Nazmi at number three is where I could see some people taking issue. Naz is a fantastic talent, he has all the skills and necessary components of a more-than-serviceable midfielder in MLS. That’s why Chicago Fire wanted him after all. I believe that on a team surrounded by MLS talent, Naz will shine. Also, he’s one of the few players on a multi-year contract, so I suspect the Front Office wants him there too.

Forrest Lasso and Paddy Barrett both make the jump for me. They are both young, have been statistically stellar in USL, and have plenty of upside. Barrett having been the captain for much of the year shows how much Koch trusts him to command a back-line. Lasso was being looked at by FC Dallas before signing with Cincinnati, and has all the physical tools to be a good-enough MLS center back. There is also something to be said for consistency in the back-line as the team moves up to MLS, and having that familiarity with each other and the system Koch employs moves them up the list.

Corben Bone at number 6 is a somewhat emotional pick. It feels like years ago we were asking for Bone’s benching so Naz could start, but in the last two months Bone has been the better player on the field. He’s someone with MLS experience and a top candidate for someone who has played their way into the MLS team. Not to mention he’s the best of the remaining original three, and if you want to keep that history, and I think we would like to see at least one player from the 2016 squad make the jump, Bone is your guy. I am not saying he starts every single game next year, but he’s in the team for sure.

Then we get to the goalkeepers. There isn’t much between these two right now, Newton and Richey have been brilliant and have shipped goals, but they both make the jump. Now with this list, I’m not too concerned about international spots and the other MLS tomfoolery when it comes to roster creation, but in terms of play on the field and between the sticks, these two both make it. Maybe neither one starts, maybe they both compete against someone like a David Bingham, but they have earned their spot on an MLS roster, hopefully that’s a roster based in Cincinnati.

Fatai Alashe makes the jump because he is a young, proven MLS talent that took a risk coming to Cincinnati to play in the lower division to get out from a crappy team in San Jose. And when a player is willing to put in the work to improve their spot, you reward that. Also, the team told us he’s going to MLS so it’s obvious he’s on this list.