Breakout Youth Player in MLS / USL 2025

Cavan comes on before the game is decided

Sullivan for Sullivan 🤝

15-year-old Cavan Sullivan subs on for brother Quinn. pic.twitter.com/7P2U3Y13KS

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 6, 2025

This was Cavan Sullivan’s first MLS appearance in a game that wasn’t already decided, which I’d consider notable. Also a cool moment getting subbed on for Quinn. https://t.co/2GYLDklok1

— American Ultras Talk (@usmntaut) April 6, 2025

Ngoma goal

Serge Ngoma slots it home to find the equalizer for @NewYorkRedBulls! pic.twitter.com/JGzqa5ZL54

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 6, 2025

With his goal in tonight’s 2-1 win, the @NewYorkRedBulls Serge Ngoma became the sixth teenager in @MLS history to score at least four goals within his first 400 regular season minutes. pic.twitter.com/vEXdJLQvCf

— MLS Communications (@MLS_PR) April 6, 2025

no RBW

Alex Roldan off early injured from RB and they go with this 22 yr old over Baker-Whiting right there in the bench😪
@USMNTReport https://t.co/R69mAOBmJC

— 𝙹. 𝙹.◇ (@USNTconnoisseur) April 6, 2025

 

Peyton Miller

Peyton Miller against FC Cincinnati #USMNT #NERevs pic.twitter.com/dqO92OOavZ

— up the Eustace🇺🇲 (@dcfcnetti) April 6, 2025

 

U20 captain Nolan Norris with his second straight start for Dallas in their 1-1 draw at Atlanta.
[Unfortunately, the team's performance with Musa has kicked Farrington to the bench.] He's been starting at LB due to an injury to Farfan. Its unclear what his position will be in the long run. Good that he's getting into games this year, though.

Our XI.

Tune in with #MLSSeasonPass on @AppleTV: https://t.co/70P3b5txh0 pic.twitter.com/2NsxJKHi40

— FC Dallas (@FCDallas) April 5, 2025

 

Debut last night for 18-year old Colin Guske of Orlando. He's a central midfielder that's been in U19 and U18 camps.

Another @Publix sub, and it's an @MLS debut for @ColinGuske 👏 pic.twitter.com/KvHY9mwzy1

— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) April 6, 2025

 

There are FCD youth watchers who believe Sam Sedeh may be the best prospect they've had since Ricardo Pepi. Sam is a Brazilian dual-national that was previously with Borussia Dortmund's academy in Dallas. He joined last year with the U16s, was quickly moved to the U18, and started training with the FCD first team in preseason. Even went on their preseason trip to Portugal. [FCD has had a lull for a variety of reasons. Youth watchers love their current 09 and 10 group.] This is one of those hybrid deals that FCD uses. North Texas with a promotion to the first team built in.

For the US, he's most recently been with the U16s along with really highly regarded left back Liam Vejrostek.

North Texas SC Signs FC Dallas Academy Product Samuel Sedeh | North Texas SC

 

https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/young-players-who-stepped-up-on-matchday-8-2025

Gerardo Valenzuela
Darren Yapi
Chris Brady
Tate Johnson

 

Kristian Fletcher back with DC United

We’ve recalled Kristian Fletcher from his loan with Nottingham Forest FC.

📰 https://t.co/P9HxCKWy36 pic.twitter.com/BARgJVkd6I

— D.C. United (@dcunited) April 22, 2025

 

Good loan but now they must follow up with real playing time. Stroud may be a little more responsible today but Fletcher has a much higher ceiling they need to see to it he gets a chance to reach it.

 

If we need to stop Messi at the next World Cup...

Stories like Tate Johnson's are one of the reasons I love MLS. Son of a former MLSer. Bounced between USL League Two and MLS Next Pro. GA signing. Becomes starter as a 19 yo rookie ... for the Shield leading team in MLS and now playing reall well on the side Messi likes to roam.

— Andrew Wiebe (@andrew_wiebe) April 25, 2025

 

I love the story of Tate Johnson.
He was a first round draft pick after all. Not totally coming out of nowhere.

[He trained some at Indiana Fire as a kid, which is an academy I haven't thought about in years. I think they've been absorbed into Indy Eleven's academy. Right?]

There are a few other first rounders getting into games. I've seen some articles about SKC centerback Jansen Miller. I haven't watched a minute, but he's getting good reviews from some.

 

Westfield assist

Nice goal from Philadelphia

Frankie Westfield with the assist. What a start to his debut season with the first team. Right now? I think he starts at right back for the U.S U-20 World Cup team this fall pic.twitter.com/YSBNdc8eIa

— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) April 26, 2025

Cupps debut

Christopher Cupps made his MLS debut last night, playing 15 minutes in the Chicago Fire's 7-2 loss in Nashville.

The 16-year-old has an opportunity to emerge as a first team regular, and given the Fire's defensive woes, it could be sooner than you think.#cf97 #vamosfire #usmnt pic.twitter.com/FtEuIXFdch

— Alex Calabrese (@amcalabrese12) April 27, 2025

 

Sebastian Berhalter scored a nice goal last weekend for the Vancouver Whitecaps:

BERHALTER BREAKS THE DEADLOCK!

And a first #VWFC assist for Bovalina 👏

📺 https://t.co/AMgenzYPcn #MINvVAN pic.twitter.com/aGi7YcJdc4

— Vancouver Whitecaps FC (@WhitecapsFC) April 27, 2025

He's become a regular starter this season at CM for the caps. How do we feel about his game?

I love Matt Doyle though he can be a rose-colored glasses MLS hype machine, but he recently called Berhalter one of the best #8s in MLS so far this season.

 

It seems that Doyle is right on this one.
Berhalter is now in his 6th year in the league. Hard to believe.

Unfortunately, he's one who lost his U20 cycle due to a COVID. 01 Birthday.
It was a strong group, but he was listed in most previews of that cycle. It's not like he hasn't been known. Just a slower burn. Lots of central midfielders in that 01-03 birth year group. Morris, Tessmann, Busio, Johnny, and those guys. The most colossal disappointment of the group was Owen Otasowie. Of course, Owen then founded Carsicko. So he's doing just fine for himself.

2021 U.S. U20 MNT Player Pool | Club Soccer | Youth Soccer

 

MLS tweeting out Alex Freeman videos

20-year-old Alex Freeman's rise is a story of heart and hustle. 💪 pic.twitter.com/rcjkWaRoIm

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 30, 2025

 

MLS All Star numbers?

Goals: 3 (most among defenders)
Challenges: 57 (most among defenders)
Fouls against: 13 (8th among defenders)
Shots: 11 (4th among defenders)
Aerial challenges won: 22 (10th among defenders)​

Don't sleep on Freeman 🌙

Goals: 3 (most among defenders)
Challenges: 57 (most among defenders)
Fouls against: 13 (8th among defenders)
Shots: 11 (4th among defenders)
Aerial challenges won: 22 (10th among defenders) pic.twitter.com/ZRZbLDraoD

— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) April 30, 2025

 

Could Alex Freeman be MLS young player of the year?

Sure.

Its early. If I had to handicap it right now, though, I'd say it'll be Quinn Sullivan.
He's currently tied for the league lead in assists. Not just among young Americans. He's tied for the lead league in assists amongst everyone.

Defenders used to win Rookie of the Year all the time. [Bocanegra, Parkhurst, Omar Gonzalez, etc.] Now that its been switched to Young Player of the Year, a defender hasn't won it. Now it's been the Luna, Pepi, Ferreira types for the most part.

[Eligible players have to be 22 years or younger at the time of voting, regardless of professional experience.]

 

Brooklyn Raines. Probably a little undervalued on these boards compared to other U20s.

Over at @SoccerAmerica, I tell the story of Houston Dynamo and U.S. U-20 midfielder Brooklyn Raines
- from a challenging time at birth in Liberia
- to a strong family in Chicago
- taking root in Houston
- and the U-20 World Cup on the horizonhttps://t.co/13KRin8ur3

— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) May 1, 2025

 

Luna, Freeman, McGlynn, Sullivan, Wolff, Westfield

 

It feels like this year there are A LOT of young Americans that are emerging in MLS. Very fun year

 

Let's see how many homegrowns DC United is producing a decade from now...

"DC United academy families have been informed that the schooling that they provide to the families will not be free anymore and in fact will cost several thousands of dollars a year, potentially up to 10K"

Some academy news and it's not good...

DC United academy families have been informed that the schooling that they provide to the families will not be free anymore and in fact will cost several thousands of dollars a year, potentially up to 10K, but I may not be 100% right on the…

— Marcus Chairez | US/SC (@USSoccerColl) May 2, 2025

 

From free to $10K

 

Fire starting six academy grads most notably Cupps who becomes the youngest ever

SIX academy graduates are in the Chicago Fire starting eleven today.

It's the most academy players to start a game in club history.#cf97 #vamosfire pic.twitter.com/rKk4D9LzmM

— Alex Calabrese (@amcalabrese12) May 3, 2025

By starting tonight’s match, Christopher Cupps became the youngest player in @ChicagoFire history to start an @MLS regular season game at 16 years and 342 days old. pic.twitter.com/8gGGVGtZ0K

— MLS Communications (@MLS_PR) May 4, 2025

Peyton Miller

Peyton Miller ('07) in New England's away win at Toronto:

◉ 7.7 FotMob rating ✅
◉ 4 chances created 💥
◉ 2/3 (67%) successful dribbles ⚡️
◉ 2/3 (67%) accurate long balls 🎯
◉ 6 recoveries ⚔️
◉ 2/3 (67%) aerial duels won 🦾#usmnt pic.twitter.com/J1RkJk0XWI

— USMNT Report 🇺🇸🇹🇷 (@USMNTReport) May 4, 2025

 

That was quite a result for Chicago.

Going down a man after Brady got red-carded in the 35th minute, and holding on with a young group for a 0-0 draw.

I bet we could look at the ages of CBs in leagues of MLS' caliber, and not many 16 year old CBs start matches.

In case people didn't see it in the youth forum, another homegrown prospect for the Union. [Also a reminder that Bosnia & Herzegovina isn't part of the EU. Moves to Europe aren't as trivial at 16 as they are for a kid with a German passport, etc.]

Sources: Philadelphia Union sign highly rated USYNT forward Malik Jakupovic to homegrown deal. @JoserNunez91 1st.

Jakupovic, 15, starts w/ 2nd team before deal turns 1st team.

Eintracht Frankfurt made push to sign, per sources. Monaco & others interested, but he stays in Philly pic.twitter.com/sVRy3esx30

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) May 3, 2025

 

I went to see the Pittsburgh Riverhounds play NYCFC in the Open Cup last night. Shore started and played 90 for NYCFC. I thought he was solid but didn't really stand out too much. NYCFC had the better of the play but wasn't dominant and that included the central midfield area, where Shore was. I was hoping to get a look at Carrizo, but he didn't get off the bench.

 

Max Carrizo

🚨 | NYCFC's Twitter account won't post their subs for some reason, but Máximo Carrizo ('08) subbed on in the 65th minute to make his 2nd first team appearance.#usmnt https://t.co/AoMFtrpUkW

— USMNT Report 🇺🇸🇹🇷 (@USMNTReport) May 15, 2025

Justin Ellis debut

🚨 | Justin Ellis ('07) subs on for his Orlando City first team debut! https://t.co/2di7wCvzUh

— USMNT Report 🇺🇸🇹🇷 (@USMNTReport) May 15, 2025