Record chaser: Where Ricardo Pepi stands among top-scoring teenagers in MLS history

The goalscoring exploits of FC Dallas homegrown Ricardo Pepi have captivated MLS in 2021, as he's broken out behind 11 goals and two assists in 21 games, establishing himself as an MLS All-Star and rising young star.

But where does the 18-year-old's season-long tear leave him in the pantheon of the great teenage sensations in MLS history?

We crunched the numbers, and they suggest that Pepi's current pace could leave him as the most prolific teenage goalscorer to ever feature in MLS.

Topping the list at the moment is longtime New England Revolution standout and current Austin FC midfielder Diego Fagundez, who scored 22 times for the Revs before turning 20. Pepi, who turns 19 on January 9, still has a third of the 2021 season left to close in on that mark from his current total (13).

Even if Pepi doesn't catch Fagundez this year, he figures to be within striking distance when the 2022 campaign gets underway. But there's the potential complication of an overseas transfer, with FCD's academy highly regarded and productive. The new US men's national team forward has to stay healthy, too.

Check out the full list of the league's top teenage goalscorers below, which includes five more active MLSers in Pepi's teammate Jesus Ferreira (10), Toronto FC's Jozy Altidore (15), Colorado's Cole Bassett (11), Austin FC's Kekuta Manneh (10) and D.C. United's Andy Najar (10).