Goalkeeper: Jay Nolly (Vancouver) Defenders: Greg Janicki (Vancouver), Aaron Pitchkolan (Rochester), Troy Roberts (Rochester) Midfielders: Ryan Pore (Portland, also league MVP), Martin Nash (Vancouver), Jamie Watson (Austin), Paul Araujo, Jr. (Miami), Daniel Paladini (Carolina) Forwards: Eddie Johnson (Austin), Ali Gerba (Montreal) Congrats to them all!
Paulo Jr. is making a strong case for himself. He's got 3 goals for RSL in the CCL so far since he went on loan from Miami.
Not one would surprise me to see in MLS within the next five years. They're all solid players. I don't see any reason to predict Araujo going up next year specifically, though he very well could; Janicki shouldn't have any trouble staying on the Whitecaps' roster for the jump, and Nash and Nolly certainly have a decent case for it. Also, as much as I'd like to bring the Montreal hate, I can't deny that Gerba's a pretty impressive player too; only way he doesn't go up with his team in 2012 is if somebody else offers him something better.
Meh, Not sure any of them will get playing time in MLS any time soon. Pore was a dismal failure in his previous four or five years in MLS. He led the old MLS Reserve Division in scoring, just like he's been at the top of the D2 charts, but he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn in regulation MLS play. Let's face it. If you're north of 23 and playing in D2, your chances of being anything more than bench fodder in MLS are pretty much zero. The only USL Sounder getting minutes in MLS is Letoux - and they left him exposed in an expansion draft. Former USL1 Defender of the Year Taylor Graham is the perfect example of great at D2, awful at MLS. I'm a fan of both leagues, but despite expansion, the level of play between the two leagues has continued to grow year after year. With 150 new MLS jobs next year (adding 2 teams plus increasing rosters to 30), I do expect any talented D2 players in the u-23 age range to get offered roster spots in MLS. I'm not sure they'll take those offers. It's a tough call between being at the end of an MLS bench playing reserve games, but hoping for your "big chance" or being on a D2 team where you can play significant minutes of league action. It's a tough choice, especially if MLS is offering more money. But, honestly, we're just as likely to see Ryan Pore playing for Carolina in D2 as his to be on the bench (if he dresses at all) for Portland in MLS. Most of the good D2 players I've seen this year have fatal flaws that just can't be covered up at the next level. There are always exceptions. Especially for the younger players. Kerry Zavagnin saved his career by dropping down from the MetroStars to Lehigh Valley - then was one of the last cut from the 2006 WC team. Brian Ching made it from D2 to the World Cup. It does happen. But it's the rare exception, that is becoming rarer. What's more and more common are players like Chris Corcianni or Lance Watson or Jay Nolly washing out of MLS. If you want to find D2 players who have a chance at the next level, age is a huge factor. The younger the better.
Just want to give a shout out to Former Battery midfielder Osvaldo Alonso, minus injuries he has been a regular on the Sounders for the last couple years. Ezra Hendrickson also played with the Battery from 2003 and 2004 and then went back to MLS playing with DC, Chivas and ending his carear at Columbus Johnny Wilson went from MLS to the Battery and then back to MLS with a respectible record. There are a few others but like you said, it isnt easy. Age playes a big part but I would also say that a players nationality plays a big part too. most MLS teams arent going to give a foreign roster spot up to a relatively unknown D2 (or D3) guy.
But he did sign a contract with Portland to be in the MLS, right? That's all I was asking, not if any of these guys were going to be MLS Best XI. Also, nice to see the RailHawks' only all-league representative not get a second of playing time in the final