Top 10 best youngsters playing in MLS 2023

Some of these youngsters have already made their mark in the MLS by putting up stellar displays

Homegrown and academy players are vital to a Major League Soccer (MLS) team’s roster. Developing young players to compete, and to sign on requires minutes and opportunities when they show qualities that could benefit the senior team.

Going into 2023 there will be even more games for every team, and young players should receive opportunities to impress in 2023.

Many new young players promise to make their mark in 2023, while other well-known commodities seek to leap promising talents to genuine stars. Here are the top 10 young players in Major League Soccer for the 2023 season.

10. Jack McGlynn - 19 Years old - Philadelphia Union

Paxten Aaronson may be off to Europe, but Philadelphia are a youth talent factory under manager Jim Curtin, and Jack McGlynn is the next big rising star at the club. After 19 regular season appearances and just over 600 minutes last year, a confident McGlynn burst onto the MLS Cup Playoffs scene.

The midfield academy product was unleashed in the second half of 2022 to great effect, scoring a goal and assisting three more while helping glue together one of the more structurally sound midfielders in the league. With a world-class left foot and a soccer IQ that Head Coach Jim Curtin raves about, it wouldn’t be surprising at all to see McGlynn reach the peak at his young age.

9. Cade Cowell - 19 Years old -  San Jose Earthquakes

At just 19 years old, the forward is physically strong and superior in pace to any defender he comes up against. One thing that often gets lost when analyzing the teenager due to the work he does in possession, is how good he is off the ball. San Jose have reportedly turned away European advances for Cowell, but he seems likely to make the move soon.

For now, he is a rising MLS talent with loads of pace, skill, and power. Like many other exciting teenagers around the world, Cowell shows glimpses of what he will become in the future. It’s clear Cowell likes to take his defender on 1v1 and can certainly progress play in this manner. However, he has shown he can become more well-rounded than many 1v1 specialists.

8. John Tolkin - 20 Years old -  NY Red Bulls

If his recent time with the U.S. national team in January camp is any indication, John Tolkin's stock is only continuing to rise into the 2023 MLS season. The youngster has already logged 61 MLS appearances over the last two seasons, proving a workhorse across 2022 with a whopping 2,750 minutes through the regular season. He has developed into a solid two-way player, and as a result, has drawn links to European clubs like Anderlecht over the past eight months. His defensive abilities are improving dramatically, he presses with accuracy and fitness, and his possessional skills are strong.

7. Alan Velasco - 20 Years old - FC Dallas

Speed, daring, dribbling, physical strength and composure are among the Argentine’s greatest strengths. Despite his short stature, his daring style in 1v1 situations makes him a rare gem that can transcend much more than just Argentine football. The dribbler, that player who seeks the 1v1 situation to get rid of defenders, is a transformative talent.

Another of the great virtues that he possesses is his versatility on the attacking front. He can play in any of the offensive positions: he is a great companion for a centre forward. He drops deep on the pitch to command his team’s attacks, be it dribbling, passing, or finishing. In doing so, the teenager has become a fundamental piece of the team.

6. Chris Brady - 18 Years Old -  Chicago Fire

If there’s something we need to become accustomed to, it’s Chicago Fire having teenage goalkeepers. With Gaga Slonina capping his rapid rise with a move to Chelsea in the Premier League, it could be Christopher Bradley’s chance to shine in MLS this season. He will compete with Jeff Gal, who returns to the United States after eight years in Sweden.

Gal has not been a starter at any of his clubs and has only made 75 appearances across his entire senior career. Brady will be thrown into a side that had difficulties last season but will get the chance, as Slonina did, to prove his quality as well as potential as an MLS player.

5. Talles Magno - 20 Years Old - NYCFC

After capping off a spotty 2021 campaign with a goal in the Eastern Conference final, Talles Magno's career has slowly taken an upward trajectory. Last year, the young Brazilian took the next step, becoming a key cog in NYCFC's attack out wide, scoring seven goals and assisting eight others. His nationality likely plays a part in that figure, but it's also largely down to his performances on the field, appearing in every single match for NYCFC last year. 

He's also been named one of the best young wingers in the world, according to a new scouting report published by the CIES Football Observatory, tabbed as the fourth most promising all-rounder left winger under the age of 21.

4. Niko Tsakiris – 17 Years Old -  San Jose Earthquakes

Niko Tsakiris found the field 10 times in MLS last season and excited onlookers with his technique and skill going forward. He has three goals in five USA U20 caps and also got his first goal for San Jose in the US Open Cup last season. Likes to have the ball at his feet and has the natural ability of an ‘orchestrator’ midfielder who can perform at all of the midfield positions.

The midfielder who sees the game differently from most revealing creativity, cleverness at his off-the-ball movements, great vision, and passing ability orchestrating or providing dynamism to the team’s build-up process with ease and effectiveness.

3. Thiago Almada - 20 Years Old -  Atlanta United

Thiago Almada is, in simple terms, an attacking midfielder and supporting forward. After arriving last season at Atlanta United for a hefty $16 million investment, fans had high hopes for Almada, and he delivered. With six goals and seven assists in the 2022 season, Almada was a key contributor, but he was powerless to help the squad recover from its bouts of inconsistency. Coming off a World Cup triumph with Argentina, he'll have even more on his shoulders this season.

2. Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty- 18 Years Old -  Toronto FC

Marshall-Rutty came through the ranks of Toronto FC and at 15, became the youngest player to sign a first-team contract for Toronto FC. A serious knee injury kept Marshall-Rutty out for a lot of 2022 but he did go on to feature in 29 games notching up 1,050 minutes along with an assist.

He had half a season to ease his way into the first team and looks set to give his best in 2023.  His ability to create space is one good example to showcase the maturity in his game. Despite being 17 years old, Marshall-Rutty displays some very good examples of creating space for himself in the attacking third.

He could be another player from Canada to mark his foot on European soil. The player still needs to improve his final passes and goal-scoring ability. Once done, Marshall-Rutty can turn out to become one of the best wingers in the world. His versatility in playing gives him an edge over other wingers. With a lot of time ahead, there’s no doubt he can nourish himself to become one of the best in the world. 

1. Benjamín Cremaschi - 17 Years Old -  Inter Miami

Midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi became the fifth Academy product to be signed to the first team upon being signed in December 2022 as a Homegrown Player. Cremaschi joined the Inter Miami CF Academy in 2021 and quickly went to work ascending through the ranks.

Before joining Inter Miami, Cremaschi featured for Key Partner Club Weston FC, and during his tenure there helped the U-16 team earn the 2021 MLS NEXT Cup title and claimed the Golden Ball award as the tournament’s best player. The 17-year-old has had call-ups to the Argentina U20s and looks to be making a positive impression around the club.