As MLS continues to grow, youth development is more and more becoming a crucial piece of the puzzle as the league establishes itself in global soccer. MLS continues to develop talented young players to play for their teams and move on to Europe, a key building block of success for any league in the world.
Here at Soccer America, we’re looking at some of the top young players in MLS right now, breaking them down both by current contributions on the field as well as potential for future growth.
Honorable mentions
Peyton Miller (left back, New England Revolution), Zavier Gozo (winger, Real Salt Lake), Sergio Oregel (midfielder, Chicago Fire), Jonny Shore (midfielder, New York City FC), Chris Brady (goalkeeper, Chicago Fire), Julian Hall (midfielder, New York Red Bulls).
5. Owen Wolff (Austin FC, age 20)
Midfielder/winger
Appearances: 25
Minutes: 2,099
Goals: 3
Assists: 5
The midfielder already has over 100 MLS appearances under his belt, and has been a major bright spot this season for Austin FC. Able to play on the wings or in a more box-to-box role, the U.S. youth international has really hit his stride in 2025, starting a career-high 23 matches already as Austin pushes for a playoff spot.
At 20, Wolff has already locked down a role as a key piece of a team. As he gets more game time, he’ll only continue to develop, whether he sticks around in MLS or eventually tests the waters in Europe.
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