MLS Rookie of the Year Award Winners Winners

| Season | Player | Position_ | Nationality | Team | Draft_Pick_ | Draft_Class | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Steve Ralston Category:Articles with hCards | Midfielder | United States | Tampa Bay Mutiny | 18 | 1996 MLS College Draft | Florida International |
| 1997 | Mike Duhaney Category:Articles with hCards | Defender | United States | Tampa Bay Mutiny | 87 | 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft | UNLV |
| 1998 | Ben Olsen Category:Articles with hCards | Midfielder | United States | D.C. United | N/A | Project-40 | Virginia |
| 1999 | Jay Heaps Category:Articles with hCards | Defender | United States | Miami Fusion | 2 | 1999 MLS College Draft | Duke |
| 2000 | Carlos Bocanegra Category:Articles with hCards | Defender | United States | Chicago Fire | 4 | 2000 MLS SuperDraft | UCLA |
| 2001 | Rodrigo Faria Category:Articles with hCards | Forward | Brazil | MetroStars | 13 | 2001 MLS SuperDraft | Concordia College |