Not many 21-year-old’s can say they are closing in on 100-career MLS appearances, but Colorado Rapids forward Darren Yapi is one of those rare exceptions.

Yapi just completed his third full season with the Rapids in 2025, delivering a major jump in production for the Western Conference club. The homegrown attacker contributed a career-best eight goals in all competitions, which ranked as the third-most among Rapids players this year.

Despite Yapi’s best efforts, the Rapids failed to make the MLS Cup Playoffs, leading to the front office parting ways with head coach Chris Armas. Yapi was pleased with his contributions in the squad this season and is hoping that this year is a springboard to further success in 2026.

“Unfortunately our season ended early, but I’m good now and it was good to just get some time off,” Yapi told SBI in an interview. “I’ve been working on my game and just getting my fitness back up again.

“I think this year took a lot out of me, but it was due to a lot of hard work and then just being patient,” Yapi added. “I feel like every team in this league has a DP striker so I just had to wait for my opportunity. I was a bit discouraged in the beginning but I just had to keep going, keep working. I think this year was a good step and I just have to go out there and do it again.”

Yapi debuted for the first team back in 2022 and has since featured in both MLS and MLS NEXT Pro. He’s logged 93 first-team appearances over the past four years, in addition to making another 17 appearances for Rapids 2 in the developmental league.

The construction of MLS NEXT Pro has benefitted young players like Yapi, who can use the league for a way to play regularly week in and week out. While his first-team role has grown in the last few years, Yapi credited the importance of MLS NEXT Pro had in improving his game.

“I think it takes a good mentality and taking from every experience before taking that jump to the first team. It’s super important,” Yapi said. “We’ve seen a lot of guys make that jump from MLS NEXT Pro to MLS and and I feel like those are the guys that just take that experience for what it is and just work their butts off to prepare for the first team. As a young player, you just have to go in with the right mentality.”

Yapi is one of several American players that played large roles in the Rapids squad this past year. From U.S. men’s national team goalkeeper Zack Steffen to defenders Reggie Cannon and Sam Vines, the list of connections that Yapi has made in Colorado continues to grow.

Although he is younger than a lot of his American teammates in the squad, Yapi affirmed the importance that many have had on his career to date.

“Zack [Steffen] is someone I talk to a lot,” Yapi said. “Same with other guys like Reggie [Cannon], [Sam Vines] Vinesy, those are guys that have played abroad and have learned so much from top players. For them to just give me advice, it helps me a lot.”

Even though Yapi’s club campaign came to an end in November, his role as a U.S. youth national team player did not. Yapi featured twice for the U.S. Under-21 men’s national team last month, logging 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw with Denmark before playing 16 minutes in a 1-0 loss to Serbia.

A former USMNT U-17 and U-20 player, Yapi has continued to take steps in his international career and is now knocking on the door of potentially being a senior player for 2026 and beyond. While there are still many strikers in the USMNT’s pecking order, Yapi is ready to go if the opportunity presents itself.

“I think it was pretty good to have that U-21 camp because my age group wasn’t able to experience with the World Cup being cancelled during the COVID period,” Yapi said. “I think it was pretty dope that the U.S. did that and having some of the 2004’s all together with some really good young players who were all in the 05-06 range. Those experiences are good experiences to have, similar to that of NEXT Pro.

“I’m excited, as a young guy, I think if you stay sharp and are ready, who knows what could happen,” he added about the possibility of being in the World Cup mix next summer. “I am going to go into 2026 with that mentality and be there if my country needs me.”

Yapi’s time with the USMNT U-20’s allowed him to work with current San Diego FC head coach Mikey Varas. Varas, who was Yapi’s head coach with the U-20’s, led the expansion side to top spot in the Western Conference during the regular season and a berth into the Western Conference Final this fall.

San Diego FC will now be playing in the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup next February, becoming the latest expansion side to impress in Year No. 1 of their MLS existence.

Yapi praised Varas and new England Revolution head coach Marko Mitrovic, both of whom who had vital roles within U.S. Soccer before their jumps to MLS.

“I think they deserve taking that next step in their career,” Yapi said about Varas and Mitrovic. “I feel like they’re two great coaches and I’m just happy for them. From what I have seen from them, I think these are great opportunities for them. In football, you get to work with a lot of people so seeing them get these opportunities are great.”

Yapi’s 2026 season with the Rapids could potentially be his last with the club, especially with the prospect of making the move to Europe always on the cards. Many former MLS homegrowns have developed in the United States before moving abroad such as Brenden Aaronson, Mark McKenzie, Auston Trusty, Ricardo Pepi, and Aidan Morris.

While his focus remains strictly on helping the Rapids bounce back next season, Yapi does have dreams of getting overseas one day.

“I think when you see some of the top guys like Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie over there, it just further boosts your dream of playing over there,” Yapi said. “It’s a dream of mine and for a lot of other young players as well. For now, I just want to keep working, trying to stay consistent and have another good season.”