Overview

• Brunell signed a Homegrown Player contract that runs through the 2028 season with a club option for 2029.
• He is the third player from Tacoma Defiance to earn a first-team deal in 2025, following Osaze De Rosario and Kalani Kossa-Rienzi.
• Over three MLS Next Pro campaigns, Brunell amassed nearly 4,000 minutes for Defiance and made two U.S. Open Cup appearances with Seattle.
• The 18-year-old midfielder featured in all four matches of the UEFA Friendship Cup for the U.S. U18 national team, including a start in the final.
• General manager Craig Waibel praised Brunell’s steady development through the academy and said he has the qualities to succeed at the MLS level.