Baker Signs One Year Contract Extension
MLR Chicago Hounds

Baker Signs One Year Contract Extension

Published on January 13, 2026 under Major League Rugby (MLR)
Chicago Hounds News Release


CHICAGO, Il. - The Hounds continued their offseason transaction period with the re-signing of tighthead prop Koby Baker. The 24-year-old is coming off the back of an impressive fall campaign with the Hounds Performance Squad.

Baker first signed with Chicago last offseason. During his first season with the Hounds, the prop appeared in three contests and registered eight minutes of game time. He made his Chicago debut in the Hounds' week four win over the Miami Sharks and earned Hounds Cap No. 73. He followed that up with appearances against the Carolina Anthem in week nine and Utah Warriors in week 11.

Prior to signing with Chicago, Baker appeared for the Hounds Academy Team in fall 2024. He started all three games and parlayed that into a contract with the senior team. The signing marked a reunion with Head Coach Chris Latham, who coached Baker during the 2024 season with the Seattle Seawolves as Seattle's Attack Coach.

With the Seawolves, Baker played five games, including the 2024 MLR championship game against the New England Free Jacks. He completed eight of his ten tackle attempts after signing with the team as a late-season acquisition.

The Raleigh, North Carolina native earned High School All American honors in 2019, four years after his rugby career began with Sanderson High School. He continued his rugby and academic career at Cardiff Metropolitan University in Wales. Brandon Harvey, a Hounds offseason signing, also matriculated from North Carolina high school to suiting up for Cardiff Met.

After graduating from Cardiff Met in 2022, he moved to Australia and played with the Port Macquarie Pirates, helping them win a North Coast Rugby championship. He then returned to America in 2024, signing with the American Raptors and continuing his upward trajectory.

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Major League Rugby Stories from January 13, 2026


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