Washington Spirit have traded midfielder Jordan Baggett to Racing Louisville FC in exchange for Louisville’s 2024 2nd-round draft pick and a conditional 2025 3rd-round draft pick if she makes 10 appearances, the team announced today.
Baggett is a talented attacking midfielder who showed a lot of promise early in her career. After playing for Stanford, she was drafted by the Spirit as the third overall pick in the 2019 NWSL Draft. In her first season with the club, she played 22 matches, started 20 of those, and scored 4 goals. Unfortunately, Baggett suffered a series of injuries in the following years, playing only 3 matches in the 2021 season and unavailable for the first half of the 2022 season. Upon her return, however, she appeared in 9 of 12 remaining 2022 matches and earned 1 goal and 1 assist.
Baggett signed a two-year contract with an option for 2025 with Washington before the start of this season and recently played 45 minutes of the Challenge Cup match against NJ/NY Gotham FC, subbing in for Andi Sullivan in a defensive midfield role. After the game, head coach Mark Parsons praised Baggett’s performance, and Baggett spoke her excitement to get back to playing.
“Just to get back on the field and get minutes with the girls felt good,” she said. “Any role: I just want to get on the field. I want to help and give everything I can.”
The Spirit did not disclose the conditions that must be met in order for them to receive Louisville’s 2025 draft spot, but such conditions often relate to the number of appearances made by the traded player.
It’s disappointing to see Baggett traded just as she was recovering from injury and ready to deliver on the promise of her early career. But with the Spirit’s crowded midfield – they have 8 other midfielders on the roster – it’s not certain that she would have gotten the minutes she deserves with Washington. Racing, meanwhile, have a slightly smaller roster and are expected to lose two of their attacking midfielders to international duty during the World Cup.
We’ll miss this longtime Spirit and 2021 Champion but wish her the best of luck at Louisville!
Thank you for your efforts Jordan Baggett! Best of luck (except against us)!
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