Over the current decade, the USL Championship has become a significant launching point for young talent to take their games to the next level in both Major League Soccer and in Europe.

The success achieved by players including Jonathan Gomez (PAOK Thessaloniki), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), Fidel Barajas (D.C. United), Kobi Henry (Real Salt Lake), Joshua Wynder (Benfica) and Korede Osundina (Casa Pia AC) has added to the pipeline of players who have elected to turn pro with clubs across the league.

After this offseason’s transfers of 18-year-old midfield standout Matthew Corcoran from Birmingham Legion FC to Nashville SC and 2024 Championship Young Player of the Year Elijah Wynder from Louisville City FC to the LA Galaxy – the latter for a USL Championship domestic-record fee – the pathway shows no signs of slowing down.

With that in mind, here are 14 players currently aged 21 or under – and therefore eligible for this year’s Young Player of the Year award – you should have on your radar right now.

Abdellatif Aboukoura, Loudoun United FC

One of the most important moves Loudoun United Chief Soccer Officer Oliver Gage made in 2024 was signing Abdellatif Aboukoura – who at the time was in the middle of a breakout season for United – to a multi-year agreement for his first professional contract. The 19-year-old attacking midfielder ended the 2024 campaign with five goals and one assist, but his underlying numbers showed the potential Aboukoura has to head to the next level.

A graduate of the D.C. United Academy, Aboukoura posted a career-best 4.04 Expected Goals mark – more than double his previous single-season high – and had a 2.15 Expected Assists mark on nine chances created, an indicator of the high level of opportunity he laid on for teammates. Having previously received call-ups to the Egypt U-20 Men’s National Team, Aboukoura should take the next step forward this season and have the potential to make the jump to a higher level.

Pape Mar Boye, Phoenix Rising FC

Coming out of Clemson University after his freshman season, Pape Mar Boye took a different route to many of his contemporaries. Instead of taking a reported Generation adidas contract offer from Major League Soccer, he elected to sign with Phoenix Rising FC to start his professional career. At the end of the 20-year-old center back’s first professional campaign, it’s looking like a bet on himself that’s going to pay off handsomely long term.

Boye was sterling in his first year in the Championship, earning All-League Second Team honors and nomination for Young Player of the Year after he logged 2,430 minutes in 30 appearances and recorded 119 clearances and 31 interceptions. This should be the year in which he rises into the Championship’s elite defensively and helps Rising push back into contention in the Western Conference in the process.

Mamadou Dieng, Hartford Athletic

There was always going to be a learning curve for Mamadou Dieng as he arrived in the Championship with Hartford Athletic as he entered the professional ranks. The physicality and potential that Head Coach Brendan Burke saw in the 21-year-old eventually told, however, making him one of the breakout performers in the league’s second half of the season.

It took until Dieng’s 13th appearance for him to bag his first goal in the Championship, but from there his production took off. Dieng ended the campaign with 11 goals in 30 appearances, the most by any player eligible for the Championship’s Young Player of the Year award. That underperformed his overall Expected Goals mark of 12.27xG – he was unable to make up the gap from his early-season missteps – but that and his Goals Added mark of +7.44 that ranked second in Athletic’s ranks show how high Dieng’s ceiling could be. If he hits the ground running this season, it should take Hartford to another level.

Dmitriy Erofeev, San Antonio FC

Let’s be clear, we have no clue as to how influential or not Dmitriy Erofeev may or may not be for San Antonio this season. But we’re certainly intrigued by an 18-year-old Russian talent that came through the Dynamo Moscow system and has now hopped across the Atlantic after putting up three goals and five assists in 652 minutes for Dynamo’s reserve team in the lower divisions in Russia last season.

Erofeev does have a small track record in the Russia youth ranks, competing for the U-16s before the country’s federation was barred from UEFA competition after its invasion of Ukraine. For a San Antonio team that has a good collection of veteran talent in its squad, playing time might be limited for Erofeev, but we’re going to be paying close attention when he’s on the field.

Xavi Gnaulati, Monterey Bay FC

After joining Monterey Bay FC last offseason, Xavi Gnaulati was left to wait for his opportunity for the side as he recorded only three starts for the side before the start of August in league play. The arrival of new Head Coach Jordan Stewart changed things for the better for the former San Diego Loyal product, however, with the 20-year-old earning more opportunities for minutes that should carry into a key upcoming season for his progression.

Gnaulati notched one goal and one assist as he logged starts in eight of the club’s last nine games of the campaign, and his ability to connect play fit with the style Stewart was aiming to implement. While there has been plenty of change in Monterey Bay’s squad ahead of the new season, it should open an avenue for Gnaulati to see consistent action. The hope will be his production scales up accordingly to help the side reach its first postseason.

Pedro Guimaraes, Orange County SC

Orange County has developed a well-earned reputation for being a place where young talent can turn pro and thrive. Last year, the club welcomed its latest highly touted youth product in versatile defender Pedro Guimaraes, who turned pro with OCSC out of the LAFC Academy with the aim of following the footsteps of his predecessors in heading to Europe.

The 16-year-old made six appearances down the final stretch of the season in the Championship, posting solid defensive numbers and a couple of chances created, but this offseason he’s elevated his stock while helping the United States U-17 Men’s National Team qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup, scoring once while appearing in all three of the side’s group victories. As his first full campaign at Orange County arrives, there should be a bigger role for Guimaraes to play as he prepares for November’s tournament in Qatar.

Ramiz Hamouda, Birmingham Legion FC

Having turned pro with Birmingham Legion out of Sporting Kansas City’s Academy as a 15-year-old last offseason, the logic was Ramiz Hamouda would be put on a similar path to the previous young talent the club had brought aboard in Matt Corcoran. That proved to be the case, but in the 14 appearances and 438 minutes of action we saw from Hamouda, there was a lot to be excited about.

The 16-year-old center back was sharp in his defensive play, winning 67.5 percent of duels and 72.7 percent of tackles in the small sample we saw while also posting an 88.4 percent passing accuracy rate. As in the case of Guimaraes, Hamouda also made the most of his opportunity with the United States U-17s this month in FIFA U-17 World Cup Qualifying, bagging a goal and playing the full 90 in two shutouts. If Corcoran is the model, we could see a lot more of Hamouda this season, and that could be very good for both his progression and the club overall.

Bryce Jamison, Orange County SC

Of the players in this list, Bryce Jamison could be looked at as the grizzled veteran as the lone player to have logged more than 3,000 minutes of action in the Championship. The way the United States youth international has leveled up year-on-year is instructive to Orange County’s preferred approach with young prospects, and this past season showed the 19-year-old come into his own as a key part of the club’s attack.

In 2024, Jamison more than doubled his appearances, almost doubled his minutes and his five goals and three assists were a big jump forward from the 2023 season. It’s worth remembering that he’ll still have yet to turn 20 before the end of the year – a strong season could put him in the frame for the United States’ squad for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile this September. With that in the big picture, the right-sided winger will be aiming to take his game to even greater heights this year.

Carlos Moguel Jr., Louisville City FC

It’s important to remember that right alongside the progression of Elijah Wynder as the LouCity Academy product making a name for himself in the USL Championship, there was Carlos Moguel Jr. right by his side. The 21-year-old logged four assists and 24 chances created in a career-high 1,310 minutes of action during the 2023 season, continuing to build an impressive resume after his debut two years prior.

Moguel’s progress was stymied this past season by injury, but he still came back late in the season and chipped in one assist in 187 minutes of action. While there have been new additions to LouCity’s midfield this year after the transfer of Wynder to the LA Galaxy for a USL Championship-record domestic fee, it would be a mistake to overlook Moguel. He’s someone who has the potential to deliver regular minutes and on-ball quality in the center of the side’s midfield.

Logan Neidlinger, Indy Eleven

Indy Eleven has been one of the most successful organizations in the USL Academy realm over the past four years, but over that span it had been waiting for one of its young talents to break through into regular First Team minutes. Last season, that finally arrived as Logan Neidlinger impressed as a USL Academy signing and then joined the professional ranks before ending the season with one goal, one assist and six chances created in 772 minutes of league action.

Neidlinger fit tidily on the right side of Indy’s lineup, primarily in the wingback role in the club’s 5-3-2 formation. There’s room for him to grow defensively – being sharper in defensive battles for the ball, where he won only 43.2 percent of duels is the most obvious area, compared to a 66.7 percent success rate on 12 won tackles – but he appeared to earn the trust of veteran Head Coach Sean McAuley, starting in the side’s Eastern Conference Quarterfinal last November. That bodes well for another step forward this season.

Nighte Pickering, Las Vegas Lights FC

Coming off a season in which he logged eight goal contributions in a little over 1,000 minutes of action, last season was set up to be the year Nighte Pickering launched into the next level and became a consistent starter at Memphis 901 FC. After scoring in the side’s opening game of the season, however, things never truly got going for the 19-year-old as he tallied three goals and made three fewer appearances for the side over the regular season and playoffs.

If there was a silver lining for Pickering, it’s that his underlying numbers were up on the prior year with a 3.69 Expected Goals mark and 1.14 Expected Assists mark – both career bests. What’s more, he heads into a new situation in Las Vegas that is looking for a player to fill its No. 9 position after the transfer of Khori Bennett this offseason. While Johnny Rodriguez is likely to take the bulk of minutes there, Pickering has the potential to contribute as well. Having been on the fringes of the United States U-20s squad this cycle, achieving the breakthrough season we anticipated last offseason could also propel him forward in the national team picture.

Shawn Smart, Las Vegas Lights FC

There might not have been as much fanfare for Shawn Smart as for his Clemson University teammate Pape Mar Boye when he left the Tigers after his sophomore season to join Las Vegas Lights last season. Nevertheless, the right back certainly generated plenty of buzz in his first pro campaign, becoming one of the faces of the Lights’ remarkable turnaround that ended in the Western Conference Final of the 2024 USL Championship Playoffs.

Smart recorded two goals and one assist – and put up marks of 3.59 Expected Goals and 2.61 Expected Assists – as his ability to join the attack on the right side was a key feature for the Lights. His defensive numbers were also solid, including winning 209 duels – second-most in the Championship during the regular season – at a 51.4 percent success rate. After signing a new multi-year contract with the Lights this offseason, another strong season for the 20-year-old could put him on a path to a higher level.

Zeke Soto, Charleston Battery

There is, admittedly, going to be an impossible standard by which young players coming into the Charleston Battery are going to be judged after the success of Fidel Barajas in 2023, but Zeke Soto’s resume upon his arrival last year from the Houston Dynamo Academy is impressive. The 18-year-old had previously competed for the U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team and made 20 appearances for Dynamo 2 in MLS NEXT Pro, showing his potential to break out in Charleston.

That makes the young forward one to keep a close eye on over the next two years. Having turned 18 this past January, Soto will be eligible for the next cycle of the United States U-20 Men’s National Team ahead of the 2027 Men’s U-20 World Cup. After making three cameo appearances for Charleston this past year, there should be ample opportunity for him to make his mark this season and build toward what’s ahead.

Chibi Ukaegbu, Sacramento Republic FC

As Sacramento Republic FC experienced injury issues in its defensive corps a season ago, it resulted in 17-year-old Academy product Chibi Ukaegbu being pushed into the starting lineup for the first time in the Championship. While there were a couple of missteps – including an unfortunate red card against Las Vegas Lights late in the season – the qualities the Roseville, Calif. native showed consistently pegged him as a player going places fast.

After logging 580 minutes in eight appearances in the league last season, that ascent has been reflected in Ukaegbu’s offseason work which saw him make the step up to the United States U-20 Men’s National Team in its January camp. Ukaegbu is age-eligible for the next U-20s cycle, but if he puts together a strong campaign and earns a spot on the plane to Chile in September, he’d be emulating former Louisville City FC star Joshua Wynder in playing at the FIFA Men’s U-20 World Cup a cycle ahead. We know where that led for Wynder, and it could be Ukaegbu’s future as well.

Nate Worth, Tampa Bay Rowdies

Following a midseason transfer from FC Tulsa to the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Nate Worth saw his minutes drop off in his third professional season. Everything else around the 18-year-old central midfielder, however, was trending in the right direction. Worth logged 20 appearances for the Rowdies – primarily off the substitutes bench but including three starts as Head Coach Robbie Neilson tried to work him into a veteran midfield group – and put up 16 chances created and one assist on 2.0 Expected Assists in the campaign.

Put into context, that’s a rate of 2.64 chances created per 90 minutes, which even taking into account Worth being used as one of the Rowdies’ set-piece takers is a strong number. What’s maybe most important about the New York Red Bulls Academy product, though, is the way he sees and uses space in defense and attack. That alertness and quality on the ball could see him make an even bigger impact for Tampa Bay this season, even with the midfield depth the squad has assembled.