Colorado's Andre Shinyashiki Wins MLS Rookie of the Year
Isaiah J. Downing/USA Today Sports
The Colorado Rapids didn't win a ton this year, but they did provide one of MLS's individual award winners.
Rapids forward Andre Shinyashiki was named 2019 MLS Rookie of the Year on Tuesday, capping a 2019 in which he scored seven goals and assisted on three others in 31 games (18 starts) for Colorado.
A product of the nearby University of Denver, Shinyashiki edged recent U.S. national team call-up and Philadelphia Union midfielder Brenden Aaronson and Minnesota United's U.S. Under-23 midfielder Hassani Dotson to win the honors, joining Dillon Powers (2013) as Colorado players to take home the award.
Shinyashiki's season started impressively, with the Brazilian coming off the bench to make his debut in snowy conditions vs. the Portland Timbers and scoring the equalizer at the death in a wild 3-3 draw. Overall, the Rapids went 6-0-3 in matches which Shinyashiki scored or assisted on a goal.
The Rapids selected Shinyashiki with the fifth overall pick of the 2019 MLS SuperDraft. The first overall pick, FC Cincinnati's Frankie Amaya, finished fourth in the voting.
