Major League Soccer is fast becoming one of the greatest talent factories in world football.
Over the last five years alone, the likes of Ricardo Pepi, Caleb Wiley and Brendan Aaronson have all come through the ranks in MLS before sealing big moves to Europe. And that’s without mentioning players who have used the league as a transition step, such as Jhon Duran, Thiago Almada and Miguel Almiron.
- Read more: The 10 best players in MLS right now
But the production of quality players hasn’t stopped there, and right now, MLS is home to another crop of supremely talented youngsters
Here’s our ranking of the top 10 under-23 players in MLS right now, along with a host of honourable mentions from this talent-packed league.
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10. Cavan Sullivan
- Club: Philadelphia Union
- Age: 15
- Position: Attacking midfield
While Hall almost beat Adu’s record, Cavan Sullivan did beat it when he debuted for the Philadelphia Union in July 2024 at just 14 years and 293 days old.
Sullivan has only really been a sporadic figure for the senior team so far, which is understandable given his age. However, he’s been a key contributor in MLS NEXT Pro, and this season alone has five goals and two assists in 10 games at that level.
The US youth international signed the most expensive homegrown deal in MLS history back in May 2024, and within that deal is a clause allowing him to move to Manchester City at the age of 18.
9. Reed Baker-Whiting
- Club: Seattle Sounders
- Age: 20
- Position: Left-back
Reed Baker-Whiting certainly isn’t the finished article, but with 76 senior appearances under his belt for the Seattle Sounders, he definitely carries a lot of experience at such a young age.
The 20-year-old’s greatest achievement so far was the demolition job he did on Lionel Messi in Seattle’s 3-0 Leagues Cup final win over Inter Miami. Baker-Whiting was a standout performer with five tackles, four clearances, four recoveries and seven of nine ground duels won, while he was only dribbled past once.
That performance, against such illustrious opposition, is about as good a platform as any for the left-back to push his career to even greater heights.
8. Luca Bombino
- Club: San Diego FC
- Age: 19
- Position: Left-back
San Diego FC as a whole have been incredible to watch, logging what looks set to be the best expansion year in MLS history. But there are a few individual narratives that have been very compelling.
One is that of Luca Bombino. The teenage left-back joined the newbies from LAFC on loan at the start of the season despite never previously playing a senior minute in MLS. But that hasn’t stopped him from becoming a high-impact player on one of the best teams in the league.
Bombino has made the San Diego left-back spot his own, making more tackles (57) than any of his teammates and also registering a goal and two assists at the other end. It’s little wonder he’s establishing himself as a USYNT regular.
7. Andrew Rick
- Club: Philadelphia Union
- Age: 19
- Position: Goalkeeper
Goalkeeper is one of the hardest positions in which young players can make a breakthrough, and that job is especially difficult when you’re competing with a three-time MLS Goalkeeper of the Year winner.
But Andrew Rick has been afforded plenty of opportunities over the last couple of years, thanks to a spate of injuries suffered by Andre Blake, who has also had national team duties with Jamaica to deal with.
Rick has played 13 MLS games so far in 2025, keeping an impressive six clean sheets while making 18 saves. The teenager has more than played his part on the best defensive team in the league, and the Union look to have the heir to Blake secured when the 34-year-old finally starts to wind down.
6. Owen Wolff
- Club: Austin FC
- Age: 20
- Position: Central midfield
Owen Wolff may not have had the big transfer interest that other MLS talents have had so far, but it surely can’t be long until that changes.
The 20-year-old has been a superb presence in the Austin FC midfield this season, becoming a regular inclusion in Major League Soccer’s Team of the Week columns.
Wolff is improving rapidly and has registered at least one goal involvement in seven of his last 10 MLS appearances (5g/2a), taking him to five goals and five assists on the season. That’s on top of team-highs for chances created (52), passes into the penalty area (40), carries into the final third (49), recoveries (115) and passes blocked (31) this season.
5. Jack McGlynn
- Club: Houston Dynamo
- Age: 22
- Position: Central midfield
Where most American youngsters seek a move to Europe, Jack McGlynn made an unconventional move within MLS ahead of the 2025 season, switching the Philadelphia Union for the Houston Dynamo.
It’s paid off for the 22-year-old, who has five goals and five assists to his name in 23 MLS appearances this season, while he’s created 72 chances so far — at least 29 more than any other Dynamo player.
McGlynn is a superb all-round midfielder with a penchant for a defence-splitting pass, and he’s another who will be simultaneously eyeing a move to Europe and a place on Mauricio Pochettino’s World Cup roster next summer.
4. Obed Vargas
- Club: Seattle Sounders
- Age: 20
- Position: Central midfield
Seattle are not short of young talents right now, and Obed Vargas is chief among them.
The Alaska-born midfielder has all the tools to make him a future star, from elite passing to a robustness that belies his years.
Like Baker-Whiting, Vargas recently showed zero respect for the all-star team Inter Miami brought to Lumen Field for the Leagues Cup final, and even got involved in a scrap with Luis Suarez at the end of the game.
Vargas is already heavily linked to Europe — such a move would clear the path for another talented Sounders midfielder to make good on his potential in Danny Leyva — and he looks ready.
3. Idan Toklomati
- Club: Charlotte FC
- Age: 21
- Position: Striker
Patrick Agyemang’s emergence previously held Idan Toklomati somewhat, but the US international is now at Derby County. The result has been Toklomati exploding into life.
The Israel international has nine goals and four assists to his name in 28 appearances across all competitions this season, with 10 of those direct goal involvements (8g/2a) coming since June 25.
Charlotte FC are on an eight-game MLS winning streak and need just one more victory to tie the league record, and Toklomati has played a huge role in that run of form that’s seen the Crown rise to third in the East.
2. Brian Gutierrez
- Club: Chicago Fire
- Age: 22
- Position: Central midfielder
As far as central midfielders go, there is no talent in MLS right now that can match Brian Gutierrez.
The US-Mexico dual national has always been a supremely gifted creator and passer, but now, he’s added a goalscoring edge to his game, netting 15 times since the start of last season and nine times across all competitions in 2025.
Gutierrez is an incredibly skilful player who can score and create from all angles, and like a few names on this list, it feels like just a matter of time until he attracts a club in Europe.
On top of his goalscoring, Gutierrez also added his third assist of the season as Chicago beat the New England Revolution 3-2 most recently.
1. Diego Luna
- Club: Real Salt Lake
- Age: 21
- Position: Left winger
Diego Luna has become a mainstay of the USMNT under Pochettino, and for good reason.
This season alone, the 21-year-old has bagged nine goals and two assists in 25 appearances for Real Salt Lake, taking his total for the club to 25 goals and 11 assists in 106 senior appearances.
Luna is extremely versatile, able to occupy all three positions behind the striker, while his low centre of gravity and eye for a pass make him a nightmare for defenders. Do you commit but open the space for a splitting pass, or sit off and risk allowing him the momentum to run past the backline?
With three goals in his last five international caps, Luna is making a serious bid to be in next summer’s World Cup squad. By then, he may have already left MLS for a European giant.
Honourable mentions: Jalen Neal, Elijah Wynder, Danny Leyva, Paxten Aaronson, Tomas Aviles, Quinn Sullivan, Mateo Silvetti, Julian Hall, Nathan Ordaz, Jayden Hibbert, Jake Davis, David Martinez, Chris Brady, Noah Eile, Noah Allen, Alex Freeman, Kevin Kelsey, Jacen Russell-Rowe
*Assist stats based on Opta definition