MLS has always sold itself as a development league. The academy system, the U-22 Initiative, the Homegrown Player rule — all of it is designed to produce young talent. But which young players are actually producing on the pitch?
This ranking identifies the best MLS players aged 23 or under (born 2002 or later) from the 2025 season using American Soccer Analysis's Goals Added (g+) model. Goals Added captures every on-ball action and quantifies its impact on goal difference relative to positional averages. It does not care about hype, draft position, or transfer fee. It measures what a player actually does on the field.
The results reveal a generation of young players who are not just promising. They are already among the best at their positions in the league.
The Top 20 Young Players in MLS
1. Alex Freeman (Orlando City, FB, born 2004) — g+ 9.52
Freeman was not just the best young player in MLS. He was the best fullback in the entire league, regardless of age. At 20 years old, his +9.52 Goals Added outpaced veteran internationals with decades of combined experience. His receiving g+ of +2.99 showed movement intelligence that most players develop in their late 20s. Freeman is the prototype of what MLS academies are trying to produce.
2. Brian Gutiérrez (Chicago Fire, CM, born 2003) — g+ 8.99
Gutiérrez was the highest-rated central midfielder in MLS at 21 years old. His +2.74 passing g+ and +2.06 interrupting g+ showed a player who could control games in both directions. Chicago's academy has produced several notable players, but Gutiérrez may be the best yet. He is the kind of young midfielder that European clubs will inevitably come calling for.
3. Bruno Damiani (Philadelphia Union, ST, born 2002) — g+ 8.70
Damiani ranked 13th among all MLS strikers in Goals Added, ahead of veterans like Luis Suárez and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting. At 23, his +6.24 receiving g+ showed elite movement in the box, and his +1.96 shooting g+ proved he could finish the chances he created through positioning. Philadelphia's system has always valued young strikers, and Damiani rewarded that trust.
4. Noah Eile (New York Red Bulls, CB, born 2002) — g+ 8.39
Eile was the third-best center back in MLS, and at 23 he has years of development ahead of him. His +4.37 interrupting g+ was driven by an ability to read passing lanes and step into interceptions at a rate that belied his age. The Red Bulls have a long history of developing young talent, and Eile is the latest in that tradition.
5. Jack McGlynn (Houston Dynamo, W, born 2003) — g+ 7.25
McGlynn's profile was unique among young players. His +3.64 passing g+ was the highest of any winger in MLS, showing a creative wide player rather than a traditional dribbler. At 22, his vision and technical passing ability set him apart from the direct running style of most MLS wingers.
6. Theo Corbeanu (Toronto FC, W, born 2002) — g+ 6.84
The Canadian international's +3.25 dribbling g+ was the second-highest among all wingers in the league. Corbeanu was a direct, physical runner who could beat defenders off the dribble and create chances through individual quality. His development is critical for both Toronto and the Canadian national team.
7. Dante Sealy (CF Montréal, W, born 2003) — g+ 6.44
Sealy's +2.39 receiving g+ and +1.52 shooting g+ showed a winger capable of getting into dangerous areas and finishing. His move to Montréal was a step up in responsibility, and the data says he handled it well.
8. Owen Wolff (Austin FC, W, born 2004) — g+ 6.10
At just 20, Wolff logged 2,825 minutes — the most of any player on this list. His durability at such a young age, combined with a positive g+ across multiple action types, suggests a player with an extremely high ceiling. Volume and quality rarely coexist in players this young.
9. Quinn Sullivan (Philadelphia Union, W, born 2004) — g+ 6.04
Another product of Philadelphia's academy pipeline. Sullivan's +6.04 g+ in 2,155 minutes at age 20 places him among the most productive wingers in MLS, not just among young players. The Union's ability to develop two players on this list (Sullivan and Damiani) speaks to the quality of their youth system.
10. David Ayala (Portland Timbers, DM, born 2002) — g+ 5.89
Ayala posted the highest interrupting g+ among all MLS midfielders at +3.77. He was a defensive specialist who won the ball more effectively than any other midfielder in the league, regardless of age. The fact that he is only 23 means Portland has a defensive anchor for years to come.
11-20: The Next Wave
| Rank | Player | Team | Position | Born | Minutes | g+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Diego Luna | Real Salt Lake | AM | 2003 | 2,477 | +5.80 |
| 12 | Gabriel Pirani | D.C. United | AM | 2002 | 2,082 | +5.67 |
| 13 | Jansen Miller | Sporting KC | CB | 2002 | 2,614 | +5.46 |
| 14 | Idan Toklomati | Charlotte FC | ST | 2004 | 2,041 | +5.33 |
| 15 | Jayden Nelson | Vancouver | W | 2002 | 1,452 | +5.32 |
| 16 | Finn Surman | Portland | CB | 2003 | 3,038 | +5.20 |
| 17 | Kerwin Vargas | Charlotte FC | W | 2002 | 1,949 | +5.17 |
| 18 | Julián Fernández | NYCFC | W | 2004 | 1,598 | +5.00 |
| 19 | Jovan Lukić | Philadelphia | CM | 2002 | 2,934 | +4.75 |
| 20 | Beau Leroux | San Jose | CM | 2003 | 2,322 | +4.67 |
What the Data Reveals
Youth development is working. 20 players aged 23 or under posted Goals Added above +4.67 in a full MLS season. Five of them appear in the top 10 of their respective position rankings league-wide (Freeman, Gutiérrez, Eile, McGlynn, Ayala). These are not prospects. They are already among the best players in MLS.
Wide players dominate. 10 of the 20 players are wingers or fullbacks. The modern MLS academy prioritizes speed, dribbling, and 1v1 ability in wide areas, and the data reflects that developmental emphasis.
Philadelphia's pipeline is the deepest. Three Union players appear (Damiani, Sullivan, Lukić). Philadelphia's investment in academy development is producing rotation-quality or better players across multiple positions.
Charlotte and Portland also place multiple players. Charlotte (Toklomati, Vargas) and Portland (Ayala, Surman) each placed two players, showing depth in their youth development.
2004-born players are already competing. Freeman, Wolff, Sullivan, Toklomati, and Fernández were all born in 2004, meaning they were 20 or younger during the 2025 season. The timeline for academy-to-first-team development is compressing.
The Academy Connection
Many of these players came through MLS academy systems. The pathway is increasingly clear: elite academy training, minutes in MLS NEXT Pro, Homegrown Player contract, first-team role, and for the best, eventual transfer to Europe.
The U-22 Initiative has accelerated this by allowing clubs to sign up to three players under 22 at salaries above the senior minimum without those salaries counting fully against the salary cap. This mechanism makes it financially viable for clubs to invest in young talent who might otherwise be priced out by the budget constraints of MLS roster rules.
For age records, see the youngest MLS players ever.
See also: MLS Academy Rankings | Best Defenders in MLS | Best Midfielders in MLS | Best Forwards in MLS