It’s time to check in on this year’s potential 22 Under 22 presented by BODYARMOR class. As has become normal, this year’s class is both broader (there are more players from more countries who are eligible than ever before) and deeper (more good young players are earning more minutes than ever before) than the classes that have come before it.
The four biggest reasons why this is the case:
- The U22 Initiative makes it smart, from a roster-construction perspective, to get young, high-level contributors into the team by virtually any means necessary.
- MLS teams have invested tons in their academies over the past 17 years, and because of both that investment and that timeline, a significant level of institutional knowhow in terms of building professional players has been accrued.
- The best of those academy kids tend to earn a global profile early by playing for MLS NEXT teams in events like the Generation adidas Cup against their academy counterparts from clubs like Real Madrid, Liverpool, River Plate et al. So even before they earn MLS minutes, they’re on the radar.
- MLS products have gone on to have significant success in Europe, which means the biggest and best European clubs see this as fertile shopping grounds, especially since it’ll often be for players they probably first saw in MLS systems back when the kids were 11 or 12 years old. They have dossiers on these kids.
Driving this virtuous cycle is MLS teams’ willingness to sell. That was basically a no-fly zone for the league’s first two decades, but the seal was eventually broken in 2018 (thanks, Miguel Almirón and Alphonso Davies!).
The pace of player development and number of outbound transfers has picked up pace since then. As per Transfermarkt’s numbers: In the final four transfer windows of the 2010s, MLS was 16th in total expenditures and 24th in total revenue from player sales. In the past eight transfer windows (including this one), MLS is eighth in total expenditures and 13th in total revenue.
So the league has come up rather quickly and become what I am willing to call a “league of choice” in terms of player development.
Ok, with that important context in place, here’s my look at this year’s 22 Under 22 crop so far. You won’t find every single eligible player, just the ones I’m thinking of for this year’s list, and a general ballpark of where I could see them landing on it.
For this year's list, eligible players must remain 21 or younger before the end of the 2024 MLS regular season, which is Decision Day on October 19.
Brighton are reportedly finalizing an $18 million deal to acquire the midfielder/winger. That versatility – Gómez can play as an 8, on either wing, or even as a pressing 10 in the right system – is one of the reasons he is valued so highly.
The other is Gómez is a role player who doesn’t need the ball to impact the game at a high level. He’s just really, really advanced at understanding which gaps to fill, and does so both quickly and selflessly.
Current ballot range: 1-2
Luna’s been one of the best playmakers in the league this year, pinching in from the left wing in Pablo Mastroeni’s 4-2-3-1. We’ve also seen him as a true No. 10 and as a false 9 with the US U-20s.
His defense has come so, so far, as has his off-ball work in general. And he’s proved to be a big-game player for club and country (COULDA USED THAT AT THE OLYMPICS!!!).
The step he needs to take in order to become truly elite, and to command an eight-figure bid of his own, is to more reliably beat opposing defenders off the dribble. Unlike Gómez he’s not really a role player: he’s a centerpiece. And if he’s going to be that true No. 10 who everything runs through, then he’s got to have that shiftiness and ability to beat the first man, which then compromises the next layer of the defense.
If he adds that, then we’re talking bids from the Brightons of the world. Or if he wants to stay in MLS, then we’re talking about a native-born Lucho Acosta or Carles Gil-type.
Current ballot range: 1-2
These are guys who have solidified their standing as pros – i.e., we know what their respective floors are, and they’re pretty damn high. The next steps in their careers are about finding new ways to raise their ceilings.
I kind of expected him to top this list, but injuries have slowed his integration for one, and for two, he’s looked more at home as a No. 8 than as a guy who runs the midfield as a No. 6.
Still, he’s been very good-to-excellent, and is a lock-in starter (when healthy) for the team leading the Supporters’ Shield race. A big Euro move (daddy’s a Real Madrid legend and my favorite d-mid ever) will probably come at the end of next year.
Current ballot range: 3-5
Gutiérrez has bounced between No. 10 and the wing for the Fire this year. And while he hasn’t been great at either, he’s been good at both while starting to become more consistent in registering boxscore contributions.
Long term I think he projects best as a secondary creator, and hope he can add some of Gómez's off-ball relentlessness, especially in the counterpress.
Current ballot range: 3-5
It’s been a long way back for Obed, who played such a crucial role in Seattle’s CCL title as a 16-year-old, but then spent most of the next two years recovering from a fracture in his back.
I’m thinking he’s himself again:
He’s a full-time starter who makes a two-way impact virtually every game. I still want to see him be a little better receiving the ball in traffic, and a little nastier about winning it in those same scrums, but I’m picking nits here.
Current ballot range: 3-5
At times, it’s felt like Tata Martino was just going to force feed Avilés minutes until the kid either grew into the role or choked to death.
He has finally, in the past two months, started to show both more toughness and more sophistication. He has grown into the role.
I don’t think there are a ton of 20-year-old CBs who’d have done better in this situation over the past year.
Current ballot range: 6-13
His post-shot xG numbers have taken a step backward from last season, though it’s well understood that psxG is a noisy stat from year to year.
Brady still passes the eye test and his command of the box has grown significantly over the past 18 months: he no longer gets lost on crosses, and he’s coming further off his line to make good pitch control-related decisions.
Could he have been better so far this year? Yes, of course. But he’s very clearly a starting-caliber goalkeeper at age 20 despite playing behind one of the most disorganized backlines in the league. He’s done well.
Current ballot range: 6-13
McGlynn’s strong suit has always been his vision and that brilliant left foot:
Notice the way he shapes his body so the direction of the pass is disguised? He’s one of those rare talents who can move opposing defenses – not individual defenders, but entire defenses – before he even touches the ball.
His ceiling is determined entirely by how much he can improve physically. In door No. 1 he’s Haris Medunjanin; in door No. 2 he’s Sacha Kljestan; in door No. 3, could he be Granit Xhaka?
It feels like anything within that range is on the table.
Current ballot range: 6-13
The 19-year-old Slovenian has very quietly matured into one of the league’s best all-around right backs, though nobody has really noticed since he doesn’t log any boxscore stats.
Still, he passes the eye test on both sides of the ball, largely playing mistake-free defense and showing comfort both in possession and when NYCFC play more as a counterattacking side.
Current ballot range: 6-13
Neal has mostly been a starter since returning to full fitness after an abdominal injury, and has mostly been very good in his minutes for one of the Western Conference’s best teams.
As is the case for most young center backs, he’s got to get stronger. And he probably needs to get meaner, too. If he does, we’re talking about a full USMNT starter and a guy who’ll command an eight-figure transfer fee.
Current ballot range: 6-13
2024’s been a nightmare of injuries for the 19-year-old, who was one of last year’s breakout stars. He’s managed just 540 minutes this season and hasn’t looked 100% for virtually any of them.
That’ll knock him down this year’s standings a bit. Long-term, I think he’s got more potential than anybody in this group save for Redondo.
Current ballot range: 6-13
Another of last year’s stars who’ve taken a step backwards due to injury, Cremaschi didn’t really look himself until about early June. And then, a few weeks later, he was off to the Olympics with the US.
So it’s been a stop-start affair, and one that’ll likely see him getting just spot minutes for the rest of the year given the surfeit of talent the Herons have in front of him.
Which is fine since, with Gómez leaving, there is a clear path to playing time for Benja (who has just about the exact same strengths and weaknesses as the Paraguayan) in 2025.
Current ballot range: 6-13
Edelman is never going to control a game – or even a single passing sequence – with the ball. But he’s both relentless and fearless defensively, and he is lightning-fast at reading changes in the phase of play.
Two separate coaches have found him indispensable for a very good Red Bull side. And it’s particularly impressive this year, given that Sandro Schwarz has changed the game model a good bit.
Current ballot range: 6-13
These are the players who are still somewhat in limbo. We know they’ve all got potential, but there’s not enough of a body of work (yet) to be completely confident in what their floor is as pros.
They’re starting to show some of that, though. And for some of these guys, their ceilings are incredibly high.
McFarlane won a starting job with England’s U-17 national team, and now it looks like he’s done the same for the Pigeons.
He’ll most likely be gone in January, as NYCFC have reportedly agreed to a deal with their parent club in Manchester. But my hope is he’ll get loaned back for another year in the Bronx (and Queens) as the starting left back for a team with title aspirations.
Current ballot range: 14-18
Most of Wolff's minutes in central midfield last season were good or promising or both. But also, he was clearly not the right fit next to Dani Pereira, who needed more of a bodyguard to partner him.
So Wolff has found himself playing further forward in more of an attacking role this season, which has suited him.
In the long run I think he’s an all-action No. 8. An Ale Bedoya type who never stops working for the team.
Current ballot range: 14-18
A ball-progression monster who’s figured out the defensive side of the game and, quite honestly, should be starting:
If this kid stays healthy, the Sounders will almost certainly be fielding major offers for him by next summer at the latest, especially considering how two-footed he is.
Current ballot range: 14-18
Saliba’s a better fit for Laurent Courtois than he was under Hernán Losada, as his ability to progress the ball through midfield (rather than skipping it entirely) gives Montréal a dose of dynamism in turning possession into attack.
He needs to add some amount of end product. But he’s got the look of a high-level MLS starter at the least.
Current ballot range: 14-unranked
The elder Sullivan brother has done everything asked of him this year by head coach Jim Curtin, playing as a second forward, a shuttler, or even as a wingback. His engine is relentless and he’s now flashing enough skill to turn all that work into boxscore stats.
I still don’t see a star upside – he’s not good enough 1v1 to be a star winger, and he’s not enough of an instinctual goalscorer to be a star forward, and he’s not enough of a visionary playmaker to be a No. 10 – but he’ll add value at virtually any spot.
Current ballot range: 14-unranked
Wiki hasn’t become the attacking threat he was billed as when he arrived in Harrison, but Schwarz has molded him into a very reliable two-way midfielder, playing either out wide or more central.
He’s becoming a winning player. That’s a really good outcome, even if it doesn’t capture headlines.
Current ballot range: 14-unranked
Aude's an every-game starter as a classic, overlapping left back for one of the best attacks in the league. And while his underlying numbers aren’t outrageous, they are still very good, and he’s showed solid defensive growth as well.
Plays too upright, so he’s not a great 1v1 defender. If the Galaxy can fix that, he could be a top-five fullback in MLS.
Current ballot range: 14-unranked
Tsakiris has been caught up in the maelstrom of this year of misery for the Quakes, so it was tough to spot any concrete progress.
Then he headed off to the Concacaf U-20 Championship, wore the No. 10 and did this:
I feel about Tsakiris almost the exact way I feel about McGlynn, and they have roughly the same strengths and weaknesses as players.
Current ballot range: 14-unranked
Álvarez is learning some harsh lessons on a weekly basis, but the Colombian-Mexican-American tri-national gets stuck in and has shown some good progression in his understanding of the game.
Can’t ask for much more than that from a 20-year-old center back.
Current ballot range: 14-unranked
Dado has taken advantage of his minutes this year, showing he can play as a false 9, a second forward or even as a true midfielder for Pat Noonan. He’s not putting up big numbers – I don’t think he’ll ever be that kind of attacker – but he’s generally in the right spots, always works hard against the ball and is willing to do the running the team asks of him.
Current ballot range: 14-unranked
These guys have talent. But we need to see more of it from them – meaning either more minutes (that’s the issue for most of the guys on this list) or more ability to translate that talent into productivity.
I have no idea why Fernández doesn’t play more – he’s looked awesome to me virtually every time I’ve seen him (and the underlying numbers agree). But Nick Cushing clearly wants to slow-play the winger’s integration into a larger role.
Current ballot range: 19-unranked
We’ve seen a bit more of Ojeda than Fernández this year and I think I like him a little less – Ojeda’s got a better nose for goal, but isn’t as good of a playmaker or 1v1 threat.
Still, he's a super high-level talent. Most MLS teams would kill to have either of these guys, let alone both.
Current ballot range: 19-unranked
The good news: Kelsy’s got five goals in under 900 minutes since arriving at the end of the winter window, which is a very good goals/90.
The bad news: He’s massively overperforming his underlying numbers and Cincy have generally been better when Yuya Kubo’s started at center forward.
I still think Kelsy is going to be a very good No. 9 in this league. It wouldn’t shock me if he topped this list next season. He just hasn’t quite adjusted yet, despite some early bangers.
Current ballot range: 19-unranked
So far, the 18-year-old has 2g/2a across all competitions in under 300 minutes.
Martínez was considered one of the top young talents in South America, and a rising Venezuelan star, for a reason. Next year might be too soon for a breakout – especially if he’s behind both Antoine Griezmann and Cristian Olivera – but sooner or later it feels like he’ll top this list.
Current ballot range: 19-unranked
The 16-year-old Miller has earned a string of starts and has looked good enough in them that the Revs traded long-time left back DeJuan Jones.
Miller will probably split time with Will Sands from here on out in 2024, but his two-way play – highlighting his elite recovery speed – has been really, really promising.
Current ballot range: 19-unranked
Ruiz has a lot of skill on the ball and a great engine, as well a propensity for creating absolute madness – to both the good and the bad. He’s chaotic neutral out there.
Long-term, I love his potential as a modern right back who can both overlap and pinch in to add midfield numbers. I hope that’s where Tata starts using him more often.
Current ballot range: 19-unranked
Beavers hasn’t been quite as good in terms of raw shot-stopping as Brady was last year, but he’s very advanced in how well (and how aggressively) he controls his box for a 19-year-old. Kid’s got courage, good reflexes and a good frame.
Current ballot range: 19-unranked
Esmir’s got a ton of skill, but has not had much success turning that skill into productivity either at the youth level or with the first team. Right now he’s in just the sixth percentile among wingers in non-penalty xG, and just the 16th in xA.
I am glad he’s getting minutes. I am moderately concerned at what those minutes have shown so far.
Current ballot range: 19-unranked
Did we see the 17-year-old win a starting job over the past month? I hope so, as 1) none of the other guys in the mix for D.C. have shown they should be in there ahead of him, and 2) I think Akinmboni’s got the highest upside of any US center back prospect.
He could charge up these standings in a hurry if he starts going 90 every time out.
Current ballot range: 19-unranked
Cobb’s been forced into action at the first-team level before he was really ready for it. And it’s a credit to his mentality that it hasn’t broken him.
Once he grows into his body I’ll be surprised if he’s not a very good center back in this league.
Current ballot range: 19-unranked
Oh man, the Red Bulls really might’ve found something here. Donkor can get himself lost at times, but he just chews up ground and looks miserable to play against. I can’t wait to see how he develops.
Current ballot range: 19-unranked
Based upon what he did last year and what he did this year in the Canadian Championship when given a chance, I’d hoped we would’ve seen more of Kerr in 2024.
I think he can grow into a starting No. 9 in this league. He knows where the goal is.
Current ballot range: 19-unranked
Neither of these guys are going to make my final list – we’ve seen too many high-level prospects flame out for me to put kids who aren’t playing minutes into the mix.
But literally every club in the world is keeping an eye on these two.
The 16-year-old winger was arguably the best player at the Concacaf U-20 Championships despite playing up an age group (really a group-and-a-half; Berchimas is a 2008, while most of the kids he was squaring off against were 2005s).
And he’s a true winger, able to eliminate individual defenders 1v1 and then lay in the final ball or go direct at goal. He’s shown all of the above with some consistency for both the US youth teams and at the MLS NEXT Pro level.
I’ll be surprised (read: colossally disappointed) if he doesn’t get 1,000+ all-competition minutes for Charlotte's first team next year.
Cavan became the youngest-ever MLS player earlier this year when he logged six minutes for the Union. For Union II in MLS NEXT Pro, he’s already an above-average No. 10 with 2g/3a in about 720 minutes.
Right now, the thing to watch is his game-breaking vision combined with his “coach’s son” IQ.
Long term, it’s just a question of what kind of athlete he becomes. If he hits older brother Quinn’s level in terms of his physical measurables, then that reported deal Manchester City made with the Union earlier this year will look like a steal for the EPL giants.
