Sporting KC signs Ryan Schewe

Sporting Kansas City announced the signing of goalkeeper Ryan Schewe. The 21-year-old was taken in the first round of the 2024 MLS SuperDraft. Schewe was signed through the 2024 season with club option years in 2025, 2026 and 2027. Schewe was selected 22^nd overall and was the third keeper taken in the draft.

Schewe had two very good seasons as a starter at Georgetown University with a 0.79 goals against average as a junior and led the conference with a 0.84 as a senior. Schewe led Georgetown to the Big East regular season championship and won Goalkeeper of the Year and First Team All-Big East as well. The Marietta, Ga. Native played for both the Atlanta United Academy and United Football Academy before heading to Georgetown.

When he was drafted, Sporting KC Vice President of Player Personnel Brian Bliss talked about why they made the selection and was complimentary of Schewe.

“At the end of the year we had to part ways with Kendall (McIntosh), and it obviously opened up a spot in the third spot of the rotation. Nothing against Tim (Melia), he’s getting a year older as well and is in the last year of his contract. You’ve got a nice guy in John Pulskamp in the middle. I think Ryan with the attributes he has, he’s six-four, maybe even six-five, a long wingspan, and covers a lot of space in front of the goal. He had the highest vertical jump (in the combine), coupled with his height already, he’s very good on crosses and commanding the box. I’m not putting pressure on the kid, but we see him to be possibly somebody like a (Patrick) Schulte that’s at Columbus or a (Roman) Celentano with Cincinnati. He could turn into somebody like that and that would be a nice guy to have working under somebody like Timmy and John.”

Bliss may not want to put pressure on Schewe, but he compared him to two very good young keepers in MLS that found success in their second year after being drafted. Schulte led the Crew to a third-place finish in the Eastern Conference before backstopping them all the way to lifting the MLS Cup. Celentano led Cincinnati to a MLS Supporters Shield and a good playoff run before falling to Schulte and the Crew.

Schewe will be behind Tim Melia and John Pulskamp in the goalkeeper pecking order and will likely see time with Sporting Kansas City II in MLS Next Pro.