Sporting Kansas City signed first-round pick Jansen Miller to an MLS contract Thursday, the club announced.

Miller was selected eighth overall in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft. The St. Louis, Missouri, native signed an MLS contract for the 2025 season with club options for 2026, 2027 and 2028.

The 6-foot-2 defender was the highest draft pick for a defender Sporting KC has used since longtime Sporting captain Matt Besler was drafted with the same pick in 2009.

Miller played four collegiate seasons -- one at Xavier and three at Indiana -- before being drafted by Sporting KC.

His signing followed Sporting’s preseason play. Miller had three starts in the six preseason matches Sporting played in, logging the second-most minutes among Sporting defenders.

Regular season play for the 2025 season kicks off Tuesday at 7 p.m. CT when Lionel Messi and Inter Miami FC come to Children’s Mercy Park for Round One of the Concacaf Champions Cup.