3) David Estrada – 11th overall pick in 2010
David Estrada made just 53 MLS regular season and playoff appearances for the Sounders’ first team, spread over five years. Regardless, in the context of this list he is still one of the more successful players.
Estrada’s best season with the Sounders was undoubtedly in 2012, when he started the season with a hat-trick in the opening MLS game against Toronto FC. While this proved to be the highlight of his year, he still went on to finish with seven goals overall in 25 competitive games.
However, any hope that this would lead to more success proved incorrect as the forward did not score a single goal the following season. He was then traded to D.C. United in August 2014 in exchange for a 2017 third-round MLS SuperDraft pick.
Estrada actually returned to Seattle in 2018 as a player and assistant coach with their academy, scoring a team-best 11 goals in 33 games for Seattle Sounders FC 2 during the year. After the season finished though, he left to sign with New Mexico United of the USL championship.