James
Sands
M
#6
James Sands
New York City FCHeight : 6' 1" · Weight : 183 lbs · Age : 26
MLS record
| Year | Team | FC | FA | RC | YC | OG | APP | SUB | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current season | New York City FC | 9 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
- 2026 guaranteed comp.
- 1.32 M$
- Base salary
- 1.25 M$
- Rank on the club
- #5 of 32
Guaranteed compensation: base salary plus signing bonuses and other guaranteed money, annualized; performance bonuses are not included. Contract length is not made public.
Advanced stats, 2026 Center backs
MLS stats →2026 season, in progress (1,185 minutes played). The percentile ranks the player among regular center backs (1,000+ minutes over a full season): 90th means better than 90% of them.
Goals
1
68th percentile
Assists
0
37th percentile
Expected goals (xG)
0.9
68th percentile
Expected assists (xA)
0.1
18th percentile
Goals − xG
+0.1
66th percentile
Key passes
2
27th percentile
Pass completion
87.7 %
39th percentile
Passes over expected
+1.8 /100
45th percentile
g+ per 90
−0.00
54th percentile
Minutes
1,185
Regular season. xG: expected goals from chance quality; xA: expected assists. Passes over expected: completed passes above expectation, per 100 passes, given their difficulty. g+: goals added, above the position average. Data: American Soccer Analysis.
2027 projection
MLS trends →Projected WAR
0.1
Confidence: high · based on the backtest and minutes played
Projected minutes
863
WAR 2026
0.0
Minutes played
1,185
The pace of the last three seasons (WAR per minute, 60/25/15), pulled toward the group average as if 1,000 more minutes, over the minutes expected from the last two seasons, adjusted for age. Method chosen by backtest (2023 to 2026): mean error of 0.24 wins.
Trend
→ Stable (0)
- 20230.0 WAR · 0.00 per 3,000 min
- 20240.3 WAR · 0.31 per 3,000 min
- 20260.0 WAR · 0.00 per 3,000 min
The trend compares this season's WAR per 3,000 minutes with last season's (at least 500 minutes each), weighted by playing time.
Outlook, age included
+10 · 25 y.o. · prime years
It is only a projection. It knows nothing about injuries, transfers or role changes.
Player ratings, 2026
All ratings →Ratings from 0 to 100, computed over four seasons from data, never by hand, against regulars in the same position group. 75 = established regular, 87 = 90th percentile, 95+ = elite. EX counts his MLS seasons since 2021, from our data: his career elsewhere is not included.
OV · Overall
75
Established starter
- DEF
- Defending
- 81
- PAS
- Passing
- 75
- DIS
- Discipline
- 58
- DRI
- Dribbling
- 73
- DUR
- Durability
- 62
- EX
- Experience
- 63
Why these ratings?Hide details
- DEF — Defending : Goals added by interrupting (tackles, interceptions, clearances)
- PAS — Passing : Goals added by passing, passes completed over expected
- DIS — Discipline : Goals added by fouls drawn and avoided
- DRI — Dribbling : Goals added by carrying the ball
- DUR — Durability : Share of his club's minutes played, over several seasons
- EX — Experience : MLS seasons since 2021 (our data)
WAR and PAL Rating, 2026
How we rate →WAR: the goals added (g+) of each of his actions, above replacement level (the per-minute output of his group's fringe players), converted to standings points (0.64 points per goal), then to wins (3 points = one win). PAL Rating scores performance from 0 to 100 against regulars in the same group (50 = median).
WAR
0.0
#55 of 98 regular center backs
+0.2 goals above replacement
PAL Rating
43 / 100
#56 of 98 regular center backs
Value Rating · 2026
Sporting contract value
13 / 100
The surplus: his 2026 WAR (0.0) × the price of a win ($3.6M), minus his 2026 guaranteed compensation, against other center backs. Commercial value (tickets, sponsors, media rights) is not counted.Salary$1.3MSurplus−$1.3MWAR paid0.36PAL: dimensions
Where WAR comes from (in wins)
Breaking up the opponent's play: tackles, interceptions, clearances, blocked shots.
The value of his shots: the quality of the chance and what he makes of it.
Carrying the ball and beating defenders, minus the balls lost.
Getting open and receiving the ball in dangerous areas.
How his passes change his team's chances of scoring and conceding.
Fouls drawn (free kicks, penalties won) minus fouls committed.
The parts above are measured against the position average. This adjustment moves the baseline to a fringe player in his group, prorated by minutes: positive when fringe players do worse than average, negative when they do better.
| Season | Team | Min | WAR | PAL | OV | G | A | xG | xA | g+/90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | NYC | 1,185 | 0.0 | 43 | 75 | 1 | 0 | 0.9 | 0.1 | −0.00 |
| 2024 | NYC | 2,931 | 0.3 | 63 | 79 | 1 | 1 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.00 |
| 2023 | NYC | 2,415 | 0.0 | 24 | 73 | 0 | 0 | 0.4 | 0.2 | −0.03 |
James Sands in five questions
How many goals does James Sands have in 2026?
James Sands has 1 goal and 0 assists in 1,185 minutes in 2026 (expected goals: 0.9).
How old and how tall is James Sands?
James Sands is 26 years old. He is 6'1" (185 cm) and weighs 183 lb (83 kg).
How good is James Sands?
James Sands produced 0.0 wins above replacement (WAR) in 2026, 73rd of 98 players at his position in the MLS. His PAL rating is 43 out of 100: around average for his position.
How much does James Sands make?
James Sands earns $1.3M for the 2026 season. His Value Rating (on-field contract efficiency) is 13 out of 100 (very poor return): it measures the on-field return for that salary, compared with players at his position; the player's commercial value is not part of it.
What number does James Sands wear, and what team does he play for?
James Sands plays for New York City FC in the MLS, at M, and wears number 6.
