes the fans after a game between Houston Dynamo FC and San Jose Earthquakes at PayPal Park on May 24 in San Jose, Calif.
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Total goals added: 2.37
Goals added per 90 minutes: 0.17
Guaranteed annual compensation: $234,375
It’s probably no coincidence that Judd had his best MLS season (with six goals scored primarily as a substitute) in his firs campaign under former U.S. men’s national team manager Bruce Arena, arguably the greatest talent developer America has ever produced.
And even though Judd is 26 years old, there could be a bright future ahead of him as a center forward, a position that often sees players blossom at a more advanced age. That includes another one-time San Jose striker who became the all-time leading scorer in MLS history, Chris Wondolowski.
4) Ali Ahmed
Winger, Vancouver Whitecaps
Ali Ahmed of the Vancouver Whitecaps is presented with the Most Valuable Player Award after defeating Vancouver FC during the 2025 TELUS Canadian Championship Final at BC Place on October 01.
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Total goals added: 2.39
Goals added per 90 minutes: 0.15
Guaranteed annual compensation: $159,375
The 25-year-old winger could afford to add more of a goal-scoring threat to his toolbox, but he was an elite provider for the Whitecaps this season with eight MLS assists. And even while sometimes featuring off the bench for manager Jesper Sorensen, who has been unafraid to rotate his squad, he’s managed to draw the attention of Canada national team manager Jesse Marsch.
For Canada, he could end up pairing on the left flank with Bayern Munich fullback Alphonso Davies behind him, which is an intriguing proposition to say the least.
3) Simon Becher
Striker, St. Louis City
Simon Becher screams in excitement after realizing his team is getting a penalty kick during the MLS regular season match where St. Louis City hosted the San Jose Earthquakes on May 31.
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Total goals added: 2.72
Goals added per 90 minutes: 0.17
Guaranteed annual compensation: $239,273
It was a second consecutive wayward season for St. Louis City, one that ultimately resulted in an overhaul of the team’s entire sporting infrastructure. And it might have been a bit less miserable if Becher could’ve been a competent finisher in 2025; he scored three goals on 8.5 expected goals in his fourth season in the league.
Even so, his ability to consistently get on the end of dangerous chances shouldn’t be discounted. His wastefulness in 2025 was perhaps inevitable eventually, after he produced well above his expected goals prediction the year before.
2) Anthony Markanich
Fullback, Minnesota United
Anthony Markanich celebrates after scoring a goal in the second half against Sporting Kansas City at Allianz Field on Oct. 4 in St Paul, Minn.
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Total goals added: 3.26
Goals added per 90 minutes: 0.14
Guaranteed annual compensation: $104,000
The goals added metric cans have a bias toward attack-minded fullbacks, particularly if they’re typically playing in a back five rather than a back four, as is usually the case with Eric Ramsay’s squad.
Even so, it’s hard to overstate the importance of late bloomer Anthony Markanich to Minnesota United, who at age 25 has emerged as a hugely important scoring threat, finishing with nine league goals. After his first pro season making more than 20 starts, he should be in line for a hefty pay raise in 2026.
1) Alex Freeman
Fullback, Orlando City
Alex Freeman of Orlando City celebrates after scoring the team’s second goal against Atlanta United at Inter&Co Stadium on April 26 in Orlando, Fla.
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Total goals added: 5.53
Goals added per 90 minutes: 0.18
Guaranteed annual compensation: $108,000
Son of former NFL wide receiver Antonio Freeman, the Orlando City talent may also benefit from being an attack-minded fullback in the goals added rankings. But no one can doubt the merits of a breakthrough campaign that has saw him become one of his side’s most irreplaceable players and emerge as a real candidate to make the United States’ final World Cup roster.
Reports suggest Orlando would like to re-sign the 21-year-old, but that he has eyes on a possible winter move to Europe, with Villareal in Spain a possible front-runner.