2025 Orlando City Season in Review: Colin Guske

Orlando City signed OCSC Development Academy midfielder Colin Guske to an MLS NEXT Pro contract on April 24, 2024. The club believed in his development and Guske was ready to get regular minutes with OCB. The young central midfielder appeared in 24 matches with OCB last year, starting 23, and provided some stability in the middle of the pitch for the Young Lions, adding a goal and two assists to the attack. He performed well enough to earn a Homegrown Player contract offer, which he signed on Dec. 16, 2024.

Though he was on a first-team contract, the St. Johns native spent his second season with OCB this season, contributing one assist in 18 games (all starts), but he also got his first minutes with the MLS side.

Let’s take a look back at Guske’s 2025 season.

Statistical Breakdown

Guske made his MLS debut on April 5 at Philadelphia in Orlando City’s scoreless draw against the Union, coming off the bench to replace Martin Ojeda for one minute plus stoppage time to help see out a road result against the eventual Supporters’ Shield winners. The 18-year-old appeared in five MLS matches with Orlando City in 2025 — all off the bench — playing a total of just 13 minutes in the regular season as he mainly came in late to prevent a starter from getting a second yellow card, but he earned those minutes. Guske did not post his first MLS goal contribution yet, but he completed all 15 of his passes, including both of his long balls, for a 100% passing rate but did not record a key pass. Defensively, he contributed two clearances, one tackle, and one aerial duel won. Guske committed one foul in the regular season, drew three on the opposition, and received one yellow card.

The teenager also made his MLS playoff debut in 2025, coming off the bench for the final 15 minutes in Orlando City’s 3-1 wild card loss to the Chicago Fire. Those 15 minutes surpassed his 13 regular-season minutes. He passed at an 89% rate and committed three fouls without drawing one, but he was not booked. On the defensive end, Guske contributed a clearance and won an aerial duel.

Guske came off the bench against the Tampa Bay Rowdies and played 45 minutes in the U.S. Open Cup on the road on May 7 in Orlando City’s 5-0 win. He did not have a goal contribution but created one good scoring chance for Ramiro Enrique, although the Argentine missed the target. He completed 19 of his 20 passes (95%), including both of his long balls. On the defensive end, Guske added two interceptions and a recovery, blocking one shot.

Best Game

This is an easy choice, as Guske played well and contributed in his longest outing of the season with the first team. His 45-minute performance against the Tampa Bay Rowdies helped the Lions defeat their I-4 rivals and complete the shutout. His passing rate of 95% was among the best on the team and Enrique should have done better with the pass with which Guske cut the Rowdies wide open in the 86th minute.

2025 Final Grade

Guske fell well short of the required 450 combined minutes (regular season, playoffs, U.S. Open Cup, and Leagues Cup) to qualify for a grade for the season with the first team. The Mane Land will therefore have to give him an incomplete rating.

2026 Outlook

The young midfielder has a bright outlook with Orlando City in 2026. Guske is under contract through 2027 with a club option for 2028. It is uncertain whether fellow central midfielders Cesar Araujo, Eduard Atuesta, or Wilder Cartagena will be back, although almost certainly at least one of those three will be back in purple.

Araujo’s 2022 deal was through 2024 with an option year in 2025, which was automatically triggered by his performance last season. The Uruguayan has been the subject of reports of him returning to South America, and it’s unusual for the Lions not to re-sign a player of Araujo’s caliber before he’s out of contract. The press release for Cartagena’s deal through 2025 did not mention option years and the 31-year-old Peruvian will be returning from an Achilles injury. Atuesta’s contract is only through this season with an option year for 2026. It’s possible that all three could be back, none of them, or any one or two of them.

Guske is in a position where he could start seeing more minutes with the first team, with OCB still there for him to get playing time if he isn’t ready. In a perfect world, Guske would make a leap like Alex Freeman did from 2024 to 2025. It is more likely he’ll need a little more developmental time, despite impressing enough to work his way into the U.S. youth international picture. Central midfield is a physical position at the MLS level. I look for Guske to get a long look in training camp and be in the rotation in 2026. If he can’t win a starting position, I look for him to be a fixture on the Orlando bench and play matches with OCB.

This is the first of our 2025 Orlando City Season in Review articles. Every player who played minutes this past season and who finished the year on the club roster will be reviewed (exceptions may be made for players let go when the club officially announces its roster moves). For example, Yutaro Tsukada and Wilder Cartagena will not receive grades because they did not play any minutes and Ramiro Enrique will not be rated due to transferring out before the end of the season. Likewise, Justin Ellis played two minutes with the first team but is on an MLS NEXT Pro contract, not an MLS deal, so he will not be graded.

Players who logged more than 450 minutes (combined regular season plus playoffs, U.S. Open Cup, and and Leagues Cup) will receive a composite score between 1 and 10 as determined by a panel of The Mane Land writers, while those who did not reach that threshold will receive an incomplete grade.