At the conclusion of Mythic Championship VII, the 2019 professional season for Magic came to an end. Through seven Mythic Championships, three MPL splits, and three Mythic Championship Qualifier Weekends, the following 24 players earned invitation to the Magic Pro League for the 2020 Partial Season. Congratulations!
Brian Braun-Duin
The 2016 World Champion has been the model of consistency throughout his professional career, so it should come as no surprise that he notched invitation back to the MPL in 2020 by steadily racking up Mythic Points throughout the season. His fearsome level of skill allowed him to become one of the top Mythic Point earners from MPL split play.
Autumn Burchett
The "first Mythic Champion" initially burst onto the scene several years ago by winning England's Nationals back-to-back before they etched their name into Magic history by winning the Mythic Championship I. From there, Burchett continued to post steady finishes to add to their Magic World Championship XXVI qualification and earn invitation back to the MPL.
Márcio Carvalho
Carvalho is not only invited back to the MPL, but he'll also be competing at Magic World Championship XXVI after a strong season that featured a Top 8 finish at Mythic Championship I in Cleveland. Paced by consistent finishes throughout 2019, Carvalho is seen as one of the best drafters in the world and found wide success against the rest of the inaugural Magic Pro League class.
Andrew Cuneo
Andrew Cuneo was one of the game's premier players at the turn of the century. After a break from professional play he returned with a vengeance over the last six years, culminating in an MPL invitation for the 2019 season. At 44 years old, he became the oldest player to ever earn a Top Finish when he did so at Mythic Championship VI in Richmond, and he'll look to continue to make history in 2020 with his invitation back to the Magic Pro League.
Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa
In the argument for the best player to ever play Magic, Damo da Rosa only added to his legend over the past season. He made the finals of Mythic Championship VI in Richmond, then weeks later added another Top 8 at Mythic Championship VII. It was the highlight of Damo da Rosa's year, and turning around one of his weaker season performances to net him invitation to the MPL in 2020 alongside Magic World Championship XXVI.
Jean-Emmanuel Depraz
Depraz will not only be invited back to the MPL, but to Magic World Championship XXVI as well after his finalist finish at Mythic Championship V. Depraz came from the middle of the pack during MPL split play, and pulled ahead with his stalwart performances at the Mythic Championships was exactly what he needed to enter 2020 quietly as one of Magic's best players.
Javier Dominguez
There's not much to say about Dominguez that hasn't already been said. The reigning World Champion, winner of Mythic Championship V, and possibly the best player in Magic put together a storybook year by ending with another Top 8 at Mythic Championship VII. He heads into 2020 with the Magic world at his fingertips, headlining Magic World Championship XXVI and an invitation to start 2020 in the Magic Pro League.
Reid Duke
Duke was inducted into the Magic Hall of Fame at Mythic Championship VI, capping the year after notching another Top Finish at Mythic Championship I. Paired with strong performance in MPL split play and consistent finishes everywhere else, Duke is riding high heading into 2020 with the invitation to return to Magic's top league.
Piotr Głogowski
Piotr Głogowski is better known as both "Kanister" and trickster of the MPL. Outside of sending emotes in matches and playing up "rivalries" on Twitter, he put in an incredible season of play by winning his MPL division in Eldraine Split and notching a perfect victory Mythic Championship VII after wining every match he played that weekend. With his invitation to return to the Magic Pro League in 2020, anyone who lets his playful persona get in the way of seeing his skill will sorely regret it.
William Jensen
William "Huey" Jensen is stalwart of professional Magic. Former Magic World Champion and Magic Hall of Fame member, Jensen continued to demonstrate his best-in-the-world skills and solid play within the MPL throughout the 2019 season, highlighted with yet another Top Finish at Mythic Championship V. The "player you never want to face at the end of the tournament" is a well-earned moniker of respect, and with his invitation to return for 2020 means he remains the end boss of the MPL.
Martin Jůza
Martin Jůza has been at the very forefront of the Standard metagame over the past year, but had a difficult time translating that into any marquee finishes. That meant he entered Mythic Championship VII on the bubble for an MPL invitation. With his back up against the wall, Jůza came up clutch rattling off the wins to come just short of the Mythic Championship VII Top 8. It was disappointing for Jůza to miss another Top Finish, but it was more than enough to earn invitation back to the MPL for 2020.
Chris Kvartek
While there are a few who could make the claim, Kvartek is very much in the conversation for the biggest story in professional Magic in 2019. He exploded onto the stage with a Top 8 appearance at Mythic Championship II in London, and followed that up with a deep run a few months later in Barcelona. He then qualified twice via MTG Arena for Mythic Championships, and capped off one of the best debut seasons in history by making the Top 8 of Mythic Championship VII in Long Beach.
Raphaël Lévy
Already a Magic Hall of Fame member, Lévy added another chapter to his storied career in 2019 by re-establishing himself as one of the very best players in the game—and he did it across both tabletop Magic and MTG Arena play. He locked up his berth as one of the Top 4 Challengers with a strong performance at his last event of the year, and his invitation to the MPL is the perfect blend of Magic's history and its future.
Seth Manfield
Manfield is regularly in the discussion for best player in the world, and it's no wonder. He was one of the most consistent players this season, posting strong finishes across Mythic Championships throughout 2019 while racking up Mythic Points from the best players in the world during MPL split play with a division win, and put an exclamation point on his season with a Top 8 appearance at Mythic Championship VII. He enters 2020 in a familiar position: At the top of the game and poised to stay there with his invitation back to the MPL.
Andrea Mengucci
Mengucci kicked 2019 off in style by winning MTG Arena's competitive debut at the Mythic Invitational before ending it with a Top 8 at both Mythic Championship V and VII. He's one of the game's most prolific players and content creators, built on a well-earned streak of success in 2020. With both Magic World Championship XXVI and an invitation back to the MPL to start off the year, we'll be seeing just how high Mengucci can rise.
Gabriel Nassif
There's no question that Nassif is one of the best to ever play the game, but even by those standards 2019 was a banner year for a competitor. As Nassif's stream blossomed into one of the best in the game and he backed that up by turning in consistent finishes at events. After a stellar performance at Mythic Championship V, his Top 16 finish at Mythic Championship VII brought Nassif and his famous yellow hat invitation to the MPL in 2020 and qualification to Magic World Championship XXVI.
Brad Nelson
Brad Nelson, the "master of Standard," demonstrated his prowess at Constructed formats in 2019, highlighted by his heartbreaking finalist finish at Mythic Championship III followed by another finals heartbreak at Mythic Championship VII. The 2010 Player of the Year Nelson has been at the top of the game for a decade now, and he'll continue to be a force with his invitation back to the MPL in 2020.
Carlos Romão
Carlos Romão has been a force in Magic for a long time. He's played in at least one premier event every year since 1999 in addition to winning the 2002 Magic World Championship. He's been posting results throughout the season, including an MPL Division win in split play, but entered the final event of the 2019 season in need of a strong finish to earn invitation back to the MPL. He delivered exactly that, making it to the Top 16 of Mythic Championship VII and representing the prowess of Brazilian Magic against the rest of the world.
Rei Sato
One of Japan's Magic stars, Rei Sato looked to level up from his previous Grand Prix success throughout the 2019 season. Winning his MPL Division during Spark Split and quietly notching solid finishes through Mythic Championships across the season, he's earned his invitation to return to the MPL in 2020 while still looking for his overdue breakthrough.
Shahar Shenhar
Few players experienced so much success so early in their careers, and it's clear Shahar Shenhar grew beyond the "little kid luck" he was known for. As the only back-to-back Magic World Champion, he entered 2019 fresh off a third Top Finish at the 2018 Magic World Championship. Battling the game's greats in the MPL, he added a Top 4 at Mythic Championship III alongside excellent performance all season. Invited back to the MPL for 2020, Shenhar's skill ensures he'll only add to his accolades and professional resume next year.
Lee Shi Tian
Lee Shi Tian has six career Top Finishes and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018, built by being one of the most versatile players over his career through making Top 8s with a variety of decks. One of the best moments of his career came earlier this year when he made the Top 8 of Mythic Championship V on MTG Arena, proving his mastery of both tabletop and digital Magic. With a division win in MPL split play to boot, Lee enters 2020 as one of the most exciting players to follow with invitation back to the MPL.
Ondřej Stráský
A little over a year ago, Stráský was ready to retire from professional Magic. But with a pair of Grand Prix Top 8 appearances in what was going to be his last month in Magic reignited his career, and Stráský has been on a tear ever since. As part of the "Czech House" team of friends and roommates, he's been on the cutting edge of Standard technology this year and demonstrated why when he won the finals of Mythic Championship VI. Now he's looking toward even bigger stakes at Magic World Championship XXVI and his invitation to the Magic Pro League.
Shota Yasooka
Yasooka is famous for largely testing alone and playing his own decks at tournaments—and then winning in those tournaments. The Magic Hall of Fame member has six Top Finishes, including two Mythic Championship wins along the way. He entered the stretch run of the season with some work to do catching up to fellow MPL players, but winning his division during Eldraine Split earned a bye into Day Two of Mythic Championship VII, earning enough Mythic Points for an invitation back to the Magic Pro League in 2020.
Ken Yukuhiro
Known for his innovative decks and quiet consistency, Yukuhiro has been one of the best players in 2019 by playing Magic his own way. While eclectic choices of cards and decks may seem out of place, his fifth Top Finish at Mythic Championship V continued to underscore his Magic skill—and clinched his invitation to return to the MPL next year.