Central STL News

St Louis CITY2 players Gabriel Mikina and Mykhi Joyner have been named to the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Best XI. CITY2 is one of only two teams in the league to have at least two players selected for this honor.

Defender Gabriel Mikina made 27 appearances this season, starting 25 matches and scoring a career-high three goals. He played a role in six of the team's eight shutouts. Forward Mykhi Joyner led CITY2 in scoring for the second year in a row, with 18 goal contributions—15 goals and three assists—in 18 matches.

Their performances contributed to CITY2 finishing at the top of the league standings. The team set several records this season, including a 17-5-6 record, 62 points, 60 goals scored, and an 18-match unbeaten streak from May 15 to September 28.

John Hackworth, CITY2 Interim Head Coach, said, “I am extremely proud of Gabi and Mykhi for earning this achievement, and they have shown through their individual performances this year that they are deserving of this honor. I have always said that individual awards reflect the team, and this team not only has good players but also really good people which has helped us succeed this season.”

Mikina is in his second year with CITY2 and as team captain. He has played 50 MLS NEXT Pro matches since joining the club in 2024. In 2025, he logged 2,286 minutes, the second-most on the team. The team has a 12-5-5 record when he starts. Mikina was also a finalist for MLS NEXT Pro Defender of the Year.

This is the second time Joyner has been named to the MLS NEXT Pro Best XI. He is only the second player in league history to earn multiple Best XI honors. Joyner has made 12 appearances for St Louis City SC’s first team and scored his first career MLS goal on August 30 against Houston Dynamo FC. He became the first player in club history to score four goals in a single match during CITY2’s win over Portland Timbers2. That performance earned him MLS NEXT Pro Player of the Month honors in May.

CITY2 will play Ventura County FC in the MLS NEXT Pro Western Conference Quarterfinal at Energizer Park on Sunday, October 19 at 6:00 p.m. CT. The match will be available to stream on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Tickets are available online.